Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/699309
98 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW LINEBACKERS in 2014 … Tallied 26 stops, two tackles for loss and one sack. Prep: Ranked as a four‑star recruit, the No. 7 prospect in Virginia, and the No. 11 inside linebacker and No. 255 overall player nationally by ESPN … A Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division I All‑State pick as both a junior and senior linebacker … Led his team with 92 tackles and was named to the USA Today American Family Insur ‑ ance's All‑USA Virginia team … Played for the U.S. Under‑19 National Team in the International Bowl against Canada. Personal: Born June 6, 1995 … Enrolled in the Men‑ doza College of Business. Year G-GS Solo Asst. Total TFL Sacks 2014 13‑2 17 9 26 2.0 1.0 2015 13‑4 19 16 35 2.5 1.0 Totals 26-6 36 25 61 4.5 2.0 NYLES MORGAN • MLB Jr. • Crete, Ill. Ht.: 6-0¾ • Wt.: 245 Career Highlights: Saw action in all 13 contests as a reserve linebacker and on special teams last year … Notched eight tackles on special teams, which ranked second on the squad, and finished with 17 total stops … Played in 12 contests and started four times as a true freshman in 2014 … Was named to the Football Writers Association of America's Freshman All‑America team after he posted 47 stops, 3.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks … His tackle total ties for the eighth‑highest ever among Irish rookies. Prep: Listed as a four‑star prospect, the No. 2 recruit in Illinois, and the No. 5 inside linebacker and No. 72 overall player in the nation by Rivals … A first‑team USA Today All‑USA selection after an outstanding senior cam ‑ paign for Crete‑Monee High … Racked up 115 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception as a senior … Named a first‑team 6A all‑state linebacker by The Chicago Tribune … Helped his squad to a 14‑0 mark and the state crown as a junior … In his three years as a starter, the school went 40‑2 on the gridiron … Played in the U.S. Army All‑American Bowl. Personal: Born Aug. 16, 1996 … His father, Thomas, played football at Western Illinois … Enrolled in the Col ‑ lege of Arts and Letters. Year G-GS Solo Asst. Total TFL Sacks 2014 12‑4 23 24 47 3.5 0.5 2015 13‑0 9 8 17 0.0 0.0 Totals 25-4 32 32 64 3.5 0.5 JAMES ONWUALU • SLB Sr. • Saint Paul, Minn. Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 232 Career Highlights: Played in 11 contests (missed two due to a knee injury) and made nine starts in 2015 … Recorded 38 stops, six tackles for loss, three sacks, two passes broken up and one forced fumble … After earning playing time as a true freshman wide receiver, he flipped to linebacker prior to the 2014 campaign … He played in all 13 contests and made eight starts, posting 24 stops and two tackles for loss … Saw time in all 12 regular‑season games and made four starts in 2013, catching two passes for 34 yards while also making six solo tackles on special teams. Prep: Rated as a four‑star talent, the No. 1 prospect in Minnesota and the No. 21 athlete in the land by Rivals … Did a little bit of everything as a senior, totaling 574 yards and 12 scores on 74 rushing attempts, while add‑ ing 421 yards and five touchdowns on 26 catches … Also averaged 26.1 yards per kickoff return and ran back an interception 94 yards for a score … Earned several first‑ team all‑state laurels at different positions … Turned down an invitation to the U.S. Army All‑American Bowl because he knew he would enroll early and wanted to spend time with his family. Personal: Hails from the same high school that pro ‑ duced former Irish star wideout Michael Floyd and former Notre Dame offensive tackle Ryan Harris, who play in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively … Enrolled in Mendoza College of Business, majoring in finance. Year G-GS Solo Asst. Total TFL Sacks 2013 12‑4 6 0 6 0.0 0.0 2014 13‑8 13 11 24 2.0 0.0 2015 11‑9 21 17 38 6.0 3.0 Totals 36-21 40 28 68 8.0 3.0 NEWCOMERS JAMIR JONES • WLB Fr. • Rochester, N.Y. Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 220 Prep: Listed as a three‑star prospect, the No. 4 recruit in New York and the No. 82 outside linebacker in the na‑ tion by 247Sports … As a senior, helped Aquinas Institute finish 13‑0, win the New York Class AA state champion‑ ship and be named the No. 14 team in the country in the final USA Today national rankings … Compiled 98 tackles, 6.5 sacks and an interception on defense ,while also catching 43 passes for 822 yards (19.1 yards per catch) and nine touchdowns as a tight end … Named first‑team All‑State at linebacker by the New York State Sportswriters Association … Was a second‑team pick on the USA Today All‑USA New York team … Played primarily at quarterback and completed 34 of 82 passes for 715 yards with five touchdowns and eight interceptions as a junior … Before moving exclusively to offense, he had 17 total stops and six tackles for loss on defense … Played in the Semper Fidelis Bowl and notched an interception. Personal: Born June 14, 1998 … His older brother Jarron is a fifth‑year senior starting nose guard for the Fighting Irish … Two other older brothers, Jonathan and Matthew, played at Division II Gannon University in Erie, Pa. … Also was a starter on Aquinas Institute's varsity basketball team. JONATHAN JONES • MLB Fr. • Ocoee, Fla. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 200 Prep: Rated as a three‑star prospect, the No. 66 player in Florida, and the No. 19 inside linebacker in the coun ‑ try by Rivals … Helped Oak Ridge High to 9‑3 and 10‑2 records and playoff berths his last two seasons … Was an Associated Press Class 8A (Florida's highest classifica‑ tion) second‑team all‑state selection as a senior and a Class 7A second‑team all‑state pick as a junior… Ranked by The Orlando Sentinel as the No. 3 talent in Central Florida and the No. 37 overall prospect in the state … Totaled 115 tackles, 10 sacks, two forced fumbles, five passes broken up and a blocked field goal as a junior … Played for the U.S. Under‑19 National Team in the Inter‑ national Bowl and was named captain of the defense. Personal: Born Nov. 18, 1998 … Didn't start playing organized football until his eighth‑grade year … Was coached by former Notre Dame flanker/return man Clint Johnson (1990‑93) at Oak Ridge … Plans to enroll in the Mendoza College of Business. BGI'S 2016 DEPTH CHART No. Sam Linebacker Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 17 James Onwualu 6‑1 232 Sr./1 or 48 Greer Martini 6‑2½ 245 Jr./2 No. Mike Linebacker Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 5 Nyles Morgan 6‑0¾ 245 Jr./2 30 Josh Barajas 6‑1½ 240 So./4 45 Jonathan Jones 6‑0 200 Fr./4 No. Will Linebacker Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 4 Te'von Coney 6‑0¾ 235 So./3 22 Asmar Bilal 6‑2 230 So./4 44 Jamir Jones 6‑3 220 Fr./4 Sophomore Asmar Bilal made steady improvement during the course of spring practice. PHOTO BY ANDREW IVINS