Three-Time NFL Pro Bowler Josh Jacobs Reveals He Nearly Committed to Mizzou

Coming out of McLain High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Jacobs wasn’t a highly sought after recruit despite being listed as a four-star prospect by 247Sports. He admitted he wasn’t even sure a football career was realistic.

“For me, the NFL was never a dream because it was never a reality,” Jacobs said. “I’d never seen anybody do it or even go far. I was like, if I got to school, that’s all I’m trying to do.”

That school, almost, was Missouri. 

Then-head coach Barry Odom, entering his first full recruiting cycle, noticed Jacobs early and worked to secure him as a foundational piece of the 2016 class. During his visit to Columbia, Jacobs was hosted by Tigers' starting quarterback, Drew Lock who showed him around the facilities.

“This is different than anything I’ve ever seen,” Jacobs recalled of the visit.

Alabama wasn’t in the picture until Crimson Tide running backs coach Burton Burns caught wind of Jacobs while on a recruitment visit for another player in Tulsa. He stopped by to watch him at basketball practice and told Jacobs the program was done recruiting, unless one recruit failed to qualify academically.

Jacobs still took a visit to Tuscaloosa, hosted by an early-enrolled freshman named Jalen Hurts. Jacobs noted it as "the spot to be" and saw himself there. 

But even then, he was still set on Missouri as he hadn't yet received an offer from Alabama. “I was going to go to Mizzou,” Jacobs said.

Just before Jacobs was set to sign, he got a call letting him know the other recruit hadn’t qualified academically, and Alabama had a spot open.

The day that I went to sign, that's when I found out that I could even go to Alabama," Jacobs said.

Josh Jacobs spent three seasons at Alabama, totaling over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and earning MVP honors in the 2018 SEC Championship Game before declaring for the draft.

He was selected 24th overall by the Raiders in 2019 and has since rushed for over 6,800 yards and 61 touchdowns, earning three Pro Bowl selections and leading the NFL in rushing in 2022.

Meanwhile, Mizzou signed four-star Natereace Strong and three-star Damarea Crockett in its 2016 class.

From 2016 to 2018, the Tigers were average under Barry Odom, despite some potential. They posted back-to-back winning seasons and made a pair of lower-tier bowl appearances, but never truly broke through in the SEC. 

Crockett was solid, setting Missouri freshman records with 1,062 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in his debut season.

But looking back, it’s hard not to wonder: Could Jacobs have been the piece that turned those good Mizzou teams into something greater?

We’ll never know for sure, but it came closer than most fans ever realized.