Marcus Freeman has done an incredible job of landing elite recruits who are Notre Dame legacies since he took over the program and that continues to be the case.
The latest legacy to commit to Notre Dame is Julius Jones Jr. A dynamic athlete who has been trained at one of the top high school programs in the country, it’s a huge pickup for the Irish.
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 175
Projected Position: Wide receiver
ISD Grade: 93 (4-star)
National Average Grade: 92.5 (4-star)
What he does best:
His size might stand out because he’s not the prototype in that regard, but he plays much bigger than what he’s listed in the program. He can go up and get the ball in contested catch situations and plays strong.
That strength also stands out after the catch. This is where he looks like his father in a lot of ways. He has running back skills in terms of yards after the catch.
He has great ball skills and tracks the deep ball really well.
Jones Jr. has great short area quickness. He has the tools to develop into an outstanding route runner and has great burst out of his breaks.
What he needs to improve:
He’s certainly a willing blocker, but undersized receivers are always going to have to be on point to be effective blockers at the college level. He can get better in this area.
There’s a level of consistency he hasn’t reached yet as a route runner that I think we’ll see him get better at when he’s at Notre Dame. His good as a route runner is very good.
What’s his ceiling?
I think Jones Jr. has the traits to develop into a big time playmaker for the Irish. He has the toughness, short area quickness, and ball skills to succeed out of the slot or the field.
He’s an explosive athlete who has a verified 9-8.9 broad jump. I really believe he has the tools to become one of the better receivers after the catch in college football.
His quickness stands out more than flat out speed, this is also someone who ran a 10.52 100m. That combined with his burst and toughness are reminiscent of former USC WR Makai Lemon for me. He was a great player for the Trojans and I think Jones Jr. has a lot of similar traits to Lemon.
Who he could be:
Former USC WR Makai Lemon
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