Nearly 27 years ago, Notre Dame secured an elite RB in Julius Jones Sr., who rushed for over 3,000 yards across his four seasons with the Fighting Irish. Having made the All-American team in 2003, he ended his spell with the program in style. Over two decades later, he will once again enter the gates of Notre Dame, not to take a snap, but as a parent of two four-star commits. Both his sons are standout talents, one a 4-star 2027 WR prospect and another a 4-star 2028 safety prospect, who chose to carry his father’s legacy.

Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame saw a huge recruiting trail victory, landing two legacy recruits on Monday, June 22. First, the elder son of the Notre Dame legend WR Julius Jones Jr. announced his commitment to the Fighting Irish during a live appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, and moments later, his younger brother, safety Andre Jones, committed, as reported by On3’s Hayes Fawcett.

Jones Jr., the 4-star WR, had the likes of Miami and Oregon trying to recruit him, but it was his father’s alma mater, who he decided to go with. The Hurricanes had a huge chance to secure his commitment, considering the hometown advantage. But the 2027 WR talent was clear about his choice, saying, “I grew up a fan too, so I will always love Notre Dame,” during an interview with Rivals’ Chad Simmons.

Meanwhile, for Andre Jones, who is in his junior season at St. Thomas Aquinas, it’s too early to make a commitment. The 4-star safety had offers from elite programs like Oregon, Indiana, and Texas A&M, among others, but he ultimately chose to follow in his father’s and brother’s footsteps. And his commitment in the 2028 class marked 2nd for Notre Dame in that class.

His elder brother, Julius Jr., became the 2nd WR for the 2027 class. But the reason behind choosing the Fighting Irish wasn’t his father’s legacy. “Honestly, it’s just the mystique of Notre Dame, and there’s only one in the world,” said Julius Jr. to McAfee on Monday. “When I was up there, I felt it, and it felt different from what they can do for me now to when I’m done with football.”

The elder Julius had an incredible journey with Notre Dame. The sixth-leading rusher in the school’s history showed his full potential during his senior season, recording 1,268 yards. Now, his sons will carry that legacy, bringing more success for the Irish.

“I talk to Coach Freeman a lot, and he lets me know how important I am and that I am his recruit,” Jones told Rivals’ Chad Simmons earlier this spring. “He tells me I am extremely important to him and being part of the class.

Before committing to ND, the three-time state champion took an official visit to Miami as they made a strong push to keep the WR talent at home. However, the 4-star WR from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who is coming off a junior season at St. Thomas Aquinas, catching 58 passes for 876 yards, chose to power a recent trend: the “Florida Dame” pipeline, becoming the fourth commitment for the Irish from Florida.

Notre Dame enters in a new trend

“There’s a plethora, and you know, now they’re starting to become quite a trend here. Julius, I believe Ryan Clark, his son, went there. Plaxico [Burress], his son, went there; Jerome Bettis, his son, went there. There seems to be a lot of second-generation or third-generation NFL guys heading to Notre Dame,” said Pat McAfee on his show during Julius Jones Jr.’s announcement of his Notre Dame pledge.

Julius Jones Sr. had a successful seven-season career in the NFL following his selection in the second round of the 2004 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys. Now, his two sons choose to play for the Irish to pave a future path to the league, joining a trend already followed by Clark’s son Jordan Clark and then Plaxico’s son Elijah Burress.

Besides this, the Irish had student-athletes like CB Ivan Taylor, who also came from an NFL-father background. Bringing in talents like these only shows Notre Dame’s culture under Freeman. The addition of legacy recruits can strengthen their recruiting momentum.