Clemson Tigers 2018 recruiting class: Mike Jones Jr. breakdown
In the months leading up to National Signing Day I am going to be taking a look at each of the members of Clemson’s 2018 recruiting class as it continues to grow. Today’s edition features linebacker commit Mike Jones Jr.
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Strengths:
- Range. Jones Jr. is much farther along than his peers in pass coverage.
- Fundamentals. While Jones is not a big hitter, he is a consistent tackler who rarely lunges in space.
- Football IQ. Jones Jr. is a heady football player, who is rarely caught out of position. On tape it is clear that he was studied his opponents tendacies.
- Good teammate. Jones Jr. is Clemson’s most avid recruiter outside of the coaching staff, he is constantly talking to other recruits about joining him in Death Valley.
Weaknesses:
- There are not many holes in Jones’ game, he is a solid player overall. If I’m being nit picky, Jones Jr. can work on developing his body even further, as all high school players need to. Fundamentally, Jones Jr. is one of the best in the country and in my opinion is severely underrated.
Outlook:
The entire Clemson Tigers 2018 recruiting class has over a year before they will actually be in a Clemson jersey, as such it is difficult to predict what the roster will look like that far down the road. That being said, Jones Jr. will likely walk into a deep and talented linebacker room at Clemson. The Tigers will have Tre’ Lamar, Shaq Smith, James Skalski and Justin Foster to name a few.
It is unlikely that Jones Jr. starts as a true freshman, however, he may see time on special teams because of his motor and toughness. It is vital that Jones Jr. digest the playbook as fast as possible. The more comfortable he is with the scheme, the less thinking he will have to do on the field.
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