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 became key players for the DePaul Catholic football team. His recruitment, however, was separate.
“We joked and said we would be at the same college and see each other for four more years,” Stewart, a 2025 four-star safety, told The Dispatch.
Neither was laughing when Ohio State opened the door for both of them. Jones, a wide receiver, committed to Ohio State on March 30, while Stewart followed on March 31 as the Buckeyes’ first safety in the class.
DePaul Catholic football coach Nick Campanile wasn’t surprised. He had long felt that Jones and Stewart were destined to continue together at the next level.
“They just try to outdo each other and outdo each other in everything they can,” Campanile said. “It’s the healthiest rivalry I’ve ever seen as they not only compete against each other, but they also push each other and are always very positive towards each other.”
What De’zie Jones Brings to Ohio State’s 2025 Class
Campanile recalled that, because he was in eighth grade, Jones missed the meeting where the team installed its attack. But it didn’t take long for Jones to catch up.
“He sat down with our receiver coach for about 10 minutes,” Campanile said. “And our receiver coach…taught him the installation in the matter of a very abbreviated meeting, a few minutes. And he learned everything and knew every detail and went out there and was as good as anyone on our team.”
Campanile said Jones has become an “unbelievable route runner” in the slot — the best he’s ever seen in high school, and Jones said his goal was to continue that success at the college level.
“You have to be smart,” Jones said. “You have to be able to open the route as well. Capture, obviously. At a high level, you have to catch it. And you need to be able to block because you’re facing linebackers at that position. You have to be strong.
In 2023, Jones had 52 receptions for 851 receiving yards and six touchdowns, per MaxPreps. With Jones’ production, programs such as Penn State, South Carolina, Texas, Florida and Ohio State, launched on September 28, attracted attention.
“They produce the best receivers there,” Jones said. “They prove it. And they produce good databases, so going against the best databases every day will make me better. And I trust my coaches. I was watching the training and the coach (Brian) Hartline, he takes his time going over the work to the younger children. He is 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 runner.
“He will embarrass you,” Stewart said.
What DeShawn Stewart Brings to Ohio State’s 2025 Class
Stewart joined Depaul Catholic as a wide receiver but found his way in the defensive backfield.
When Stewart switched positions, Campanile saw a style of play that reminded him of Depaul Catholic product and former Ohio State safety Ronnie Hickman.
“Just a hawk. A guy who is always around football,” Campanile said about Stewart. “He’s a lot like Ronnie in the sense that he’s a great safety box. You can tackle him almost like a linebacker and he’s an excellent, willing defender. He is a great defender in the open field. He’s very, very physical, very tough. He loves that part of the game.”
In 2023, Stewart had 56 tackles and 19 pass deflections as a cornerback, for MaxPreps. He had offers from programs like 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 said, “He wants to be physical, so I have to be physical back, beat him to the line.”
Stewart also likes to talk. He likes to celebrate after aggressive attacks in the open field. He’s a safety who likes to “bring that style to the game.”
And when Stewart visited Ohio State, he saw the same edge and intensity in Matt Guerrieri’s safeties.
Besides being blessed to be in this position, I can’t imagine how proud my dad is up there looking down at me, this is for you, let’s keep working https://t.co/NPEgXaYe90
-Deshawn Stewart (@shawnstewartjr) March 31, 2024
“They played with attitude,” Stewart said. “They don’t let anything slip, like it’s going to get a little hectic. I think sometimes you need a few fights every now and then just to know that the training hasn’t died.”
Hickman went from DePaul Catholic to Ohio State to the Cleveland Browns, and Campanile sees potential for Stewart to have a similar trajectory.
“I think DeShawn has a chance to maybe play in the NFL one day at that position,” he said.
De’zie Jones and DeShawn Stewart have ‘a little weight on our shoulders’
Stewart and Jones are the fifth and sixth New Jersey commitments 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 a job as anyone in the country” recruiting in 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. “…Being from Jersey, we feel like we have a chip on our shoulder, so we’re definitely going to bring that energy. Ohio State, they’re going to see that.”
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This article originally appeared in The Columbus Dispatch: What brings De’zie Jones and DeShawn Stewart to Ohio State’s 2025 class
