Prospect Evaluation: Notre Dame Commitment RB Tony Jones Jr.
By Andrew Hall
Tony Jones Jr. knows how to run downhill and get yardage
The 6’0″, 210 lbs. Running Back from IMG Academy committed to Notre Dame on March 22nd of this year. Jones hails from Bradenton, Florida. His rankings indicate an above average Division 1 recruit. Recruiting services all wrong constantly. What type of player is Tony Jones Jr.?
More from Slap the Sign
- PointsBet Promo: Bet $50, Win an Official Jersey at Fanatics!
- Notre Dame vs NC State: How to watch, odds, injuries, series history and more
- Caesars Indiana Sign-Up Promo: Win $250 GUARANTEED Bonus Betting on Notre Dame This Week!
- FanDuel + DraftKings Indiana Promos: Bet $10 on Notre Dame, Win $400 Bonus GUARANTEED!
- New Caesars + DraftKings Indiana Promos: $450 GUARANTEED Bonus Backing Notre Dame vs. Navy!
Offer List
Jones holds offers from Cincinnati, Florida Atlantic, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Miami (FL), Mississippi State, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, South Florida, UCF and Vanderbilt. The major of these offers (10) come from Power 5 conference teams. Although offers from major teams is important, the major of these programs are not at the top of their respective conferences.
Recruiting Rankings
The 247Sports Composite, an aggregate of all recruiting rankings, rate Jones as a 4-star. He ranks as the 324th best player and 14th best Running Back in the 2016 class. As for star rankings, 247Sports rates him as a 3-star recruit while lists him as a 4-star prospect. Rivals rates Jones a 3-star player. Scout believes Jones is a 4-star prospect.
Highlight Videos
On film, Jones appears to be a polished player with great pad level and vision. For a young Running Back, he understands pass protections and how to hit the hole. He is definitely not flashy. Instead, he is a blue-collar gritty Running Back who throws about as many blocks as he receives from his Offensive Line.
Stats
In 2014, Jones Jr. rushed for 771 yards on 66 attempts (11.68 ypc). His yard per carry average is impressive. For comparison, Notre Dame Freshman Running Back Josh Adams averaged about 8 yards per carry in his Junior and Senior seasons. 66 attempts is a low number. But, at a school at IMG Academy, the coaches are likely forced to spread the ball around within a roster stocked with future FBS players.
Summary
Jones has next level vision and power. He has enough speed to hit the occasional home run but may not in college. He is a Robert Hughes or Cam McDaniel style player who get the yards that are blocked. Jones is polished and should compete for carries next year depending on the rest of the current Irish backs.