Fast-Rising Michigan ATH Jacob Oden Picks Up Offer From Vols

Rising sophomore athlete Jacob Oden from Michigan has begun catching college coaches' attention as his recruiting process is starting to heat up. 

The current freshman at Harper Woods High School now has eight offers to his credit, with the first one coming in January of 2020 by way of Kentucky. A few other schools on the list are; Cincinnati, Maryland, Michigan State, and as of March 10th, Tennessee.

It is always interesting to see the response from the prospects as you never know how they will embrace it when the process starts early. Oden was open about his approach as he says, "I'm taking it a day at a time. I try to be humble and focus on working and getting better every day." 

The young athlete may not know who will offer next but has the idea that more offers will roll in.

The dual-sport athlete (track) is listed as an athlete but named safety as his favorite position to play. 

The listing of an athlete definitely fits Oden's attitude as he says, "I feel like I can play anything on the field." 

When your play is described as "fast, smart, and physical," it is hard to argue that mindset.

Tennessee joined the race by extending an offer through Defensive Coordinator Tim Banks, a Michigan native himself. Banks seemed to be impressed with the Harper Woods student-athlete. Oden would detail that, saying, "he liked the way I move. He said I move like someone smaller and that he liked my size."

Though it was discussed about the different position possibilities, Oden seems to be a natural defensive back. When asked about players that may be used to study, it was simply all defensive backs. Oden answers, "I watch guys like Jalen Ramsey, Ed Reed, Derek Stingley Jr, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Eli Ricks, and more."

Having all this occur as a freshman can sometimes be a distraction from the task at hand if not handled properly. On the flip side, having it all happen at once can be a good thing with the right player. The Michigan Native is ready for year two of his high school campaign. Oden would finish by saying, "I'm way more confident because I know what to expect out of my opponents and my own team."