Jacolbe Cowan was at UGA recently for the scavenger hunt weekend. It marked another successful trip for Cowan and his parents in Athens.
The Cowans have been coming to check out UGA dating back to the 2017 season.
The 4-star combo DL prospect describes his latest trip as another “all was well” visit. The nation’s No. 153 overall prospect (per the 247Sports Composite) got to:
- Jump in a ball pit to spelunk for clues
- Visit the famed chapel bell
- Coordinate a “tacky” outfit from the UGA bookstore
- Take a hard pass on going anywhere near that “reptile” who goes by the name of “Sunshine.”
- Belt out a karaoke version of “Happy Birthday” in his best John Legend voice. The need was to sing a song out loud. With great haste. That was the choice because that tune could be covered quickly.
Cowan was paired with soon-to-be Kentucky commitment Justin Rogers. Their team finished fourth.
“The most fun part was just running around campus,” he said. “We ran a lot. We’d hop off the golf cart and just run and run. We definitely got a workout in that day. I can definitely say that.”
That said, the guess here is what he is finally ready to say about UGA is what will catch a lot of eyes. It seems that his last trip has sunk in.
It was even more interesting (maybe) than what he said about a long-term relationship with 5-star RB Kendall Milton.
“Georgia has definitely solidified themselves with a spot with an official visit of mine,” he said.
This last unofficial likely nailed that down. The Bulldogs have been angling to reach official visit territory with Cowan for some time. Georgia and its defensive line coach Tray Scott have been laying a foundation with Cowan for years, too.
“I feel this last visit definitely was … I mean like I have always said Georgia has always been a priority to me and I feel like I am a priority to them,” Cowan said. “So after this visit, they definitely have solidified themselves as a top contender of mine. They are definitely are in in the top five of my schools right now.”
Georgia is currently the only school he feels comfortable saying that he feels will definitely get an official at this time.
It sounds like he has his sorting hat on with all of those still to come.
Cowan is nearing the 6-foot-6 mark these days. He feels he’s grown about an inch over the last year.
His weight is right at 272 pounds. He was once seen as a DE prospect by the industry but his ratings have shifted to the DT spot over the last few months.
What is up for Jacolbe Cowan in June?
Cowan said to look for a “pretty packed” month. He will start summer workouts at Providence Day in North Carolina.
The nation’s No. 14 DT prospect (per the 247Sports Composite) will also compete in the Rivals 5-Star Challenge and will leave for The Opening in Texas at the end on the month. In the midst of all of that, look for him to take a couple of unofficials. At least. He might even add in an official visit there as well.
“Within that month I will try to fit maybe one or two visits in,” Cowan said. “To some schools.”
He does have his eye set on a specific visit to Ohio State.
“I know definitely Ohio State,” Cowan said. “That will probably be my next visit. Trying to get things set up with their staff and I have been in recent talks with them. They definitely want me to come up very soon. So probably in the month of June. Maybe mid-June I’ll probably be visiting Ohio State. Still trying to determine the date and a good weekend for the family.”
He’s not sure about whether or not that trip will be an official.
It still sounds like he feels he could be ready to commit at any time. There is no timetable. It will be when he feels he is ready. Cowan is not bound to any certain dates.
The only expectation is more of a hope basically. He’d like to arrive at a decision prior to his senior season. But even that is not a given.
Cowan will just take his time. Follow his heart. Whenever he feels he is ready, he will make his college choice.
If he’s not ready, he will not make that decision just to get it off his shoulders before his senior season.
Cowan recently picked up his invitation to the elite Opening prospect showcase in Texas for this summer.
Jacolbe Cowan rewinds that UGA visit
He tried on the Georgia jersey and full gear on the scavenger weekend. That was a first for Cowan at UGA in the full pads.
The North Carolina native picked out a red No. 12 jersey. He even found those “Savage” spiked shoulder pads, too.
“Red is my favorite color,” he said. “I saw the red and thought let me try it with that red on.”
He said it was an impressionable moment.
“Of course it is like that having any type of college uniform on,” Cowan said. “You get a great feeling. You get almost like chills in your veins because you know that you will be in a college uniform now sooner rather than later. It was great having a chance to get that on and wear a school’s uniform.”
Cowan tried on the No. 12 jersey. It was sized up for former Georgia player Tray Bishop. Bishop was not on the spring roster at UGA. According to his Instagram, Bishop plans to play for Navarro Junior College in Texas.
It shows the type of shape Cowan is in. He was able to slip in a jersey made for the 6-foot-3 and 210-pound frame of Bishop.
“It didn’t even look like I was about to bust up out of it,” he said.
His parents have enjoyed every visit they have taken to Athens so far in this recruiting process. He’s been on visits with just his mother. And he’s been paired with just his father on other occasions.
“They’ve enjoyed it every time,” he said. “Really nothing bad to say about Georgia and its program and its staff as a whole. They’ve enjoyed it. I’ve enjoyed it every time. So they think very highly of Georgia.”
He felt this last trip was different than other visits. The scavenger hunt made it unique.
“The main purpose of the weekend was just to have fun and enjoy the scavenger hunt,” Cowan said. “Along with the staff and the other recruits and their families as well. It was a unique type of vibe. It was fun. Everybody had a blast. What I took away from this visit was a lot of downtime with the staff and I just enjoyed it and had fun.”
Cowan said Scott and Georgia coach Kirby Smart told him they would like for him to take that official visit in December. That could likely come after the SEC Championship Game and before the start of the early signing period.
“It will probably be in December sometime but don’t rule out the fall for a game or anything like that,” Cowan said. “Because it could very well be then. But as of right now, they told me they would like for me to do it in December.”
Georgia has traditionally tried to bring in its priority targets on officials prior to the start of the early signing period.
Jacolbe Cowan and his relationship with Kendall Milton
This subject came up while Cowan was discussing the recent moves made by 5-star Texas RB Zachary Evans.
Yes, he did notice that Evans did not include the Texas schools in his final list. He also noticed something about his list in connection with California 5-star RB Kendall Milton.
“If you look at Kendall Milton,” Cowan said. “Who is like a brother to me …. he didn’t really have Southern Cal or UCLA or California or any of those other schools. It is guys that just want to venture out and are not afraid to leave home. That’s how you can put it.”
What was that “like a brother” stuff with Milton?
“I’ve known Kendall man since like fifth grade,” Cowan said. “Like 2011 or 2012. We actually went to like an All-American Bowl that was out in Texas. That’s when we first met. Ever since then his Dad is like an uncle to me. He communicates a lot with me. We all have just been keeping in touch and communicating with each other.”
Chris Milton was his defensive coordinator at the All-American Bowl out in Texas.
“We got along well there being that I was a defensive guy,” Cowan said. “From then, we have developed a relationship and we keep in touch here and there.”
It seems that Georgia and Ohio State and maybe even LSU are schools of interest to both Cowan and Milton.
Cowan is in North Carolina. Milton is in California. That is a great story to be told there.
“It is definitely unique,” Cowan said. “I think it just shows if you work hard how things will turn out for you in the end. It is definitely a blessing.”
Those two have talked about going to play for the same school.
The next time we write about Cowan, we’ll get into what he terms as a “5-star” singing voice. He feels he can pull off a mean Marvin Gaye if called upon to do so.