Despite being one of the top defensive ends in the 2026 recruiting class, Mt. Carmel product Braeden Jones had never taken a college visit prior to Thursday. That trip to Purdue was a stellar one, however, that blew him away.

"It was my first visit ever, actually. I mean, it definitely opened my eyes to colleges and I didn't expect to see all that at Purdue. But I loved being around the guys," Jones told Boiler Upload. "I knew Purdue was a great school but it just blew me out the water to be honest."