Isaiah Jones breaks down visit, commitment to Hoosiers
A strong official visit combined with great conversations with both Indiana head coach Tom Allen and defensive coordinator Charlton Warren were enough to convince Ohio linebacker Isaiah Jones that Indiana was where he wanted to be for his college career.
"The visit was great. Getting around the coaches and players helped me get the feel of the place and that was somewhere I wanted to be," Jones told TheHoosier.com shortly after announcing his intentions on Twitter.
Jones said he opted for the Hoosiers over fellow Big Ten foe Minnesota.
"It would’ve been between Indiana and Minnesota, but, to me, Indiana felt like the place I could see myself playing at for years to come," Jones admitted.
The 6-foot-2 linebacker from London, Ohio was offered last month by the Hoosiers and Allen's squad had an immediate impact on Jones, who became the fifth player to commit to Indiana out of the Class of 2022.
"It felt pretty good to get the offer growing up next door to Indiana," Jones said. "Tom Allen has done a great job turning the program around and getting back to dominant football."
Jones took it one step further, explaining his thoughts on Allen.
"I think Coach Allen has only scraped the surface with what he will do with Indiana. That's what stood out to me, along with the wide belief that they are just getting started," Jones said.
Jones said the coaches told him his versatility is something they noticed immediately.
"The staff liked my versatility and ability to play multiple positions."
As for what stood out to him about Indiana and Warren, Jones said it was several things.
"One thing that stuck out to me was Indiana’s use of their players. They put their guys in all different areas that give them the best advantage to succeed. Coach Warren is going to be a great coach and the way he develops his linebackers is what I’m excited about," Jones mentioned.
Another thing that stood out for him is the opportunity to replace All-American linebacker Micah McFadden.
"It's awesome seeing how he wasn't the 4 or 5 star coming out of high school and seeing where the staff took him. It's going to be an honor to play after him and continue the linebacker legacy at Indiana University," Jones added.
Jones becomes the second commitment for Indiana on Sunday, joining four-star defensive back Trevell Mullen. Overall, Indiana now has five commitments in the 2022 class with Dasan McCullough, Kaiden Turner and Richard Thomas.
"It's awesome getting to know the guys in the visit and I am excited for what we can do in the coming years," Jones said.
With the decision out of the way, Jones said he can focus on his upcoming senior season.
"It feels good having the decision out of the way, and, now, I can fully focus on having a great senior year," Jones said.
Jones is ranked as the No. 45 player in the state of Ohio. Jones finished the season with 63 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery. He was the CBC Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Conference, First Team All-District and Second Team All-Ohio.
Rivals national recruiting analyst Josh Helmholdt told TheHoosier Jones has good upside.
"Isaiah has good size and plays with range from the linebacker position. We list him as an inside 'backer, but I am interested to see his size and skill progression as a senior because I feel his upside may be highest at outside linebacker. He's not a big-hitting linebacker, but he's a sure tackler and is solid at the point of attack."
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