Jacob Oden, the nation’s No.132 player in the 2024 class, is staying home to play for Michigan in college. The Harper Woods (Mich.) star released a top five of Michigan, Michigan State, Tennessee, Penn State and Iowa on Dec. 27 prior to announcing his commitment to the Wolverines this evening.
Oden’s decision ultimately came down to the relationships he’s developed with the Michigan staff over the years – a trait he stressed as being of most importance when making a college decision and something he highlighted when detailing why the Wolverines made his top five.
“I mean, it’s a family environment,” Oden said. “They treat me like one of them and I’m really close with the coaches up there. Especially coach (Steve) Clinkscale.”
Oden becomes Michigan’s the sixth 2024 commit and is currently the highest rated member of a 2024 Wolverine recruiting class that currently ranks No. 8 overall.
Oden combines a great frame with a high level of athleticism and will provide plenty of versatility to Michigan’s secondary unit. With the size of a safety and the coverage skills of a corner, he can play just about anywhere in the defensive backfield and will also be an asset to Michigan’s special team units throughout his tenure in Ann Arbor.
The 2024 defensive back has great feet, is efficient out of his breaks, has a high motor, is a willing tackler, and as the son of a football coach he has a great understanding of the game as well. Oden’s father, a former Wolverine football player himself, is the head coach at Harper Woods and the young defensive back’s pledge should only improve the recruiting pipeline between Michigan and the school that produces division one talent on a yearly basis.
The versatile defensive back is currently the fifth rated recruit in Michigan and any time you can keep a player of his caliber home is a big win in and of itself. Oden is only scratching the surface of how good he will eventually be and has every tool to be a big time player in the Big Ten and beyond.
