In-state OL Jacob Hood picks up Vols offer
Hillsboro offensive lineman Jacob Hood stands in at 6-foot-8 and 350 pounds as a rising junior in the mid-state. This past week, Tennessee joined the likes of Texas A&M and Ole Miss with an early offer for the 2022 prospect.
“It was a great feeling to get the offer from Tennessee,” Hood told Volquest. “I have family that went to Tennessee, so they are proud of me for getting that offer.”
Buck Fitzgerald is the son of Hillsboro head coach Maurice Fitzgerald and is an assistant on staff. He also runs an organization called National Playmakers Academy – stationed in Nashville – which trains and mentors’ high school athletes, like Hood, through the recruiting process.
“He was excited, obviously, and I don’t think it just came out of thin air,” Fitzgerald said. “They’ve been talking to him and looking at him. I think he’s been waiting on it because there’s been some movement towards it.”
Tennessee assistant Tee Martin has been on the lineman for a while now - checking in at Hillsboro often.
“Coach Tee has been a great coach for me to know. He is really the first college coach that took an interest in me,” Hood explained. “He always encouraged me when he came to my school. I’ve also learned a lot about coach [Jim] Chaney from talking to my coach [VFL] James Stone.”
Hood is a massive presence in the high school ranks and still has plenty of time to learn to control his strength and to utilize his size to his advantage. But that often takes time – especially with the varying range of high school football players.
“To be honest, a lot of bigger guys struggle in high school more so than any other level,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s a lot harder for them to block the smaller guys. Blocking college sized guys comes easier because you can get your hands on them.
“He’ll get better. I think his best football is ahead of him.”
Tennessee likes the potential of Hood and how he can continue to elevate his game down the road.
“They like my size and athletic ability,” Hood said of the Vols. “They let me know I would be a good fit in their system. I feel like I’m a smart player who has the size and can pass block well.”
The Tennessee target has six offers on the table as the Vols joined LSU, Kansas and Eastern Kentucky, along with the Aggies and Rebels, with early offers.
Hood was in house for a home game on Rocky Top this past fall.
“Getting these offers this early is great but my coaches remind me that it means nothing unless I continue to get better,” Hood said. “So, that’s really what I’m focusing on right now.”
Beyond the size, Hood showcases many other characteristics on the football field that enhance his game. The lineman played basketball his whole life, which resulted in good foot work, and flashes plus athleticism with bend very well from the exterior of the offensive line.
“Not many people have seen him outside of Tee [Martin] and the other coaches who have been around the school,” the Hillsboro assistant said. “He hasn’t been on campuses with his new body. I think when he does, he is going to explode.”
Hood has dropped 60 pounds in the past year-plus.
“I’ve been working really hard in the wight room. I box and work out a lot with all my coaches and NPA,” Hood said. “They all set goals for me and I’ve been trying to focus on those goals and work towards them.”
Hood possesses all the intangibles of a Power 5 offensive lineman and has the time to mold his craft over the next two years. With home-state Tennessee jumping in the fray early on, the Vols could be a player down the road.
“Everything is so new to him right now. He is really just starting this journey and there is a long road ahead of him,” Fitzgerald said of Hood. “In a perfect world, maybe he makes a commitment a year from now before his last season, but that remains to be seen.
“He is at least a year away.”