'14 MO DE Jonathan Bonner (Notre Dame Signee)

[rtrn2glory]

that's pretty bad ass...makes me very happy for the dude

 

[Irish#1]

Stay away from knuckleheads (words from Mom).

This kid is a priceless addition to the '14 class!

I can't wait to see him dominate the players across from him.

I wish more kids would write letters to themselves. I love his frame of mind. Great kid, even if he never plays a down or records a sack.

Doesn't get much better than that! What a great kid! Can't wait to cheer him on every game day!

Yeah, this kid is pretty awesome.

This is exactly what Dave Casper meant, some people are just born to be Fighting Irish!

Good to see this young man has a good head on his shoulders.

that's pretty bad ass...makes me very happy for the dude

Ditto

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>DE Jonathan Bonner didn't think <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NotreDame&src=hash">#NotreDame</a>'s summer camp would be worth his time. A year later he's enrolling at ND. <a href="http://t.co/lsrz0F48Aw">http://t.co/lsrz0F48Aw</a></p>— Tyler James (@TJamesNDI) <a href="https://twitter.com/TJamesNDI/statuses/478181571204501506">June 15, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Looks like we owe his grandma a thank you.

 

[yankeeND]

I really like the approach that the coaches have taken on in recruiting front seven players. Get kids from the Midwest that Missouri and Michigan St make a living on that want to be here. I think it will pay huge dividends and we will be celebrating an awful lot over the next few years.

 

[Luckylucci]

I just love the idea of having waves of fresh and capable players ready to get after it as a game wears on. Next year will probably be even better as these freshman will be sophomores and we only lose Ishaq. Some growing pains I imagine but fun to watch.

 

[yankeeND]

I just love the idea of having waves of fresh and capable players ready to get after it as a game wears on. Next year will probably be even better as these freshman will be sophomores and we only lose Ishaq. Some growing pains I imagine but fun to watch.

I know what you mean. We have had some great players along the DL but never enough of them. It is one thing to have a few star players there that are exceptional, but it is another to have 8-10 guys who you trust to get the job done throughout an entire game or season. LSU, Bama, and Oklahoma come to mind when I think of the situation I would like us to be in. When guy 2 can spell guy 1 and 3 can spell 2 etc. depth is championship level.

 

[Luckylucci]

I know what you mean. We have had some great players along the DL but never enough of them. It is one thing to have a few star players there that are exceptional, but it is another to have 8-10 guys who you trust to get the job done throughout an entire game or season. LSU, Bama, and Oklahoma come to mind when I think of the situation I would like us to be in. When guy 2 can spell guy 1 and 3 can spell 2 etc. depth is championship level.

Barring injuries we should start to see that depth some this year but especially next year.

 

[yankeeND]

Barring injuries we should start to see that depth some this year but especially next year.

I love hearing that! I also love the fact that the defense is going to be so much more aggressive. I think it will also turn some heads with the bigger names out there and help add a couple of the Stars to compliment the depth players. Should definitely be a lot of fun to watch.

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>ND freshmen OLB Jonathan Bonner & DE Jhonny Williams said last week they're 6'4", 253 & 6'6", 235, respectively ($) <a href="http://t.co/ZLyCcJIYQg">http://t.co/ZLyCcJIYQg</a></p>— Anna Hickey (@AnnaHScout) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnnaHScout/statuses/479300018789048320">June 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[Rizzophil]

Guys, we got ourselves a good one


Freshman defensive end Jonathan Bonner had long hoped for a football career at Notre Dame. In a recently discovered letter, Bonner provided more proof.


Bonner, a 6-3, 245-pounder from Chesterfield, Mo., wrote a letter to his future self in eighth grade. He shared the letter on Twitter back in May.

Here is the full text of Bonner's letter:

Dear self,

This is you from eighth grade. I hope you’re doing okay. Off to college, huh? You better be. Think about how much freedom you’ll have. You’ve grown up and now you’re off on your own. You have a lot to look forward to.

It’s almost the end of your eighth grade school year. Right now you were looking forward to summer, high school, and the biggest thing, football. You need to get either that TE or DE position. Did you get it? Right now what you don’t what being a freshman will be like but you are anxious. Hopefully you played hard enough to go off to Notre Dame. If not, you better at least be going off to college.

In college there are some things you must avoid. First off, stay away from drugs and alcohol. If you have touched a drug I consider you a failure and you better change now or you are wasting your life. Same thing with alcohol, It will make you do stupid stuff and you will end up in bad situations. Second, stay away from knuckleheads (words from mom). They will get you in trouble. Finally, try to stay away from weapons. The only reason you should be using one is if you are going off into the army or you are in physical threat. DON’T LOOK FOR REVENGE! Use your hands if necessary. This should also be a last resort.

Here are some things you need to work hard at. First and most importantly, school. You will not get anywhere without it. Second off, work hard at football so, you can get yourself off to the NFL and make some money. You must also be respectful and responsibility to others and they will do the same to you. Your main goal is just to succeed.

Someone you need to be nice to is your sister. At this age in eighth grade she means everything to you and if you have lost her, you have lost yourself. You need her almost as much as you need yourself. She has been there for everything and anything your entire life so don’t even try to bail on her. Who knows?? You may need her someday.

As you should see you have grown and you have a lot of life left. Make it worthwhile and don’t screw up.

Yours Literally,

Jonathan Bonner.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Déjà vu all over again!

 

[IrishLax]

Kind of the forgotten guy in all the DEs we took last year. Was hard to tell what to make of his HS tape, but he dominated the camp he attended which was how he earned the offer. Will certainly be interesting to see if he develops into an impact player... I love that he had this long term goal to get to ND and realized that dream.

 

[Rack Em]

Kind of the forgotten guy in all the DEs we took last year. Was hard to tell what to make of his HS tape, but he dominated the camp he attended which was how he earned the offer. Will certainly be interesting to see if he develops into an impact player... I love that he had this long term goal to get to ND and realized that dream.

Worst case scenario he is a glue type of player for the team. Somebody who really wants to be here and would be a good influence on recruits and underclassmen when he's a Junior/Senior.

Middle case scenario is he becomes an average player who gets some reps on ST early and is constantly pushing other DEs for playing time. Maybe grows into someone who can hold the point of attack for some quality reps.

Best case scenario is he becomes our Michael Sam. Unheralded recruit from around STL who becomes a nightmare on the edge.


Even if he gets hurt, it's a win-win for ND. Quality kid with athletic potential who can hopefully blossom into a solid contributor or more.

 

[Rizzophil]

I can't remember reading an 8th grade 'projection' of himself that wanted to eliminate drugs and alcohol. Great kid

 

[Rack Em]

^ Sorry Michael Sam was from TX, not from MO. I always get him and Kony Ealy mixed up.

 

[BobbyMac]

Extremely well written for an 8th grader.

 

[Ironman8]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Freshman Jonathan Bonner listed at 269 pounds and linebacker for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotreDame?src=hash">#NotreDame</a>.</p>— Irish Illustrated (@NDatRivals) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDatRivals/statuses/495237812850294786">August 1, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[ResLife Hero]

Hopefully that's good weight because that is big enough to see the field.

 

[dublinirish]

269 as a frosh edge rusher, that doesn't sound too good to me :/

 

[Irishman77]

Not worried a bit about his weight.

 

[Ironman8]

269 as a frosh edge rusher, that doesn't sound too good to me :/

With a 35 inch vert?

Yeah I am good with that weight.

 

[dublinirish]

aha yeah the 35 inch vert info does change things

 

[Luckylucci]

For a SDE that sounds almost perfect. 270 with that type of athleticism. I'll take that all day. Funny he's listed as a LB I would think he outgrows that pretty quickly.

 

[Ironman8]

Yeah I think the LB was a typo or just an oversight. He is going to have a hand down - BK basically just confirmed that.

 

[ResLife Hero]

For a SDE that sounds almost perfect. 270 with that type of athleticism. I'll take that all day. Funny he's listed as a LB I would think he outgrows that pretty quickly.

Williams at WDE with any 2 of Blankenship/Mokwuah/Cage in the middle and Bonner at SDE. A lot of big athletes out there.

 

[Luckylucci]

Williams at WDE with any 2 of Blankenship/Mokwuah/Cage in the middle and Bonner at SDE. A lot of big athletes out there.

Thats what a lot have thought. Much better defensive haul that the rankings indicated last year. Some are long term guys but a lot to work with.

 

[Riddickulous]

Every 3* Kelly finds turns out to be a hidden gem. It's ridiculous.

 

[irishfan]

So is our entire backup D-line going to be frosh apart from Rochell? Cage and Trumbetti seemed like locks all summer. BK mentioned Bonner, Mokwuah, Williams today.

Unfortunately, Hounshell can't be counted on to give us much PT until he shows he can stay healthy.

 

[Luckylucci]

Every 3* Kelly finds turns out to be a hidden gem. It's ridiculous.

Wiltfong has said many times in the past that he believes Kelly and his staff has one of the best eyes for talent. Basically if they offer a guy and accept a commitment, he believes there is something there. Almost like blind faith.

 

[Irishman77]

Every 3* Kelly finds turns out to be a hidden gem. It's ridiculous.

Yet so many go nuts over our class ranking and lack of 5stars!

Kelly and staff are absolutely phenomenal.