Joseph Jones

Photo by: Stephen J. Carrera

Height:
6-1
Weight:
235
Position:
LB
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Plano, Ill.
High School:
Plano

2016: Redshirt senior … Appeared in all 13 games, starting five at sam linebacker … Finished the season with 46 tackles … Had at least five tackles in four contests … Had three tackles, including a loss, in the Wildcats’ win over No. 23 Pittsburgh in the 2016 Pinstripe Bowl … Recorded a season-high six solo tackles and eight total versus Wisconsin … Had five tackles, including 1.5 for loss, and a sack in the Wildcats’ 38-31 win at Iowa … Also had tackles for loss versus Illinois State and versus the Badgers … Recovered a fumble in the Big Ten opener versus Nebraska.

2015: Redshirt junior ... Played in every game as a key special teams contributor and backup linebacker ... Notched three tackles, two TFLs, and a sack in the Wildcats' shutout victory over Minnesota ... Awarded NU's Special Teams Player of the Week honors after the Ball State victory.

2014: Redshirt sophomore ... Appeared in six games and picked up five tackles.

2013: Redshirt freshman ... Played in five games and recorded one special teams tackle.

2012: Redshirted his true freshman season ... Named the Special Teams Practice Player of the Week following Nebraska game.

High School: Ranked the 26th overall prospect in Illinois by 247Sports ... All-conference running back for Plano, rushing for 710 yards and eight touchdowns and hauling in 11 passes for 328 yards and five touchdowns in eight games ... Showed versatility and speed by completing a 38-yard pass and returning four punts for 71 yards and a score ... Three-star player, ranked No. 116 nationally at the safety position by Scout.com ... Ranked 41st overall player in Illinois by ESPN.com ... Four-year letterman in football and track, a three-year letterman in basketball ... State champion in 110 meter hurdles and sixth-place finisher in the 100 meter dash ... Earned academic all-conference honors for both football and track ... Team MVP for both football and track ... Coached by Jim Green.

Personal: Born Joseph Edwin Jones ... Son of Joseph Jones and Shawn-Daria and Daniel Dowd ... Father Joseph was a hurdler at Purdue ... Majoring in communication studies and economics (double major).