Brother of DJ Jacobs adds fuel to belief about an edge Tennessee holds in trying to flip the five-star Ohio State commit
Tennessee is recruiting both the elite defender and his brother, and it’s clear the relationship between the family and DL Rodney Garner is a strong one.
Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Vols picked up a huge victory over Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes earlier this month with the commitment of 5-star Chattanooga Baylor running back David Gabriel Georges. Now, the attention of Tennessee’s recruiting efforts turns to a player currently in the Buckeyes’ 2027 recruiting class — 5-star edge rusher DJ Jacobs.
Tennessee has a potential inroad with the star high school pass rusher. Vols defensive line coach Rodney Garner coached Jacobs’ father at the University of Georgia, and that relationship appears to be a strong one.
Jacobs’ brother highlights connection between family and Tennessee DL coach Rodney Garner
2028 four-star DL Dawson Jacobs, DJ’s brother, spoke with Rivals’ Chad Simmons recently about the Tennessee connection. He kept it simple when describing the bond between the family and Garner.
“Coach G is like family,” Jacobs told Simmons. “Me and me family know him so well.”
That kind of connection gives Tennessee a natural pressure point in trying to get DJ to eventually flip his commitment to the Volunteers, as well as in their recruitment of Dawson, who ranks No. 182 overall in Rivals’ composite rankings. The Vols have already shown they can go toe-to-toe with Ohio State on the recruiting trail after landing George, and the Garner relationship gives them a built-in advantage that most programs simply don’t have.
Ohio State still appears to hold the edge for now
That being said, it won’t be easy. According to Jacobs’ father, DJ is still favoring Ohio State, so it will likely take more than the relationship with Garner alone to push a commitment flip for the talented 5-star edge rusher.
There are still more than four months until the early signing period begins. Heupel, Garner, and the Tennessee staff will have time to try to pull a rabbit out of the hat. Getting Jacobs on campus and letting him experience the program firsthand could go a long way toward making that familial connection count in his recruitment.
We’ll see in the coming months if the Vols can make a real push for the talented defender. The relationship is genuine, and Tennessee has proven it can compete with Ohio State for elite recruits. Whether that’s enough to flip a 5-star remains to be seen.