Legacy Recruit Notebook: Diesel Dart Commits to Utah; Various Standouts Following in NFL Fathers’ Footsteps

Two recruits have fathers who were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Diesel Dart, the brother of Jaxson Dart, committed to Utah Utes football on Thursday, June 18. | Diesel Dart/Instagram

The 2025-26 high school sports season has become the season of legacy recruits.

Back in December, High School On SI compiled a list of student-athletes with ties to professional athletes.

More recently, a handful of notable high school standouts have announced their commitments, with other athletes receiving offers or under consideration by Division I programs.

Here are some of those announcements:

Diesel Dart, Corner Canyon (UT), 2027 (ATH)

Dart, the brother of New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, is staying local after his hard commitment to Utah Utes football on Thursday (June 18). Diesel previously held 10 Division I offers, including Jaxson’s alma mater Ole Miss, Michigan, Auburn, BYU and others.

A safety and a wide receiver at Corner Canyon, Dart helped the Chargers capture their third consecutive UHSAA 6A state title last season. According to the Deseret News, Dart finished with 49 tackles and two interceptions on defense and seven receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown on offense.

Charles Woodson Jr., Lake Nona (FL), 2027 (DB)

Woodson Jr., the son of Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson, announced his hard commitment to his father’s alma mater Michigan on May 15. The three-star defensive back also had offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Ole Miss, Oregon, Louisville and more.

In his junior campaign for the Lions, Woodson Jr. recorded 73 tackles, eight pass deflections, two interceptions and a forced fumble.

Duece Jones-Drew, De La Salle (CA), 2027 (RB)

Jones-Drew, the son of former NFL Pro Bowl running back Maurice Jones-Drew, made a hard commitment to his father’s alma mater UCLA on May 3. A three-star running back, Duece also received offers from California, Arizona, SMU, UNLV and more.

In his junior season last year, Jones-Drew ran for 463 yards (5.6 yards-per-carry) and seven TDs on 83 carries for the Spartans. He also had 13 tackles on defense, and averaged 44.5 yards per kick return and 13.5 yards a punt return.

Julius Jones Jr., St. Thomas Aquinas (FL), 2027 (WR)

Jones Jr., who is related to former NFL running backs Julius Jones (father) and Thomas Jones (uncle), is a four-star wide receiver out of Fort Lauderdale.

A rising senior at St. Thomas Aquinas, Jones Jr. is set to make his college decision between Miami, Notre Dame and Oregon on Monday (June 22).

Jones Jr. helped St. Thomas Aquinas to capture its seventh straight FHSAA 5A state crown last season. Jones Jr. finished his junior campaign with 58 catches for 876 yards (15.1 YPC) and 14 TDs.

2027 St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) four-star WR Julius Jones Jr. (@julius_jones_) is back at Notre Dame.

He's set to decide between Miami, Notre Dame and Oregon on Monday. pic.twitter.com/dkrXzcoFkB

— Matt Freeman (@mattfreeman05_) June 19, 2026

Paisios Polamalu, St. Augustine (CA), 2027 (RB/DB)

According to USC Trojans On SI, Polamalu – the son of Pittsburgh Steelers great and Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu – recently reported that his father’s alma mater USC is favored to land Paisios.

Paisios also has interest from Arizona and Stanford. In his junior season for the Saints, Polamalu ran for 1,530 yards and 19 TDs on 250 carries and had three receiving scores. On defense, Polamalu recorded 108 tackles, a sack, six interceptions, 10 pass deflections, two caused fumbles, a fumble recovery and two blocked field goal attempts.

Polamalu told Fox 5 San Diego in November last year that USC is a possible destination.

"I’d say my dream school has always been USC, just because my dad’s been there,” Paisios said. “I’ll be grateful for any college that accepts me, offers me, or anything. All of them, it’s just a blessing.”

Kenneth Simon II, Brentwood Academy (TN), 2027 (LB)

Simon, the son of former NFL scout Kevin Simon, flipped his commitment from Alabama to his father’s alma mater Tennessee last Saturday (June 13). The four-star linebacker had 25 Division I offers, including reigning national champion Indiana, Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, among others.

Last season, Simon anchored a dominant defense that was part of an Eagles' squad that went 12-0 and secured the TSSAA Division II-AA title.

Brentwood Academy's Kenneth Simon II (10) celebrates after defeating Ensworth at Brentwood Academy on Sept. 26, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images