Curtis Jacobs committed to Penn State in February 2019 as a four-star athlete from Glen Burnie, Maryland. Jacobs was pursued as both a wide receiver and a linebacker, but it was clear that he would be the next member of Linebacker U, choosing the Nittany Lions over a group including Notre Dame, Florida, and Virginia Tech. His previous experience as a safety means Jacobs has the ability to read defenses better than many prototypical linebackers-something that should serve him well as he provides valuable depth in the middle of the defense.
Since Jacobs has yet to see the field for Penn State, let’s look at one of the team’s best safeties in their history, bald-headed ballhawk Shawn Mayer. Mayer played for the Blue and White during the early 2000’s, recording 252 total tackles and a high of four interceptions as a senior in 2002. He earned a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots in 2003, tackling Ricky Proehl in the final game.