Notre Dame got a big one in Julius Jones Jr., but the path to his commitment was a lot shakier than the Irish would’ve liked.
The 4-star wide receiver ultimately chose Marcus Freeman’s program in June, and he did it alongside his younger brother. But Jones made it clear this wasn’t always a Notre Dame race. When he spoke with On3’s Mike Singer, he said Oregon was the team in front for a long stretch.
“For a long time, it was Oregon,” Jones told Singer.
That detail makes the Irish’s win look even better. Dan Lanning and Oregon had a real shot to land the son of former Notre Dame running back Julius Jones, and it sounded close enough that Notre Dame would have had some explaining to do if the Ducks had finished the job.
Jones later explained what pushed him to South Bend when he appeared on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show after his commitment. His answer centered on what Notre Dame still carries as a brand.
"It's just the mystique of Notre Dame -- there's only one in the world," Julius Jones Jr. told McAfee. "When I was up there, I felt it, and it felt different from what they can do for me now to when I'm done with football."
The Irish were fighting for a highly regarded receiver. Jones checks in at 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds and is ranked No. 77 in the 2027 class by the 247Sports Composite.
He’s coming off a junior season at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he caught 58 passes for 876 yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 15.1 yards per reception and helping the school win another Florida state championship.
Over his first three varsity seasons, Jones has piled up 120 receptions for 1,843 yards and 24 touchdowns, according to MaxPreps.
His commitment also fits the pattern Notre Dame has been building with Florida prospects. Freeman and his staff have kept selling players from the Sunshine State on the idea that South Bend can feel like home, and Jones’ pledge only adds to that Florida Dame momentum.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Enters Wisconsin Week With Real Questions Still Lingering
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The session also underscored how much of this teams early-season identity may be tied to coaching expertise and player development rather than any one headline name. Notre Dame has reason to feel better about where it is entering the final stretch before kickoff, but the open question is how all of those moving parts hold up once Wisconsin is on the other sideline and the season starts putting answers on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Still Has A Troubling O-Line Question Before The Opener
With the season opener looming, Notre Dame is still sorting out a sizeable chunk of its offensive line, and that kind of late-August uncertainty is never ideal for a unit built on chemistry and timing. The Irish have multiple spots still open, and the staff is trying to settle the combination while also dealing with injuries that have complicated the picture.
Styles Prescod has become one of the more interesting names in that competition after working as a backup tackle before getting a look at right guard. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock said Prescod is among several players in the mix for the starting lineup, which gives Notre Dame some flexibility but also underscores how much is still unresolved up front. [Read more 🡒]
Former Notre Dame Star Lands Intriguing New Coaching Role In Indiana
Jaylon Smith is heading back into football in a new role, this time on the high school sideline in his home state. The former Notre Dame linebacker and NFL standout has been named the interim head football coach at North Side High School in Fort Wayne, where he steps into a program looking for steady leadership after a change at the top.
Smith, a 2013 graduate of Bishop Luers High School, brings a familiar local name and a resume that still carries weight in Indiana football circles. His career has included a Pro Bowl selection in 2019, and now he gets a chance to shape the next group of players while the school sorts out its long-term direction under a new coaching setup. [Read more 🡒]