Curtis Jacobs came to Penn State a five-star linebacker from Maryland’s McDonogh School, a Nittany Lion recruiting pipeline for productive defensive prospects. Weighing about 220 pounds on his 6’2-ish frame, Jacobs came with the “athlete tag”. Some schools even projected him to play wide receiver, but he quickly made his name at Penn State as a linebacker.
Jacobs played five games during the abbreviated 2020 season before emerging as a starter leading into the 2021 season. Over the next three seasons, Jacobs recorded 171 tackles, 24 for loss, 9.5 sacks, four fumble recoveries and a pair of interceptions.