One SEC School 'Close to the Top' for Prized Wide Receiver Amid LSU Football Pursuit

Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas four-star wide receiver Julius Jones Jr. continues his rise as one of the top pass-catchers in America as Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers intensify their pursuit.

Jones Jr. checks in as the No. 11 rated wideout in the 2027 Recruiting Cycle with a myriad of programs fighting for his commitment ahead of a critical offseason in his process.

The 5-foot-11, 160-pound Florida native has earned scholarships from the likes of the LSU Tigers, Michigan Wolverines, Oregon Ducks, and Florida Gators, among several others, across his stellar prep career.

But the Sunshine State pass-catcher is now down to eight schools after trimming his list of over 20 offers on Friday.

Jones Jr. is down to the LSU Tigers, Oregon Ducks, Michigan Wolverines, Florida Gators, Texas Longhorns, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Florida State Seminoles, and Miami Hurricanes.

Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish remain viewed as the favorite in Jones Jr.'s process with the legacy recruit eyeing South Bend, according to reports.

Four-star 2027 WR Julius Jones Jr. announced his Top 8 schools on Friday, and Florida made the cut.

The Gators have been trending upward in his recruitment, and he’s confident in them going forward.

“Definitely closer to the top.”@julius_jones_

➡️: https://t.co/ElCcyif3JI… pic.twitter.com/qRx9Nbi9yo
— Tyler Harden (@ttjharden8) February 6, 2026

A legacy, Jones Jr.'s father played his college football career at Notre Dame as a running back from 1999 to 2003.

But other schools are swinging for the fences in his recruitment - including Jon Sumrall and the Florida Gators with the SEC program "closer to the top" heading into the offseason.

"Definitely closer to the top. They did a really good job when I was up there - showing a lot of love not just to me, but my brother as well and my family. They had a great first impression," Jones Jr. told 247Sports.

Jones Jr. checks in as a Top-100 prospect in the 2027 Recruiting Cycle with programs galore battling for his commitment as he navigates a rigorous offseason in his process this spring and into the summer.

Now, all eyes are on the elite pass-catcher with schools surging in his recruitment with Notre Dame and Florida looking to set the pace with Kiffin's LSU Tigers eyeing an opportunity to make a statement in the Sunshine State wideout's recruitment.

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