In a surprising twist to the 2025 college basketball recruiting landscape, three-star center Daniel Jacobsen — the towering 7-foot-4 prospect out of Brewster Academy — has reportedly backed off his prior commitment to Purdue University. According to a speculative report circulated by ZagsBlog and interpreted in some corners as being sourced from ESPN, Jacobsen is now favoring both Alabama and the Texas Longhorns, sending shockwaves through Big Ten and SEC recruiting circles alike.
Jacobsen, ranked as a high-upside, developmental big man with elite size and rim protection potential, originally committed to Matt Painter’s Purdue Boilermakers in November 2023. He chose the Boilermakers over other offers from Wisconsin, Creighton, Minnesota, Xavier, Clemson, and Iowa. Purdue had envisioned Jacobsen as a long-term project with the kind of physical tools reminiscent of former national player of the year Zach Edey, who also developed under Painter’s system.
However, rumors began swirling earlier this month when Jacobsen was absent from several offseason Purdue workouts and was spotted in unofficial campus visits to both Alabama and Texas. According to ZagsBlog, the shift stems from a combination of factors: playing time concerns after a redshirt injury year, a change in Purdue’s frontcourt rotation, and Jacobsen’s desire for a faster-paced offensive system that better showcases his developing face-up game.
Jacobsen’s 2024–25 season was cut short after just one minute into his second game — a matchup against Northern Kentucky — when he suffered a fractured tibia. He had started the year strong, logging 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks in his college debut. Despite the setback, Purdue offered him a full medical redshirt and remained confident in his future. However, behind the scenes, sources say that Jacobsen began to feel less secure about his role with several upperclassmen expected to return and transfers entering the program.
Alabama, under head coach Nate Oats, is aggressively pursuing a modern frontcourt capable of stretching the floor and switching defensively — a system that may appeal to Jacobsen’s goal of becoming a more complete two-way big. Meanwhile, Texas, entering its second season under Rodney Terry in the SEC, is also making a strong pitch, emphasizing immediate development, NIL opportunities, and access to NBA-level training.
While no official statement has come from Jacobsen or his family as of yet, the implications of such a decision are significant. Purdue, a perennial Big Ten contender, has built its reputation on developing big men and expected Jacobsen to anchor the post in future seasons. Losing him could open the door for more minutes for returners like Trey Kaufman-Renn and Australian center Oscar Cluff.
Still, it’s worth noting that multiple sources close to the Purdue program have disputed the ZagsBlog report, and ESPN has not formally published confirmation of Jacobsen’s flip to Alabama or Texas. For now, Jacobsen remains listed on Purdue’s official roster, and any transfer or decommitment would need to be processed through the NCAA portal.
If finalized, Jacobsen’s move could shake up recruiting narratives in both the SEC and Big Ten — and raise questions about how high-major programs are managing roster expectations in the transfer portal and NIL era.
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