Jones will be headed to Northern Iowa next season, a fierce linebacker recruit with a lot of upside. First, he’ll look to help Sergeant Bluff-Luton back to the UNI-Dome for a third year in a row. Last season, Jones piled up 70.0 tackles with 40 of them being of the solo variety. He produced 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks and an interception, which was a Pick-6. With a 6-foot-8 wing span, the all-stater covers a lot of ground as we can see when viewing his 11th-grade highlight video. We also witness a middle backer that picks up pre-snap reads, identifies the play quickly after the snap and flies to the football. Jones is a good athlete with speed that holds up well in coverage. Warrior fans should be excited to watch him again and Panther fans should be excited about the future.

I last wrote about Jones after his eye-opening sophomore season that saw him record 31.0 tackles (23 solo, 3.0 TFL) and a pair of sacks for a state semifinalist. He helped Warriors get back to The Dome again this past fall with a whopping 70.0 tackles, 40 of which were solo stops. Jones delivered 10.5 tackles for loss, a half dozen sacks and a Pick-6. I got to see Jones operate during the state semifinals in November. He’s an impressive athlete with length, and a frame capable of adding good weight and strength. We can see how Jones finds success when watching his 11th-grade highlight video. He diagnoses plays quickly and flies to the football. Jones flows well with the play, shedding blocks and hitting hard from the middle linebacker position. He runs well and moves fluidly to aid him in coverage. So does a reported 6-foot-8 wingspan.

The hear of the Sergeant Bluff-Luton defense, junior linebacker Xavier Jones Xavier Jones 6'2" | 200 lbs | LB/TE Sergeant Bluff-Luton | 2027 State IA leads the way in several defensive categories for the Warriors.

Causing quite a bit of disruption to opposing team’s offensive schemes, Jones has registered 57 tackles, 9.5 tackles-for-loss (TFLs) and five sacks this season on behalf of SBL. Adding an interception he returned 35 yards for a touchdown, Jones has been integral to the Warriors’ 9-1 season.

Jones enjoyed an excellent junior season for a Warrior outfit that reached the Class 3A state semifinals. He came up with 31.0 total tackles, 23 of which were of the solo variety. Jones also was credited with 3.0 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks. There’s limited footage on his Hudl page. What is housed there reveals a pretty athletic defender on the second level. He runs very well, sideline to sideline, and has a straight-ahead burst. Jones is an angular athlete with long arms and a frame that has plenty of room to fill out without him losing his best assets. Jones has a lot of potential and is one to watch the next two seasons.