Hometown: Blythe, CA
Previous School: Oregon
There are 94 days left in the UteNation Countdown to Kickoff Series and today we discuss Oregon transfer Jaxon Jones. The 6-foot-2 defensive end/linebacker did not see any action during their undefeated regular season and Big Ten title before falling to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
Although he was listed as an outside linebacker at Oregon, Jones will start his Utah career lined up at defensive end. Jaxon is the son of former Utah wide receiver, Daniel Jones, who played for the Utes from 1997-98.
UteNation Take
Jones joins a defensive end group that is looking for a couple reliable players to line up opposite Logan Fano. As will continue to be mentioned throughout the Countdown Series, the defensive line is a bit of an unknown coming into the season, a big anomaly for a Kyle Whittingham squad thanks to graduations and transfers.
With some questions to be answered along the defensive line edges, Jones and others in the room will have opportunities to earn their playing time this fall. The former 4-star Rivals recruit went to school at Yuma Catholic in Arizona (although his hometown is listed as Blythem CA), where he was the no.5 ranked recruit in Arizona and 12th-rated defensive end overall. Jones helped lead Yuma Catholic to a running up finish in the AIA 4A State Football Championship, and he also played for the basketball team.
Remembering Jones’ Recruitment
Jones held a handful of nice offers coming out of high school in the 2024 class, including Oregon, Arizona, Arizona State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon State, USC, Utah, and Washington. He committed to Washington in January of ‘23 before changing his mind to the Huskies’ rival Oregon during the early signing period in December after trips to USC, Notre Dame, and Oregon. After one season in Eugene, Jones entered the transfer portal in December 2024 and announced his commitment to Utah within the week.
