All-Pro NFL Running Back Tells Story of Almost Committing to Mizzou Over Alabama
If it weren’t for one phone call the day Josh Jacobs committed to Alabama, he would’ve been a Missouri Tiger.
Before Jacobs was a NFL All-Pro with the Las Vegas Raiders, and now with the Green Bay Packers, he was a four-star prospect in the class of 2016, according to 247Sports. He told a story about his recruiting process in a recent interview with the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast.
Jacobs was not too sought after early on in his high school career, playing at running back and defensive back at McClain High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He didn’t have his eyes set on going to a big school and making it to the NFL.
“For me, the NFL was never a dream for me because it was never a reality,” Jacobs said on the show. “I’d never seen anybody do it or even go far. I was like, if I go to school, that’s all I’m trying to do.”
His first offer came from New Mexico State, with Oklahoma and Missouri following shortly after. One of two of Jacobs’ official visits was to Missouri.
Head coach Barry Odom was trying to secure the running back for his first recruiting class. The Tigers’ starting quarterback took Jacobs on a tour of the facilities.
Drew Lock showed me around,” Jacobs said. “And I’m like ‘I don’t know this is different. This is different than anything I’ve ever seen.'”
But then, Jacobs was put on the radar of Alabama running backs coach Burton Burns. The long-time running backs coach was initially on a recruiting trip for a different player in Tulsa.
“‘Some guy down the road mentioned your name,'” Jacob recalled Burton saying. “That’s the reason I’m here. I’m only going to stay for like 5, 10 minutes.”
Burton watched Jacobs for a couple of minutes at basketball practice before leaving briefly and returning after practice. The two then talked for what Jacobs remembers to be around two hours.
Burton told Jacobs that Alabama was close to wrapping up its recruiting class, but there might be an opening.
