Tennessee’s push for five-star EDGE rusher David “DJ” Jacobs could end up being about more than just one elite defender. If the Vols keep pressing in the right places, they may have a real shot at turning that recruitment into a two-brother package deal over the next two cycles.
Jacobs, a Class of 2027 standout from Roswell, Georgia, committed to Ohio State on Dec. 29 last year and has stayed verbally pledged to the Buckeyes since then. Even so, Tennessee has kept itself in the conversation. On July 30, Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong said the Vols now look like the “biggest threat” to pull him away from Ohio State.
“I certainly don’t think those rumors are coming out of thin air,” Wiltfong said. “I think that Tennessee is a program that has entered the mix for David ‘DJ’ Jacobs going into his senior year and look like the biggest threat to Ohio State. The family is saying most of the right things about the Buckeyes; the one thing that they’re not saying is that this recruitment is shut down.”
Tennessee has a couple of natural advantages here. Jacobs is an Adidas NIL athlete, which fits neatly with the Vols’ new partnership with the three-stripe brand that was announced in July. There’s also a personal connection in Knoxville: Rodney Garner, Tennessee’s defensive line coach, coached Jacobs’ father, David Jacobs, at Georgia in the late 90s and early 2000s.
That family tie could matter again with the next wave of recruiting. Jacobs’ younger brother, four-star defensive lineman Dawson Jacobs, is part of the 2028 class, and Rivals’ Chad Simmons reported Friday that Tennessee is one of several schools “emerging” early in his recruitment.
There’s no sign yet that Dawson is locked into following DJ wherever he lands, but the brother connection is obvious. Ohio State is in the mix there too, and Tennessee has a chance to sell both the family angle and the familiarity with Garner if things continue to trend its way.
“My brother really helped me out with going to see a bunch of colleges,” Dawson told Simmons.
The rankings show just how big the opportunity is. DJ Jacobs is the No. 3 player in the 2027 class, the No.
1 EDGE rusher, and the No. 1 player in Georgia. Dawson Jacobs sits at No. 182 in the 2028 class, is the No. 19 defensive lineman, and ranks No. 25 in Georgia.
It’s still a long road from where things stand now to any kind of two-year recruiting haul. DJ remains committed to Ohio State, and Dawson’s recruitment is only beginning to take shape. But if Tennessee can land both brothers in back-to-back years, it would be a major win for Josh Heupel and the Volunteers.
For now, it’s a wait-and-see situation.
In Other News...
Former Vols Returning To Barnes Gym Says Everything About Tennessee Culture
Five former Tennessee basketball players were back in Knoxville for the Vols final summer practice session, giving the program a familiar jolt inside Barnes Gym. Zakai Zeigler, Jordan Gainey, JaKobi Gillespie, Felix Okpara and Amaree Abram all took part in scrimmages against the current team, a return trip that brought together different eras of the roster while also giving the younger players a close look at what successful Tennessee basketball has looked like up close.
The setting mattered almost as much as the workout itself, especially with Gillespie, Okpara and Zeigler coming off NBA Summer League runs and still making time to be around the program. Terrence Hill Jr. and Dalton Knecht both pointed to the impact of those return visits, and it was another reminder of how tightly connected Rick Barnes group has stayed even after players move on, with the old guard still willing to show up and help set the tone for the next wave. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Just Got A Huge Edge With Top 2028 Receiver Target
David Thomas move from Stillwater, Oklahoma, to Knoxville Catholic gives Tennessee an unusually close look at one of the more intriguing names in the 2028 receiver class. The four-star prospect already has a growing offer list that includes Tennessee, Arkansas and Oklahoma, and his ranking as the No. 43 wide receiver in the class has put him firmly on the radar of programs looking ahead.
For the Vols, the timing matters as much as the talent. Tennessee has no commitments yet in the 2028 class, but it is clearly working to build early relationships, and having a target like Thomas in Knoxville only strengthens that effort. Being able to evaluate him up close, around a familiar setting, could give the staff a better read as the recruitment develops. [Read more 🡒]