Blessed Trinity Catholic High School's Dawson Jacobs hasn't played a snap of his junior season yet, and half a dozen powerhouse programs are already fighting for his attention.

The 6-foot-2, 255-pound defensive lineman is rated a four-star recruit in the 2028 class, ranked No. 15 nationally at his position by 247Sports and a top-100 player according to ESPN. Oregon has emerged as an early frontrunner, with Jacobs telling Rivals' Chad Simmons on July 30 that the Ducks "really started off strong and wanted me to be a part of the program. I really value schools that want to build a relationship with you."

Miami, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Ohio State round out the programs grabbing Jacobs' attention through consistent communication, Simmons reported.

The Ohio State connection runs deeper than most. Dawson's older brother, DJ Jacobs, is a five-star edge rusher in the 2027 class who committed to the Buckeyes out of the same Blessed Trinity program. As we reported July 31, DJ is currently fending off a Tennessee push to flip his commitment.

Dawson has said he won't let family ties dictate his choice. He told Simmons on July 30 that Ohio State earned its spot on his list independently because the Buckeyes "want to make you better on and off the football field." Tennessee, meanwhile, holds a family card of its own: defensive line coach Rodney Garner coached the Jacobs brothers' father, according to AtoZ Sports.

The numbers back the buzz. As a sophomore last season, Jacobs posted 96 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and five sacks across 12 games, per MaxPreps stats cited by SI's Ducks Digest.

Notre Dame leads the visit count with three trips, followed by Ohio State with two. Tennessee, Georgia, and Clemson have each hosted him once.

Blessed Trinity keeps stacking elite talent. Beyond the Jacobs brothers, alumnus Cole Weaver is projected to start at wide receiver for Syracuse this fall.

AtoZ Sports analyst Justin Churchill wrote on Aug. 1 that Jacobs "is going to be one of the more coveted and sought-after players in the 2028 class." No commitment timeline is set, and Simmons reported Jacobs is not close to naming a favorite heading into his junior year at Blessed Trinity.