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2017 Player Projection: RB Tony Jones Jr.

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A strong spring has put sophomore RB Tony Jones Jr. in prime position for significant playing time this fall.
A strong spring has put sophomore RB Tony Jones Jr. in prime position for significant playing time this fall. (Corey Bodden)
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Sophomore Tony Jones Jr. might be the least heralded running back on the Notre Dame roster, but he showed this spring that he has the talent to be a playmaker in the Irish offense. Despite sitting out his freshman season, Jones has put himself in position to make a splash this fall.

BIO

SIZE: 5-11, 224
CLASS/ELIGIBILITY: Sophomore / Freshman
HOMETOWN: St. Petersburg, Fla.
HIGH SCHOOL: IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

PREP RANKINGS

Rivals: 3-star – No. 21 RB
ESPN: 3-star – No. 37 RB
Scout:
4-star – No. 187 overall – No. 10 RB
247Sports: 3-star – No. 23 RB

2016 RECAP

The plan all along was that Jones would come in and sit out as a freshman, and ultimately that is what he did. It wasn’t as easy of a decision as Notre Dame’s staff had hoped, as Jones was impressive during fall camp.

There were rumblings behind the scenes that as the Notre Dame run game continued to sputter last fall, some on the Irish staff felt that removing the redshirt from Jones would have helped provide a spark.

Ultimately the staff made the wise decision to not burn a redshirt for Jones during a lost season, and he will enter the 2017 season with four seasons of eligibility remaining.

2017 EXPECTATIONS

Jones made his presence felt right away during spring practice, making big play after big play in every open session that was available to the media.

At 5-11 and 224 pounds, Jones has the best running back body on the roster. He has the size and frame you want in the backfield, and doesn’t have the length concerns that starter Josh Adams has to deal with. Jones has naturally good pad level, and his thick frame allows him to run through tackles with ease.

What Jones lacks is the elite athletic skills of junior Dexter Williams or freshman C.J. Holmes, or the home run speed of Adams. What he does possess, however, is outstanding running back traits.

Jones isn’t an overly explosive athlete and likely won’t be ripping off 80-yard touchdown runs, but he has elite footwork. He’s a nimble runner despite his size, and he’s able to make extremely sudden cuts and moves.

Jones shows off his suddenness on this Blue-Gold Game run, immediately cutting into the open hole. This run also shows what truly makes Jones special, and that is his vision and feel for the run game. Jones has a knack for making immediate reads and getting through tight holes thanks to his ability to anticipate openings and his ability to quickly get downhill.

While lacking the second gear to be a true home run hitter, Jones plays as fast as any back on the roster from the snap to 20 yards. He shows that good technique, instincts and pure running back traits can be more effective than a fast running back who lacks those traits to the degree in which he possesses them.

Despite being arguably the slowest back on the roster, Jones consistently ripped off big gain after big gain during the spring. During open practices he was without question Notre Dame’s most consistent big play runner.

Here is another example of the feel that Jones has for the game. There is a lot of penetration by the Notre Dame defensive line, but Jones is able to quickly read it and then get through a tight hole before cutting the run back for a big gain.

Backs like Jones are a dream for offensive linemen, as they simply need to stay engaged with defenders to give him a chance to get free for positive yards. He's very similar to departed senior back Tarean Folston, although Jones is thicker and has more speed.

Jones is also a top-level pass catcher. He runs good routes and has sure hands, including showing off the ability to catch deep balls out of the backfield or when lined up outside in a pure receiver spot. Those ball skills should allow offensive coordinator Chip Long to find ways to get Jones and Adams or Williams on the field at the same time.

Improvements need to be made as a pass blocker, and if he can make those strides in the fall it would not be a surprise to see Jones emerge as Notre Dame’s top third-down back.

A GOOD SEASON FOR JONES WILL BE ...

One in which he surpasses Williams as the No. 2 back and provides Notre Dame with another between-the-tackles force to go along with Adams. Combining the slashing skills of Adams with the one-cut vision running of Jones would be difficult to prepare for.

A good season for Jones is also one in which he improves his pass blocking and emerges as the third-down back for the Irish, where he will be able to make a lot of plays in the pass game and also provide time for quarterback Brandon Wimbush when he’s called to protect.

Previous projection articles:

QB Brandon Wimbush

QB Ian Book

RB Josh Adams

RB Dexter Williams

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