Tennessee has hope while Miami fades in flip attempt for 5-star Ohio State commit

DJ Jacobs, the 5-star 2027 edge rusher from Blessed Trinity in Roswell, Georgia, committed to Ohio State last December, but Rivals analyst Steve Wiltfong said this week that Tennessee's 2026 performance will be pivotal in any attempt to change that, and that Jacobs has not shut the door on the Volunteers.

Jacobs' younger brother, Dawson, is a four-star defensive lineman in the 2028 class.

Tennessee still pushing for 5-star Ohio State commit while Miami takes a backseat

In three seasons, Jacobs has 295 tackles, 73 tackles for loss, 34 sacks and four forced fumbles. As a junior in 2025 he posted 102 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 16 sacks in 11 games. As a sophomore he had 112 tackles, 35 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. As a freshman he put up 81 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and six sacks.

He measures in at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, and is the 247Sports Preseason Player of the Year in Georgia heading into his senior season. Ohio State beat Miami, Georgia and Texas A&M for the commitment on Dec. 29 of last year. Reportedly, the Buckeyes have a multi-year NIL package in place north of $1 million annually and Jacobs also signed with adidas in June.

Tennessee's defensive line coach Rodney Garner coached Jacobs' father, David, at Georgia. The elder Jacobs has called Garner "like a dad" but has also described Tennessee's current push as "nothing serious."

Miami is the other program that is most often mentioned as a flip candidate, but if Tennessee if struggling to pull Jacobs with that type of family connection, then it will be tough for Mario Cristobal and his staff to make any type of progress.

It's also pretty clear that if Tennessee wants a shot at a player like Jacobs, the Volunteers have to look like a championship program this fall.

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