Irish Breakdown

Son of Former Notre Dame Star Named Top 2027 Recruit

Julius Jones, a standout running back for the Irish in the early 2000s, is the father of one of the most promising athletes in the 2027 recruiting class.
Nathan Erbach|
Nov 22, 2007; Irving, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Julius Jones (21) meets with his brother New York Jets running back Thomas Jones (20) after the game at Texas Stadium. The Cowboys beat the Jets 34-3. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 22, 2007; Irving, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Julius Jones (21) meets with his brother New York Jets running back Thomas Jones (20) after the game at Texas Stadium. The Cowboys beat the Jets 34-3. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports | Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

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Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame may have a built-in advantage in the recruitment of one of the top wide receivers in the 2027 class.

The Irish football program has enjoyed significant success with both NFL and Irish legacy recruits in recent years. Among these promising recruits is Julius Jones Jr., the son of former Notre Dame standout Julius Jones.

In the latest 247sports.com rankings for the class of 2027, Jones Jr. made a notable debut, securing the No. 41 spot.

As an elite wide receiver prospect, Jones Jr. could choose to follow in his father's footsteps by committing to Notre Dame, or he might chart his own course.

With 18 Division I offers already on the table, including from Auburn, Florida State, Kentucky, LSU, Miami, Ole Miss, Penn State, and Texas A&M, he has a wealth of options.

Although he has not yet received an offer from Notre Dame, the Ft. Lauderdale standout is likely to attract interest from the Irish soon.

Notre Dame has a tradition of extending offers to many of their top prospects on St. Patrick's Day, or as they refer to it, "Pot of Gold Day."

Whether or not Jones Jr. receives an offer before then, it’s reasonable to expect the Irish will at least make a move, given his family connection to the program.

Julius Jones Jr. NFL Bloodlines

The elder Jones is a former 2nd round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 2004 draft after rushing for over 3000 yards and 26 touchdowns at Notre Dame across four seasons.

He spent four seasons in Dallas, rushing for 1,084 yards in 2006 - his best season in the NFL. He totaled just over 5,000 career rushing yards and 24 total touchdowns across seven NFL seasons.

Jones' uncle, Thomas Jones, also made a significant impact both in college and the NFL. A former first-round pick, Jones rushed for nearly 4,000 yards and scored 41 touchdowns during his college career at Virginia.

Selected seventh overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 1999 Draft, he enjoyed a distinguished 12-season NFL career, amassing nearly 11,000 rushing yards and 71 total touchdowns.

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Nathan Erbach
NATHAN ERBACH

Staff Writer at Notre Dame Fighting Irish On SI covering all things Notre Dame athletics, but specifically specialize in recruiting and basketball coverage. Covered recruiting for other media outlets including Irish Breakdown and Slap the Sign, while also covering football and basketball at both locations as well. Featured on the Notre Dame website when current San Antonio Spurs guard Blake Wesley signed with Notre Dame. Former co-host of the Golden Homer podcast along with fellow staff writer Mason Plummer.

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