It was back on April 3rd that Rivals 3-star safety/linebacker prospect Jonathan Hess pulled down his offer from Army, as the Black Knights officially jumped in the race for this talented athlete out of Vestavia Hills (AL) Vestavia High School.

The Army fans who might be looking for the next Alex Aukerman .... well, Hess surely fits the mold. Not only does he resemble AA when he came out of high school, Hess also has solid military connections within his family.

His older brother is an Army Ranger and his middle brother is ROTC Navy. While those dots are great to connect, there is plenty of competition for Hess’ talents as he has over 20 offers.

Hess’ athleticism, size and physicality, along with his versatility would be an ideal fit for Army’s 3-4 defense that was ranked 4th in the nation in 2016.

The good news is that the safety/linebacker prospect has remained in constant contact with the Army West Point coaching staff and he is also scheduled to make an unofficial visit to see the program up close and personal.

“I heard from Coach [Josh] Christian-Young today,” Hess told GoBlackKnights.com on Wednesday. I'm visiting them next week on the 7th.

“I just told him I was coming up and he told me he was happy to have me. It is my first visit! I'm looking forward to seeing the facilities and the campus.”

To date, Hess has visited Tulane, Southern Miss, UAB, and he plans to visit other schools this summer which obviously includes Army. “I'm visiting Wake Forest, Navy, Army, Yale, UConn, and Syracuse ... I'm as interested in Army, as I am anywhere else,” he confirmed.

He was also invited to the Rivals 3-Stripe Camp, but was unable to attend. However, while in big-time recruit mode, he has also found time to prepare himself for the upcoming 2017 season.

“I go to my trainer everyday and then usually do a weight workout in the afternoons,” declared Hess.

GoBlackKnights.com will continue to follow Hess’ recruiting throughout the summer, as well as his upcoming 2017 football campaign, so keep it right here.

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