Why De'zie Jones, DeShawn Stewart want to continue New Jersey-to-Ohio State pipeline together

At first, the idea of joining the same recruiting class was a source of amusement for DePaul Catholic High School teammates De’zie Jones and DeShawn Stewart.

The Wayne, New Jersey, natives grew up together, played youth football together and eventually developed into key pieces for DePaul Catholic’s football team together. Their recruitment, however, was separate.

“We would joke around and talk about it that we’d be with the same college and would be seeing each other for another four years,” Stewart, a 2025 four-star safety, told The Dispatch.

Neither was laughing when Ohio State opened the door to them both. Jones, a wide receiver, committed to Ohio State March 30, while Stewart followed on March 31 as the Buckeyes’ first safety in the class.

DePaul Catholic football coach Nick Campanile was unsurprised. He had long felt Jones and Stewart were destined to continue together at the next level.

“They just try (to) outwork one another and try to outdo each other at everything they can,” Campanile said. “It’s like the healthiest rivalry I’ve ever seen in that they not only compete with each other, but they push each other and they’re always so positive toward one another.”

What De'zie Jones brings to Ohio State 2025 class

Campanile recalled that, because Jones was attending his eighth-grade graduation, he missed the meeting at which the team installed its offense. But it didn’t take long for Jones to catch up.

“He sat with our receiver coach for about 10 minutes,” Campanile said. “And our receiver coach ... taught him the install within a matter of a very abbreviated meeting, a couple minutes. And he learned it all and knew every bit of it and went out there and was as good as anybody on our team.”

Campanile said Jones has turned into an “unbelievable route runner” in the slot – the best he’s seen at the high school level, and Jones said his goal was to continue that success at the college level.

“You got to be smart,” Jones said. “You got to be able to get open, route running too. Catching, obviously. At a high level, you have to catch. And you got to be able to block because you’re going against linebackers in that slot position. You got to be strong.”

In 2023, Jones had 52 catches for 851 receiving yards and six touchdowns, per MaxPreps. With Jones’ production came attention from programs such as Penn State, South Carolina, Texas, Florida and Ohio State, which offered Sept. 28.

“They produce the best receivers over there,” Jones said. “They prove that. And they produce nice DBs, so going against top DBs every day will get me better. And I trust my coaches. I was watching practice and coach (Brian) Hartline, he takes his time like going over the job for the younger kids. He’s not rushing them. He’s doing it at their speed and what they need to do. So he gets the job done.”

Even before working with Hartline, Stewart feels his teammate is a dangerous route runner.

“He’s going to embarrass you,” Stewart said.

What DeShawn Stewart brings to Ohio State 2025 class

Stewart joined Depaul Catholic as a wide receiver but found his path in the defensive backfield.

When Stewart changed positions, Campanile saw a style of play that reminded him of Depaul Catholic product and former Ohio State safety Ronnie Hickman.

“Just a ball hawk. A guy that’s always around the football,” Campanile said of Stewart. “He’s very similar to Ronnie in that he’s a great box safety. You can put him down almost like a linebacker and he’s a great, willing tackler. He’s a great open-field tackler. He’s really, really physical, really tough. He loves that part of the game.”

In 2023, Stewart had 56 tackles and 19 pass deflections as a cornerback, per MaxPreps. He held offers from programs such as Penn State, Michigan State and South Carolina at the time of his commitment. Campanile plans to play him at both safety and cornerback as a senior before Stewart joins Ohio State as a nickel back or free safety.

Stewart has always been aggressive, or as Jones put it: “He wants to be physical, so I have to be physical back, beat him up on the line.”

Stewart also likes to talk smack. He likes to celebrate after aggressive open-field tackles. He’s a safety who likes to “bring that swag to the game.”

And when Stewart visited Ohio State, he saw that same edge and intensity from Matt Guerrieri’s safeties.

“They played with attitude,” Stewart said. “They don’t let nothing slide like it’s going to get a little chippy. I think sometimes you need a couple fights every now and then just to know practice is not dead.”

Hickman went from DePaul Catholic to Ohio State to the Cleveland Browns, and Campanile sees the potential for Stewart to have a similar trajectory.

“I think DeShawn has a shot of maybe playing in the NFL one day at that position,” he said.

De'zie Jones, DeShawn Stewart have 'a little chip on our shoulder'

Stewart and Jones are the fifth and sixth New Jersey commits the Buckeyes have secured since 2020, joining linebacker Cody Simon, offensive lineman Luke Wypler, safety Jayden Bonsu and safety Jaylen McClain.

Campanile said Ohio State does “as good of a job as anybody in the country” in recruiting the state. And being from there, Stewart said he and Jones will have something to prove.

“I think people honestly look down on Jersey,” Stewart said. “... Us being from Jersey, we feel we got a little chip on our shoulder, so we’re going to bring definitely that energy. Ohio State, they’re going to see it.”

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What brings De'zie Jones, DeShawn Stewart to Ohio State 2025 class