The Ohio State Buckeyes already lost one recruiting battle to the Tennessee Volunteers this summer. They cannot afford to lose another. After 5-star running back David Gabriel Georges chose Tennessee over Ohio State, the Volunteers now appear to have their sights set on flipping the Buckeyes’ top overall recruit in the 2027 class: 5-star edge rusher DJ Jacobs.

Jacobs, the No. 3 national recruit and No. 1 pass rusher in the 2027 class according to 247Sports composite rankings, committed to Ohio State back in December over Miami and Georgia. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound pass rusher from Georgia has been a Buckeye pledge for more than seven months, but Tennessee and Miami continue pushing to flip him.

Tennessee has a connection to Jacobs the Buckeyes need to worry about

The Volunteers have a card to play that makes this pursuit more than idle noise. Tennessee defensive line coach Rodney Garner coached Jacobs’ father at Georgia years ago. That personal connection gives the Vols a legitimate inroad to the Jacobs camp, and it’s one Ohio State has to take seriously.

“They’re trying to make a push but nothing serious,” Jacobs’ father told Rivals. “My old coach, Coach (Rodney) Garner.”

“The thing that makes them attractive is I’m familiar with him and know what type of work he does. I have a good relationship with Coach Garner. He’s like a dad to me but that’s all that’s really going on with that.”

Jacobs took a June official visit to Columbus that went well by all accounts, and he made it clear afterward that he was firm with the Buckeyes. Still, the Jacobs camp has stopped short of calling the commitment a lock, acknowledging that things can change between now and signing day.

Ohio State has invested heavily in Jacobs for a reason

Ohio State has treated Jacobs as the focal point of its 2027 recruiting class. Reports have indicated the Buckeyes invested a multi-year NIL deal worth around $1 million to secure his commitment. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson has prioritized the nation’s top pass rusher as a player he wants to develop in Columbus, and the program has made no secret of how important Jacobs is to its plans along the defensive front.

The Buckeyes built their 2027 class around the trenches, emphasizing both the offensive and defensive lines. Jacobs leads the way on the defensive side of that equation.

Missing out on Jacobs would sting far more than Georges

Losing Georges to Tennessee was a blow. Losing Jacobs to the same program would be a different level of pain entirely. Georges was a target Ohio State wanted. Jacobs is a target Ohio State needs.

If the Buckeyes have to bump up the financial commitment to keep Jacobs locked in, they should do it. Missing out on Georges freed up resources, and even after Ohio State adds another running back to the class, there will be room to reinvest. The Buckeyes know what Jacobs means to this recruiting cycle and to the future of their defensive line.

This is a battle Ohio State identified months ago and prepared for. Now it’s about making sure preparation translates to results. Time will tell whether the Volunteers’ push gains real traction, but the Buckeyes have every reason to make sure it doesn’t.