Rivals.com – Signings breakdown: Four-star DB Jacob Oden picks Michigan

Jacob Oden, the nation’s 132nd player in the 2024 class, is staying home to play for Michigan in college. The Harper Woods, Mich., star posted a top five of Michigan, Michigan State, Tennessee, Penn State and Iowa on Dec. 27 before announcing his commitment to the Wolverines tonight.

Oden’s decision was ultimately based on the relationships he had built with Michigan staff over the years — a trait he stressed as extremely important when making a college decision and something he highlighted when detailing it explained why the Wolverines made his top 5.

“I mean, it’s a family environment,” Oden said. “They treat me like one of them and I’m very close to the coaches up there. The coach in particular (Steve) Clinkscale.”

Oden becomes Michigan’s sixth commitment for 2024 and is currently the top-scoring member of a 2024 Wolverine recruit class, currently ranked 8th overall.

Combining a great frame with a high level of athleticism, Oden will bring plenty of versatility to Michigan’s secondary. With the size of a safe and the coverage abilities of a corner, he can play almost anywhere in the defensive backfield and will continue to be an asset to Michigan’s special team units during his tenure at Ann Arbor.

The defensive defender of 2024 has great feet, comes out of breaks efficiently, has high motor skills, is a willing tackle and, as the son of a football coach, he also has a great understanding of the game. Oden’s father, himself a former Wolverine football player, is a head coach at Harper Woods, and the young defenseman’s promise should only improve the recruiting pipeline between Michigan and the school, which produces Division 1 talent annually.

The versatile defenseman is currently the fifth-best recruit in Michigan, and any time you can keep a player of his caliber at home is a huge win in itself. Oden only scratches the surface of how good he’ll eventually be, and has what it takes to be a big player in the Big Ten and beyond.