DL Jones recounts 'ah-mazing' visit

After Jarron Jones made his official visit to Notre Dame last weekend, the defensive line commit had the highest of praises for his entire experience on campus.

“It was ah-mazing,” Jones said. “Literally.”

“I went to the Syracuse game. I used to be a Syracuse fan, so it was kind of bittersweet when I stormed the court. That was a pretty fun experience. I'd never done that before and I always wanted to do that. I had a lot of fun.”

Jones also enjoyed spending time with fellow commits Mark Harrell and Romeo Okwara and their families.

Meanwhile, Jones felt a connection amongst the defensive linemen that he'll be joining in the fall while being hosted by Stephon Tuitt.

“The D-linemen, we're all like brothers basically,” Jones said. “As soon as we all gathered, we all pretty much clicked like that.”

Jones has been busy in January – starting the month at the U.S. Army Bowl and playing basketball for Aquinas Institute while back in Rochester, N.Y. Jones said he averages eight points and 12 rebounds per game for the 10-2 Little Irish, with one loss coming while he was in South Bend.

Playing against some of the top high school players in the country at the Army Bowl provided a fun learning experience for Jones.

“I learned how to play against people who are kind of like me in their own city. Everyone thinks you're the man around here. Just adding all those people with superior ability in football and putting them in a game, it was a fun experience,” Jones said. “I never played around speed like that. I never played around people who had strength like some linemen did. It was a great learning experience.”

Without hesitation, Jones pointed to Michigan offensive line commit Kyle Kalis as the toughest competition he went against. Practicing against linemen of the same stature as Jones provided him with a welcome challenge.

“All the linemen never give up,” Jones said. “They weren't easy at all to push around, I would say. We're all just as strong.”

Jones has also had his eye on another offensive lineman that wasn't a part of the Army Bowl – fellow Notre Dame commit Ronnie Stanley. Stanley, who also plays basketball, has been on national television twice this season playing for the nationally-ranked Bishop Gorman team.

“I've never seen an offensive lineman as athletic as he was,” Jones said after catching both games on TV. “That was a pretty nice thing to watch, especially when he threw down too. That was nice.”

At 6-foot-7, and 308 pounds, Jones will come into Notre Dame as a defensive tackle. Rivals ranks Jones as the 14th-best defensive tackle in the 2012 recruiting class and the No. 199 prospect overall.

With signing day approaching and only months remaining before he'll be on campus at Notre Dame, Jones has his eyes set on the playing field.

“I'm just trying to play. That's all I'm trying to do,” Jones said of next season. “That's my only goal, is to have good grades academically and be on the field athletically. I never saw myself just standing on the sidelines the whole game. That's what makes me want to work harder.”