New intel has concern rising for Ohio State football to keep 5-star DJ Jacobs’ commitment as his relationship is growing with an SEC school
Ohio State’s most important commitment is 5-star EDGE DJ Jacobs, but there’s some concern growing around getting him signed with SEC schools making a push still.
Ohio State football‘s most important 2027 recruiting commitment took a notable trip this past weekend.
While the Buckeyes were handling the Illinois Fighting Illini in Week 4, 5-star edge commit DJ Jacobs was at the Tennessee versus Texas game in Knoxville, visiting the Volunteers alongside his brother Dawson Jacobs, a 2028 recruit.
The Roswell, Georgia, native has been committed to Ohio State since Dec. 2025, and there have been no real signs of him flipping.
Still, Tennessee appears to be growing in its recruitment of Jacobs in a positive way, and the visit this past weekend only adds to that conversation.
Tennessee could get another crack at Jacobs this fall
The visit to Tennessee was an early kickoff, so Jacobs wasn’t able to spend a ton of time with the Tennessee coaching staff. It now looks like he’s going to be returning for another visit this season, and that’s not good news for the Buckeyes with the No. 1 player in the country.
Rivals’ Chad Simmons recently said there could be a bigger opportunity could come in November.
“There could be a bigger opportunity could come in November,” Simmons wrote. “Intel suggests the pair is likely to return when Tennessee hosts LSU. That weekend will give the Vols another chance to make their push for Dawson — and potentially take their biggest swing yet at flipping DJ from Ohio State only weeks before signing day. There remains optimism around Tennessee that a flip is possible. Georgia has also quietly remained involved and shouldn’t be dismissed, but Tennessee continues to look like Ohio State’s most significant threat.”
Don’t sleep on the Vols in this recruitment of DJ Jacobs
Tennessee can take big swings in the recruiting game even when the program isn’t a national championship contender. The Vols landed 5-star running back David Gabriel Georges over Ohio State this past summer, and they can’t be counted out in flipping Jacobs because Tennessee can compete on the financial side of things with NIL.
Tennessee and LSU could be a major SEC game this November, which only adds to the appeal of the visit. The Volunteers are also recruiting Dawson, the 2028 recruit, very hard. DJ has been taking visits along with his brother and their family most of the time recently, and his trip to Knoxville could simply be a continuation of that routine and a chance to see another big college football game.
Still, Tennessee getting Jacobs on campus twice in one season for game day visits is a legit concern. It shows that even though he’s committed to Ohio State, the door does remain open for him to flip elsewhere. The coming weeks will be telling as to whether Tennessee can make a real push before signing day arrives.
