"Everybody trying to discourage him": Former NFL running back recalls doubters as son, Brayden Jacobs, made a crucial decision for his future

Brayden Jacobs is one of the top true freshman talents that will be part of Clemson football in the upcoming 2025 college football season. The offensive lineman was recruited as a four-star prospect, and he is touted to make an early impact in the program next season.

The Alpharetta, Georgia, native is the son of former New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs. He wants to carry on the legacy of his father in the NFL, and he gave his commitment to Clemson, believing it's the right program to prepare him for the professional stage.

On Friday's episode of Clemson's “2 Right Turns” podcast, Brandon discussed the recruiting process of his son, Brayden, and why he opted for the Tigers. Despite efforts to make him flip his commitment, Brayden remained loyal to Clemson.

“I didn't really know a whole lot about Clemson," Jacobs said (Timestamp: 16:49), "but when Brayden started going through the process, people started asking, ‘So what's Brayden thinking?’ And I was like, ‘Well, I think Brayden likes Clemson.”

“Everybody was wondering why Clemson? Why does he want to go to Clemson? I said, well, what's wrong with Clemson? It's a Division I school that plays in the ACC. I said, ‘Man, my kid loves it there, and that's what we're going to do.’

“Everybody trying to discourage him from coming; all these other coaches had all this bad stuff to say, and he kept his head down, and he just stayed focused on Clemson. Teams were really telling him, like, you don't want to go there. They don't do the transfer portal, which to us was a plus. The kid loves Clemson.”

Brandon Jacobs says Brayden Jacobs has no regret

Brayden Jacobs committed to Clemson in January 2024, and there hasn't been any going back since then. Brandon Jacobs emphasized on the “2 Right Turns” podcast his son's unwavering commitment to sign for Clemson, noting Dabo Swinney and his staff's integrity.

“Today, right now, I can call him and ask, ‘Hey, you got any regrets about your choice? No!" Jacobs said (Timestamp 17:34). "It's been great here. Expectations are great. The thing I like about Clemson here more than any other school that I've been a part of, and I've seen how the recruiting process works.”

“Clemson is the same after signing as they are before signing. They treat you the same, there's no difference. Coach Sweeney won't ever walk by me unless he's in a rush without saying something to me.”

Brayden comes as a big addition to the Tigers' offensive line ahead of the 2025 season. He is one of the program's top recruits in a year focused on quality rather than quantity. He enters the program with a lot of lofty expectations among fans.