2016 Recruit Tony Jones Jr. on Committing to Notre Dame: 'It Just Felt Right'

Notre Dame picked up a huge commitment in its 2016 recruiting class when 3-star Florida standout Tony Jones Jr. announced his pledge to the Irish.

The 6’0”, 212-pounder was on a visit to South Bend last weekend, and he committed to Irish head coach Brian Kelly in his office Sunday before departing. 

“It just felt right to me,” Jones told Bleacher Report. “The coaches are really good. I felt at home. The players are cool. The tradition is second to none.”

Jones—who earned an offer from the Irish earlier this month—selected Notre Dame over offers from Kentucky, Miami, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and South Carolina, among others.

According to Jones, Kelly couldn’t contain his excitement when he told him that he wanted to become a part of the Irish program.

“He just started smiling and he was really happy,” Jones said.

So what are the Irish getting in the standout from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and what factors helped him pull the trigger? 

If the spring camp circuit is any indicator, Kelly and his staff are getting a back who is motivated to prove that he is one of the nation’s most talented backs in the 2016 class.

Jones attended the Adidas Georgia Showcase in February and the Nike Orlando Regional Camp earlier this month and was a standout performer at both events. He earned an invitation to The Opening at the latter event.

His running backs coach at IMG Academy, former Alabama running back Roy Upchurch, spoke earlier this month about what makes his star pupil a special back. 

“Tony’s a very hard-working guy,” Upchurch said. “He wants it. He wants to be the best back in the country. He wants to be a big-time back in college. That’s what he’s working toward. He tries to elevate his game every time he touches the field. Even on the practice field, he tries to take his game to another level. When it’s time to perform, he’s going 100-percent all the time.”

Jones becomes the fourth member of Notre Dame’s 2016 class, and the first running back to join the fold.

Education and the Irish’s graduation rates under Kelly were pivotal factors that Jones mentioned helped him make the decision to commit. 

Also, his connection with running backs coach Autry Denson—himself a Florida native and the school’s all-time leading rusher—and associate head coach and receivers coach Mike Denbrock—who coached Tony’s father in college—weighed heavily in his thought process.

With his commitment out of the way, Jones—who is also a standout baseball player and plans to play both sports at Notre Dame—said he will now turn his attention toward his senior season and preparing to get ready for the college level.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.