Outside linebacker Tony Jones made it official today, becoming the 18th commitment for the 2017 class and another player arriving in December.

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 225
School: Butler C.C. (El Dorado, KS)
Class: 2017
Offers: Baylor, Charlotte, Louisville, New Mexico, Texas Tech, UAB, West Virginia
Recruiting Services: Rivals | 24/7 Sports | Scout | ESPN
Cumulative Ranking: N/A

⚫️⚪️🔴It’s official I’m a Red Raider I just want to thank god my family, friends, & coaches, who got me where I am today ⚫️⚪️🔴 pic.twitter.com/CincSsy8CU

— Tony Jones (@_itsJoness) December 11, 2016

Jones plays at Butler Community College at one of the more well respected junior colleges for football in one of the more respected conferences. Jones had 75 tackles in 11 games, about 6.8 tackles a game, including 7 sacks, 14.5 tackles for a loss, 3 forced fumbles, 4 fumble returns and 5 pass break-ups on a very busy year for Butler C.C. Those stats are from the NJCAA, although LAJ’s Don Williams says that Jones had 101 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks.

Jones is a true outside linebacker, in the Zach Barnes and Kris Williams type of player, but Butler usually runs a four-man front rather than actually being the defensive end. Still though, I would guess that David Gibbs very much wants to continue what he’s started (although I strongly disagree with it) in having a smaller linebacker be the rush defensive end. It would seem that Jones is pretty well suited to play that outside linebacker spot in a traditional 4-3 defense and he looks like a natural. He reads coverage quickly diagnoses the play quickly as well. The coaches send him on blitzes all of the time so you wonder if the coaches at Texas Tech will give him that sort of freedom. I also like how Jones looks like he knows what he’s doing in coverage, he sticks to his zone and then reacts pretty quickly.