Although many athletes from around the Midwest often flock to the yearly Under Armour Next camp in Ohio, you wouldn’t expect the No. 1 prospect in Utah for the 2027 class to make the trip to Columbus, considering Under Armour hosts camps in various states, including one in Salt Lake City.
But four-star defensive end Krew Jones wanted to make the most out of his trip to the Buckeye State. The 6-foot-5, 218-pound standout visited Ohio State two days prior to the camp at Pickerington North in late April, and wanted to stick around a few more days to compete against some of the top athletes in the Midwest.
Jones, who is entering his junior year, held his own against the top offensive linemen at the camp, including several reps against Ohio State offensive tackle commit Sam Greer in one-on-ones.
“I think I did pretty well, worked, got some competition in, not as good as I wanted to but just keep working,” Jones told Eleven Warriors following the camp. “I mean they're definitely big boys, I try not to let that get in my head, just do what I know, my moves and try to work against them, see what I can do in competition.”
Perhaps we buried the lede a bit. Jones didn’t need the camp to show he was Ohio State-caliber – though he looked the part anyway – as Ryan Day offered Jones personally on his visit.
“It meant a lot, I mean, just showing me that it's in my right path, I'm on the right track to get what I want to get,” Jones said. “I mean, getting offered from a big school like that really shows you that you just keep working and you'll get what you want.
“(Coach Day) just told me that he liked my talent, he was watching my film, he saw what I could do, and he just told me to keep working, and he sees me as a great big athlete and a great player for them.”
Jones met with Day and Larry Johnson on his visit and saw firsthand how a championship-caliber team operates.
THE OHIO ST. OFFERED @R2X_Rushmen1 @ryandaytime @N_Murph @CoachKee @parkerwereb8 @11W @alexgleitman @OhioStateFB @mickdwalker @Buckeye_Nation @TheBuckeyeNut @LanternSports @OhioStFootball @Birm @LettermenRow @TomOrr4 @TonyGerdeman @AndrewMLind @Zack_Poff_MP @TylerGrahamSI pic.twitter.com/376sNXSr1l
— KREW JONES (@KrewJones1) April 25, 2025
“It was crazy, something different from what I've seen in the past at colleges,” Jones said of his OSU visit. “They definitely have that winning culture, that mindset of developing kids, sending them to the league, as you see with the draft, the amount of edges and the amount of players they sent, so it was awesome.
“I mean, that culture, that trophy room, you walk in there and it's like, ‘Wow.’ Huge. Their motto is like that fight, that brotherhood, they're developed here, that's big with them. That's something I just haven't seen in other schools, but yeah, it's that culture, that winning mentality.”
Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Jones is considered the No. 179 prospect and No. 20 edge player in the 2027 class. As a sophomore, Jones racked up 93 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, 14 quarterback hurries, six forced fumbles and six pass deflections. Jones also plays wide receiver and caught 12 passes for 206 yards with three touchdowns in 2024.
Currently, Jones is on the lean side for a defensive end, so he’ll need to fill out a bit over the next couple of years. But his quickness and his electric first step is evident from the get-go.
“(I’m) probably more speed, I've been told my twitchiness, my get-off has been good, but my transition from speed to power has been something that coaches have mentioned to me,” Jones said of how he’d describe his game. “So yeah, more of that edge, speed rusher, and yeah, using that power when I need it.”
Jones has earned more than 25 Division I offers and says it’s still early in his recruiting process, but the Buckeyes have made a favorable impression right away.
“In my recruitment, I'd say they're definitely up there. I was liking everything I saw at that school,” Jones said. “I definitely don't have like a set list or anything yet, I've still got a couple years, but from just yesterday, that one day, definitely impressive.”
Jones said the most appealing thing about Ohio State is the coaches he’d get to work with.
“I mean, being with coach Johnson, he's got that energy, I love that. Coach Matt Patricia, they all have that experience, you know, that's something, they have a lot of experience with defensive linemen and sending guys to the league,” Jones said. “So just knowing that I'm in good hands, I just gotta work for it, and I'll get where I wanna go.”
