Topic: Julius Jones

Julius Andre Maurice Jones (born August 14, 1981) is an American football running back who played college football at the University of Notre Dame and is currently a member of the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. Before signing with the Saints on October 12, 2010, Julius had stints with the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks. He is the younger brother of Kansas City Chiefs running back Thomas Jones and in 2006 they became the first brothers to each rush for 1,000 yards in the same season. Jones' was raised in Appalachia, Virginia for a significant amount of time. He attended Powell Valley High School. Jones was originally drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft.

Jones played college football at the University of Notre Dame from 1999–2001 and 2003. In 2003 he set a single game school record for rushing yards in a game when he had 262 against Pittsburgh. In that season, Jones rushed for 200+ yards in 3 games, which is another school record. He also holds multiple career records for kick and punt returns.

The Dallas Cowboys, in need of a potential franchise running back and passing on highly touted prospects Steven Jackson, Chris Perry, Kevin Jones, drafted Julius Jones out of the University of Notre Dame. Jones was selected in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft, after the Cowboys traded their first round pick to the Buffalo Bills (who used it to select J.P. Losman) for a future 2005 first round pick who the Cowboys would later use on defensive end Marcus Spears. After the NFL's All-Time leading rusher Emmitt Smith departed to Arizona, the Cowboys hoped Jones would be the fix for a disappointing running attack led by former starter Troy Hambrick. However, already with a bruised rib, Jones fractured his scapula bone in a win versus the Cleveland Browns early in week two and the team was forced to depend on veteran free agent acquisition Eddie George during his absence.