Georgia Misses Out on In-State Star DJ Jacobs as Five-Star EDGE Commits to Ohio State
In the world of college football recruiting, losing a top-tier talent is never easy-especially when that talent is right in your own backyard. That’s the situation Georgia finds itself in after DJ Jacobs, one of the premier prospects in the 2027 class, announced his commitment to Ohio State late Monday night.
Jacobs, a five-star EDGE rusher, isn’t just a top player-he’s the top-ranked player in the country according to 247Sports. He also holds the distinction of being the No. 1 overall recruit from the state of Georgia, which only adds to the sting for the Bulldogs. When a program with Georgia’s pedigree misses out on a player of this caliber, particularly one from within state lines, it naturally raises eyebrows.
While Jacobs still has a year left in his high school career, he made the call early, choosing the Buckeyes over a group of finalists that included Georgia. The Bulldogs were in the mix until the end, but in the end, Ohio State won out, landing one of the most coveted defensive prospects in recent memory.
Jacobs is currently rated as the No. 2 EDGE in the 2027 class, but make no mistake-this is a game-changing talent.
This marks the second consecutive recruiting cycle where Georgia has come up short in securing the top player from the Peach State. In the 2026 class, it was five-star EDGE LaDamion Guyton who opted to leave Georgia for Texas Tech. That’s two straight years of watching elite, homegrown defensive talent head elsewhere, and that’s not a trend any powerhouse program wants to see.
For head coach Kirby Smart, this development is particularly notable. One of the hallmarks of his early success in Athens was his ability to lock down the state’s top players.
Georgia has long been one of the most talent-rich states in the country, and keeping that talent home has been a foundational piece of the Bulldogs’ recruiting strategy. Two years of missing on the top in-state name?
That’s something the staff will need to address-and quickly.
That said, this isn’t a doomsday scenario for Georgia. Far from it.
The Bulldogs are still in a strong position with their 2027 recruiting class, which currently includes six commitments and ranks No. 7 nationally. They’re still attracting top-tier talent and remain a major player on the national stage.
When you’re consistently swinging for the fences with the best players in the country, you’re bound to miss on a few.
But missing on Jacobs, especially after losing Guyton the year before, highlights a growing concern. For a program that’s built its championship aspirations on elite defensive play and homegrown dominance, letting the state’s best talent slip away two years in a row is a trend that can’t become the norm.
The Bulldogs have time to course-correct-and plenty of opportunities to do so-but this one will sting. DJ Jacobs is the kind of player who can alter the trajectory of a defense, and now he’ll be doing that in Columbus, not Athens.