Ohio State has one recruiting priority above all else: Keep DJ Jacobs

There is no shortage of elite talent in Ohio State’s 2027 recruiting class, but there is one commitment that stands above the rest: DJ Jacobs.

The five-star Edge from Blessed Trinity Catholic in Roswell, Georgia, is currently the No. 1 Edge and the No. 1 overall prospect in the country in 247Sports’ rankings. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder has been committed to Ohio State since Dec. 29, 2025, when he chose the Buckeyes over a loaded group that included Miami, Georgia, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Oregon and Alabama.

It is not difficult to see why he has the rankings and accolades he does. Jacobs has been extraordinarily productive throughout his high school career.

As a junior in 2025, he recorded 102 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 16 sacks in just 11 games, while also blocking two kicks. That followed a sophomore season in which he recorded 116 tackles, 31 tackles for loss and 11 sacks.

Through his first three varsity seasons, MaxPreps has him at 298 tackles, 68 tackles for loss and 33 sacks, with two games already played in his senior season.

He is not simply a highly ranked athlete with projection. He has already repeatedly dominated games. That is what makes Jacobs so important to Ohio State.

The Buckeyes are already rebuilding their defensive line around young talent, and the 2027 class is being built with the future in mind. Jacobs gives Larry Johnson a potential cornerstone on the edge. A long, explosive pass rusher who has the athletic profile to eventually become a difference maker at the collegiate level and, potentially, a first-round NFL prospect.

Ohio State won the recruitment because Jacobs believed the program checked the boxes he cared about. Coaching stability, education, culture and life after football. He specifically cited Ryan Day and Johnson when explaining his decision. But that does not mean the recruitment is over.

The biggest reason this remains a story is simple, Jacobs is still being recruited. Ohio State got an important win when Jacobs returned to Columbus for the season opener against Ball State on Sept. 5. He was one of the most important recruiting visitors in the building as the Buckeyes opened the season with a 56-3 victory.

That visit matters. So does the fact that Jacobs reportedly plans to return to Ohio Stadium three times during the 2026 season. The exact games have not been publicly identified, but the willingness to repeatedly return to Columbus is certainly a positive sign for the Buckeyes.

At the same time, Ohio State cannot ignore what is happening elsewhere. Miami has never really stopped recruiting him. The Hurricanes were considered the favorite entering Jacobs’ commitment and continue to push to flip him. Jacobs has even described himself this summer as being extremely solid with Ohio State while acknowledging that “nothing is ever final.”

Then there is Tennessee, another program that was heavily involved in his original recruitment and remains interested. That is where this becomes particularly uncomfortable for Buckeye fans. Miami already has a recent recruiting connection to Jacobs after being the program many expected him to choose in December, while Tennessee has remained involved through his recruitment.

Jacobs’ family also has connections throughout the Southeast, making the continued attention from SEC programs unsurprising.

There is also a family component worth remembering. Jacobs’ father, David, was a defensive lineman at Georgia, while his younger brother Dawson is a highly regarded 2028 defensive line prospect. That keeps the family heavily connected to the recruiting world in the Southeast.

For Ohio State, this is not about panicking every time Jacobs visits another campus. It is about understanding the stakes. You do not casually lose the No. 1 player in the country. Ohio State’s 2027 defensive line class is already in excellent shape with Jacobs, five-star Marcus Fakatou and four-star Wyatt Smith.

But Jacobs is the player who can change the perception of the entire class. He is the most important commitment in the class, and I don’t think many people would have any arguments about that either.

The Buckeyes have already won this recruitment once. Now, with Miami and Tennessee refusing to go away, they have to win it again, and again, all the way until Jacobs puts pen to paper.

If Ohio State can keep the No. 1 overall player in America, the Buckeyes are not simply adding another elite recruit. They are keeping the centerpiece of what could become one of the best defensive classes in the country.