At Ohio State, a 5-star commit is trying to build a family legacy, but a rival coach is simultaneously trying to tear it down. Ryan Day and the Buckeyes already sent ripples across college football by landing the commitment of the No. 1 prospect in the 2027 class, DJ Jacobs. He is now pressing hard to bring his brother to Columbus.

“Has DJ given you any pressure to sign with the Buckeyes?” asked the interviewer of DJ’s brother, Dawson Jacobs. 

“No, not at all,” replied the Blessed Trinity Catholic 2028 defensive lineman.

“He’s lying,” DJ jumped into the conversation. “He’s going to Ohio State.”

The four-star from Roswell, Georgia, right now holds offers from Notre Dame, Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio State, and USC. As per On3’s crystal ball, Day and Co.’s chance to land DJ’s brother is 10.1% while Fighting Irish now lead the race with 45.4%, followed by Bulldogs at 14.1% and Volunteers with a 12.1% chance. 

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Strikingly, Dawson’s performance in 2025 turned heads across Georgia, as he racked up 68 solo tackles and an eye-opening 22 tackles for loss. That production has him ranked as a top-100 national prospect by Rivals and the No. 9 defensive lineman in the country, validating the heavy interest from top programs.

Day’s program has a slim chance of recruiting Dawson to Columbus, but DJ could be the catalyst. The top 2027 player, 5-star DJ, committed to Ohio State during a CBS Sports HQ live reveal, choosing the Buckeyes over favorites like Miami in a major coup for the program. 

“Cast-iron edge defender with the size, speed and strength to wreak havoc on Saturdays and then Sundays,” read DJ’s scouting report by 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins. “Projects as a future difference-maker for a College Football Playoff contender that can set the edge and get after the quarterback.”

Brother-to-brother recruiting has long been part of the college football landscape. The latest example is 2026 wide receiver Amari Sabb joining his older brother Keon Sabb at the Alabama Crimson Tide. However, Mario Cristobal stands as a major threat to Ohio State’s chances of landing the Jacobs brothers. 

Ryan Day is still not at peace with DJ Jacobs’ commitment

Day’s Buckeyes got crushed by the Miami Hurricanes 14-24 in the Cotton Bowl. Even though DJ had already committed to Ohio State, he was left impressed by the performance of Miami’s defensive line. 

“Miami gets after it,” DJ said in an interview with 247Canes. “A lot of pressures and a lot of sacks.”

He stirred the pot by saying that recruiting is never over and asked programs to continue pursuing him. DJ name-dropped four programs, including Ohio State, Miami, Texas A&M, and Georgia. But it has always been a two-horse race between Day and Cristobal. 

“Miami is still recruiting me really hard,” DJ stirred some fresh fear for Day and Co. in his latest interview, as reported by On3’s EJ Holland. 

While the elder Jacobs is still under Miami’s radar, the younger brother said he will choose his own path without allowing DJ’s commitment to Ohio State to factor into his decision. To add to the panic, Dawson is receiving heavy interest from Miami as well. A visit to Cristobal’s campus last year left a strong impression on DJ’s brother.

“We don’t get into negative recruiting,” Cristobal is shutting all the noise and is only focusing on the recruiting business. “But people always negatively recruit us, and that’s fine, no one should ever take that personally, let’s just let it play out.”

Can Ryan Day lock in the Jacobs brothers, or will Miami spoil the family sweep?