The Hammer & Rails gridiron brigade stopped off in Metro Detroit and grabbed a good one.

Quarterbacks of the Big Ten beware, Belleville junior defensive end Rashad Jones committed to Purdue this past week.

Jones (6-4, 245) won state titles as a freshman and sophomore and last fall, helped his Belleville Tigers club to a third straight trip to the state finals at Ford Field. He collected 72 tackles and 3 sacks in 2023 and chose Purdie over Missouri, Pitt, Cincinnati, Louisville and Michigan State. Scouts consider him a Top 5 edge rush prospect in the state’s Class of ’25 and foresee a high upside heading into the college ranks. Purdue, Cincinnati and Michigan all offered in October right before the playoffs started.