Tennessee is making a serious run at DJ Jacobs, the Blessed Trinity Catholic five-star edge rusher ranked No. 1 overall in the 2027 class by 247Sports, according to Rocky Top Insider.
Jacobs, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound senior entering his final season at the Roswell school, committed to Ohio State on Dec. 29, 2025, live on CBS Sports HQ. But On3 recruiting insider Steve Wiltfong said Thursday, July 30, that the Volunteers are now the biggest threat to pry him away from the Buckeyes.
Wiltfong said the rumors of Tennessee's interest are not "coming out of thin air" and that the Vols "look like the biggest threat to Ohio State." He noted the Jacobs family is saying positive things about the Buckeyes but has not declared the recruitment closed, adding that they've acknowledged anything can happen in recruiting.
Why Tennessee has leverage
Several threads connect Jacobs to Knoxville. His father, David Jacobs, played defensive line at Georgia under Rodney Garner, who is now Tennessee's defensive line coach. The Vols also recently switched to Adidas, the same brand that sponsors DJ Jacobs as a NIL athlete. And Tennessee's offseason hire of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has drawn national attention.
Jacobs' younger brother, Dawson Jacobs, is a blue-chip defensive lineman in the class of 2028. Wiltfong said the family plans to take game-day visits together this fall and that he expects them to visit Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.
A dominant career at Blessed Trinity
Jacobs has been a varsity starter since his freshman year at the GHSA Class 4A school. His three-year totals: 295 tackles, 73 tackles for loss, 34 sacks, four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
His junior season alone produced 102 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, and 16 sacks in 11 games. He earned MaxPreps Junior All-American honors, was rostered for both the Under Armour All-America Game and the Polynesian Bowl, and leads the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Georgia Power 100 linebackers list.
247Sports gives Jacobs a 98 rating, ranking him No. 1 nationally among edge rushers and No. 1 in Georgia. The 247Sports Composite places him No. 3 overall and No. 1 at his position. Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins has compared him to Jacksonville Jaguars pass rusher Travon Walker.
The commitment was close from the start
247Sports national recruiting analyst Tom Loy, who hosted Jacobs' commitment on CBS Sports HQ in December 2025, said the decision was far from certain even then.
"When Jacobs was committing live with me on CBS Sports, I just remember how close it was and watching him go back and forth," Loy said in a 247Sports report published Wednesday, July 29. "This recruitment has a long way to go."
Jacobs' original finalist list included nine schools: Notre Dame, Texas, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Georgia, Miami, Oregon, Alabama, and Ohio State, narrowed from more than 40 scholarship offers.
What's next
Jacobs is expected to visit Ohio State multiple times during the 2026 season. No official visit to Tennessee has been announced. Blessed Trinity opens its GHSA Class 4A schedule this fall with Jacobs set for his senior campaign.
