/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/34516309/N2zscftD.0.jpg)
Ohio's State's commitment roll continued, as they added their sixth commitment of the month and second in as many days when Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius defensive end Dre'Mont Jones pledged to the Scarlet and Gray while on a visit to Columbus today.
Jones is the fifth Ohioan to join the "Elite '15" joining Nick Conner, Joe Burrow, Eric Glover Williams, and Liam McCullough.
Even though he still has some developing to do and probably won't be an early impact type of recruit, I'm a fan of Jones' and what he could turn out to be once he's fully developed. He projects to be a strong-side defensive end when it's all said and done.
The first thing you have to look at is his size. Right now, he's a legit 6'5, 250 and will add to that frame once he works in the weight room at Ohio State and goes through the rigorous training the Ohio State staff provides for their players.
I already think he's a solid pass rusher, though he needs to improve in defending the run if he wants to be an every down player. Even if he's not able to develop into an every down defensive lineman, it won't be much of an issue as defensive line coach Larry Johnson uses a pretty deep rotation.
Jones has a ton of potential and is someone Buckeye fans should be excited about landing.
Land-Grant Holy Land football analyst Christopher Jason had the following to say about the standout defensive end:
Jones already has a solid build to him at 6'5, 250 pounds and looks like a player who could get into the defensive line rotation his first season in Columbus.
Jones is already an excellent pass rusher who uses his quick first step to beat the opposing offensive lineman. He seems to be the first player off the ball the majority of the time but he could still add to his arsenal of pass rushing moves. When Jones is not getting to the quarterback, he is getting his hands up in passing lanes and batting down passes.Jones has room to improve against the run as he does come off the ball too high and can easily get blocked by a good offensive lineman. Here, his height is a disadvantage to him and it will continue to be until he works to consistently get off the ball at a lower center of gravity. Jones needs to use his long arms to gain separation on blockers.
Thus, Jones is already a good, tough football player who will only get better once he gets better coaching in college. If he can turn into a three-down defensive lineman and play the run as effectively as he can play the pass, the sky will be the limit for the Saint Ignatius product.
From encounters I've had with Jones over the past couple of months, he comes across as a pretty quiet kid, but that doesn't mean he won't play a role in recruiting for the Buckeyes. One guy he could definitely help recruit is his teammate, 2016 offensive tackle Liam Eichenberg, who is one of the top players in the state of Ohio's 2016 class.
There are still quite a few defensive ends on the board and the Buckeye would like to land a couple more. Names to watch include Josh Sweat, Jashon Cornell, Darius Fullwood (camping tomorrow), Terry Beckner Jr., and a couple of others.