National Signing Day 2017: Lawrence North 3-star OT Caleb Jones chooses Hoosiers

As the top tackle recruit, Caleb Jones joins an Indiana Hoosiers that will have many holes to fill on the offensive line.

The *6-9* Jones committed in the early fall prior to the beginning of the season and never wavered under the new Tom Allen regime. The recruitment of Jones dates back to June of 2015 when the Hoosiers extended their offer to him before his eventual commitment one year later.

HOW HE STACKS UP

As part of Indiana’s dominance in recruiting in it’s own state, Jones is the 10th-best player in Indiana this season, per 247sports. Jones is the second-best tackle in Indiana this season and 85th overall in the nation.

With Lawrence North, Jones helped the team run for nearly 3,000 yards and an average of 298.9 yards per game. The team, however, finished 4-6 on the season and fell in the first round of the sectional

WHAT IT MEANS FOR INDIANA

Entering the season, the offensive line was a strength for the Hoosiers. However, injuries across the board forced young players into unfamiliar situations. With a host of openings across the line, the competition for the position is wide open.

While true freshman starting on the offensive line is very rare, we did see it happen with Coy Cronk this year. Jones has a similar rating as Cronk and could challenge for some playing time, but don’t expect him to be more than depth barring and injury in his first year.

However, at 6’9 and 380 pounds, Jones has the frame of someone who could be a big contributor going forward.