KIRKWOOD (Mo.) -- Jacob Eberhart's recruitment came at him fast. When college coaches traveled the country in January, they frequented the St. Louis area to see the blossoming athlete, but with two or three offers arriving each day, it became overwhelming.
While thankful for each opportunity, Eberhart still felt a quick shift from knowing he was good at football to realizing he was a legitimate prospect. He recognized this period of recruitment only comes once in a lifetime, reminding him to keep his head down, even with more chatter about his potential echoing the halls of Kirkwood (Mo.) High.
"I might have had 20 (offers) in January alone," Eberhart said. "I was like, 'Bro, I'm not really a normal kid anymore.' ... When you're getting, big schools like Oregon, Ole Miss and all that who were in the top 10 and could have potentially went to the national championship, it's really crazy, and I had to really take more precaution in what I was doing."
Eberhart planned to unofficially visit Illinois on Friday, but with his recruitment -- coupled with school -- taking up his days, he decided to opt out of the visit and give himself personal time to think about his next steps.
"Anybody you talk to, I'm a humble kid," Eberhart said. "I'm very grounded, and I'm a strong believer in what I do is what anybody in the world can do, if they put their head down and grind. ... It takes a different amount of work for everybody. Life is not fair, so you're going to have to work that much harder to get what you want."
"He's just an even better kid," added Jeremy Maclin, a former Missouri wide receiver now the head coach at Kirkwood. "If people knew the things that he's gone through on a day-to-day basis, things that he's gone through in his life for him to still be where he is right now and have a smile on his face and come and work and give you everything he got, there's not a kid that that you would want on your team, because he's the guy that embodies everything you want out of a high school football player."
Maclin was blunt about choosing a college, getting the best future after three or four years and finding the best financial opportunity. While approaching recruitment two decades later, Maclin has reiterated to Eberhart that his path worked for him, wanting his all-around athlete to use what he believes will work best in his respective journey.
"He's a kid that understands that people make the place," Maclin said. "Those are going to be the people that when tough times do happen, you got to be able to lean on a little bit and they can help you. So just trying to teach him those little things and share my experiences.
"He just needs to understand that he's going to be there, so I'm not going to be there. Markus (Golden) isn't going to be there. Where does Jacob feel comfortable?"
Eberhart visited Missouri this past Saturday for the fifth time as recruit. Head coach Eli Drinkwitz continued his push for Eberhart, giving the safety every reason why he should choose the Tigers.
"I wasn't a big fan of Mizzou coming into the recruiting process," Eberhart said, "but they've most definitely grown on my list because of the things they can provide if I do go there."
While in a rush to get home after watching practice, Eberhart didn't sit through defensive meetings or take a trip to Drinkwitz's house with other top recruits. Safeties coach Jacob Yoro picked up where he left off about his positional future.
"He's telling me about how they need a big safety like me in the room," Eberhart said, "and number 13 (Daylan Carnell), he said he could see me fitting in like him or Marvin Burks like a bigger safety. If it does come down to it, I can move into the box, so I don't come off the field, and I can really disguise packages."
"Sometimes with guys that big, who are that explosive, they get to a point where they tap out a little bit," Maclin added, "and he hasn't even gotten close (to that point)."
Eberhart didn't talk with Burks or Carnell, but he spent parts of his visit catching up with other St. Louis-area products Jason King and Toriano Pride Jr. as well as Kevin Coleman Sr., the father of transfer wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr., and Ohio junior Chase Hendricks, who was there to watch Coleman practice.
"You can really just tell (Pride) really is the captain on the defense, and he's grown," Eberhart said. "He makes it look so easy and fluent, and Jason told me he's getting the hang of things. He struggled a little bit, but he really got into practice."
Eberhart initially planned to officially visit Missouri the week of May 21, but Yoro spoke with Eberhart about rescheduling the trip to a weekend with top recruits coming on campus. The weekend of June 7 currently has the most recruits scheduled to visit.
"They stand out to me because of (Tetairoa McMillan)," Eberhart said. "I'm just always liked Arizona as a kid."
"The weather," Maclin budded in with a laugh.
Although not offered, Eberhart has stayed in consistent contact Buckeyes linebackers coach James Laurinaitis, a former tackles leader for the St. Louis Rams. Eberhart scheduled a visit to Ohio State for March 24. He'll also get to Miami (FL) at the end of the month and take an official visit to Illinois the weekend of April 5.
"I would most definitely say my explosiveness for track," Eberhart said about his primary goals of these workouts. "I'm trying to most definitely make it farther this year. I most definitely see myself doing it."
missouri.rivals.com
While thankful for each opportunity, Eberhart still felt a quick shift from knowing he was good at football to realizing he was a legitimate prospect. He recognized this period of recruitment only comes once in a lifetime, reminding him to keep his head down, even with more chatter about his potential echoing the halls of Kirkwood (Mo.) High.
"I might have had 20 (offers) in January alone," Eberhart said. "I was like, 'Bro, I'm not really a normal kid anymore.' ... When you're getting, big schools like Oregon, Ole Miss and all that who were in the top 10 and could have potentially went to the national championship, it's really crazy, and I had to really take more precaution in what I was doing."
Eberhart planned to unofficially visit Illinois on Friday, but with his recruitment -- coupled with school -- taking up his days, he decided to opt out of the visit and give himself personal time to think about his next steps.
"Anybody you talk to, I'm a humble kid," Eberhart said. "I'm very grounded, and I'm a strong believer in what I do is what anybody in the world can do, if they put their head down and grind. ... It takes a different amount of work for everybody. Life is not fair, so you're going to have to work that much harder to get what you want."
"He's just an even better kid," added Jeremy Maclin, a former Missouri wide receiver now the head coach at Kirkwood. "If people knew the things that he's gone through on a day-to-day basis, things that he's gone through in his life for him to still be where he is right now and have a smile on his face and come and work and give you everything he got, there's not a kid that that you would want on your team, because he's the guy that embodies everything you want out of a high school football player."
Maclin was blunt about choosing a college, getting the best future after three or four years and finding the best financial opportunity. While approaching recruitment two decades later, Maclin has reiterated to Eberhart that his path worked for him, wanting his all-around athlete to use what he believes will work best in his respective journey.
"He's a kid that understands that people make the place," Maclin said. "Those are going to be the people that when tough times do happen, you got to be able to lean on a little bit and they can help you. So just trying to teach him those little things and share my experiences.
"He just needs to understand that he's going to be there, so I'm not going to be there. Markus (Golden) isn't going to be there. Where does Jacob feel comfortable?"
Missouri
Eberhart, the cousin of former Missouri linebacker Markus Golden, received an offer from the Tigers on Oct. 16. He fulfilled a personal goal, but since that scholarship entered the fold, the Class of 2026 three-star has climbed to 36 offers, while others schools continue to monitor him.Eberhart visited Missouri this past Saturday for the fifth time as recruit. Head coach Eli Drinkwitz continued his push for Eberhart, giving the safety every reason why he should choose the Tigers.
"I wasn't a big fan of Mizzou coming into the recruiting process," Eberhart said, "but they've most definitely grown on my list because of the things they can provide if I do go there."
While in a rush to get home after watching practice, Eberhart didn't sit through defensive meetings or take a trip to Drinkwitz's house with other top recruits. Safeties coach Jacob Yoro picked up where he left off about his positional future.
"He's telling me about how they need a big safety like me in the room," Eberhart said, "and number 13 (Daylan Carnell), he said he could see me fitting in like him or Marvin Burks like a bigger safety. If it does come down to it, I can move into the box, so I don't come off the field, and I can really disguise packages."
"Sometimes with guys that big, who are that explosive, they get to a point where they tap out a little bit," Maclin added, "and he hasn't even gotten close (to that point)."
Eberhart didn't talk with Burks or Carnell, but he spent parts of his visit catching up with other St. Louis-area products Jason King and Toriano Pride Jr. as well as Kevin Coleman Sr., the father of transfer wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr., and Ohio junior Chase Hendricks, who was there to watch Coleman practice.
"You can really just tell (Pride) really is the captain on the defense, and he's grown," Eberhart said. "He makes it look so easy and fluent, and Jason told me he's getting the hang of things. He struggled a little bit, but he really got into practice."
Eberhart initially planned to officially visit Missouri the week of May 21, but Yoro spoke with Eberhart about rescheduling the trip to a weekend with top recruits coming on campus. The weekend of June 7 currently has the most recruits scheduled to visit.
New interests
Arizona and Ohio State emerged as new standouts in Eberhart's recruitment. He'll make his first trip to Arizona on March 18, while in the state training with Golden."They stand out to me because of (Tetairoa McMillan)," Eberhart said. "I'm just always liked Arizona as a kid."
"The weather," Maclin budded in with a laugh.
Although not offered, Eberhart has stayed in consistent contact Buckeyes linebackers coach James Laurinaitis, a former tackles leader for the St. Louis Rams. Eberhart scheduled a visit to Ohio State for March 24. He'll also get to Miami (FL) at the end of the month and take an official visit to Illinois the weekend of April 5.
Spring break in Arizona
As he did during his winter break, Eberhart will workout with Golden during this upcoming week at Performance Enhancement Professionals in Tempe, Arizona. Eberhart felt the workouts were more specific to his body type at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, planning to implement them into his everyday training."I would most definitely say my explosiveness for track," Eberhart said about his primary goals of these workouts. "I'm trying to most definitely make it farther this year. I most definitely see myself doing it."
Mizzou target Jacob Eberhart navigates booming recruitment with humbleness
Although having ties to Missouri, Jacob Eberhart has top programs around the country now vying for his commitment.
