Four-star EDGE rusher Jake Kreul releases top three schools

Longhorns make the cut for one of the nation’s best edge defenders.

One of the nation’s top edge rushers announced this evening that he has narrowed his recruitment down to three finalists.

Per Hayes Fawcett of On3, four-star Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy EDGE rusher Jake Kreul narrowed down his recruitment to Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and Texas. Kreul took official visits to each of his finalists this summer and previously reported he would be making a decision in the fall.

Along with official visits with his three finalists, Kreul also took visits to Colorado, Florida, and Ohio State. As of now, it looks like those programs have been eliminated from contention.

Here is 247Sports’ Andrew Irvins evaluation of Kreul from earlier this year:

Polished pass rusher that can win early or late with his technique and hustle. Might not blow you away off the hoof with his build, but game tape paints a different picture as he dips, rips and swipes his way through and around obstacles. Has proven to be an extremely efficient mover that can plant and redirect with little waisted motion. Owns a near complete menu of moves and is quick to cycle them as he likes to keep opponents guessing. Not one that has been asked to really anchor or hold up traffic, but tends to make plenty of effort-based stops in pursuit as he charges down the cleat line and gets ball carriers on the ground. Overall, should be viewed as an extremely advanced edge defender for his age. Easy to wonder how much more can be squeezed out of the player after he spent the past few years honing his craft at the NFL factory that is IMG Academy, but testing profile (1.65 split in the 10-yard dash, 4.18 in the short shuttle) and competitive drive signal that he’s got what it takes to make an impact at the Power Four level and then eventually become a pro. Likely to stick on the corner, but could always move closer to the ball depending on scheme and maturation.

Oklahoma has been the team that has received a lot of mention as being the team to beat for Kreul and they remain in the thick of things at this juncture. If Jamarion Carlton ends up opting for another program, I will be curious to see if the heat gets dialed up here by Texas as things begin to finalize.

Kreul is the 4th ranked EDGE defender in the country according to 247Sports’ composite rankings and he is the 31st ranked prospect overall. In 2024, he recorded 39 tackles with 12 TFLs, 11 quarterback hurries, and 9 sacks across nine games.