"It's something special that most people only dream of": Notre Dame legend Julian Jones' son excited to follow his father's legacy

On Monday, Notre Dame marked "Pot of Gold Day" by extending scholarship offers to nearly 100 prospects in the 2027 class. Among them was five-star wide receiver Julius Jones Jr., the son of former Fighting Irish running back Julius Jones.

With the offer from Marcus Freeman's program, the 5-foot-11, 160-pound sophomore could become the next Irish legacy prospect.

"The opportunity to literally follow in his footsteps at Notre Dame ... it's something special that most people only dream of," Jones Jr. said to Rivals following the offer.

Despite being just a sophomore, Jones has gathered interest from top programs. Notre Dame joins Florida, Miami, Penn State, Auburn, Texas A&M, Ohio State and LSU on his growing list of offers. In 13 games, he recorded 51 receptions for 750 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 14.7 yards per catch.

Meanwhile, Jones Sr. played at Notre Dame from 1999 to 2003. After beginning as a backup, he broke out in his junior season and finished his college career with 3,018 rushing yards and 27 total touchdowns over 46 games.

Jones Sr. also set school records for kickoff return yards (1,678), combined kick return yards (2,104) and all-purpose yards (5,372) before being selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2004 NFL draft.

Besides that, Jones' uncle, Thomas Jones, was a former first-round pick with a successful 12-season NFL career.

Julius Jones Jr. raves about Notre Dame's track record of success

Julius Jones Jr. was there during Notre Dame's 27–24 win against Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9 and left impressed.

“They’re a primetime team,” Jones said to On’s Chad Simmons. “They play in primetime every week. I like the history of Notre Dame and everything they have going for them. It’s really one of a kind and you can’t get it anywhere else, so getting the opportunity to go there is something great.”

Rivals rank Jones as the nation's No. 1 wide receiver in the 2027 class and the No. 1 recruit in Florida. He doesn't have a list of top schools for now.