It wasn't the plan for JK Dobbins to commit to Ohio State one week after getting a Buckeyes' offer, without a Buckeyes' visit –– but life rarely goes according to plan.
"At the moment I didn't," Dobbins told Eleven Warriors when asked if he ever considered a commitment in the way it occurred. "But, when I got to know (Tony) Alford and (Urban) Meyer and did a little bit of research, my heart said said 'this is it.'"
That wasn't always "it" for Dobbins, the country's 54th-ranked 2017 prospect. When the University of Texas, 64 miles away from his hometown of La Grange, offered JK Dobbins in the summer of 2015, it was a dream come true for the talented all-purpose running back, according to a story from BurntOrangeNation.com.
"I've always been a big Texas fan," Dobbins told 247Sports in early May. "My whole family loves Texas too. They've been pushing me to go there...Really, it was my dream school growing up, and it's still a dream school."
The offer from Texas, on the heels of a visit to Texas A&M, happened last summer as Dobbins, 5-foot-10 and 200-pounds, began to emerge on the national recruiting scene. As a sophomore for the Leopards, Dobbins lined up at quarterback to provide La Grange as much offensive punch as possible: he racked up 2243 yards and 37 touchdowns on the ground in the run-heavy offense, but also threw for four more. His coach, Matt Kates, told MyStatesMen.com that he saw a future where Dobbins would be a top-five running back nationally.
“I think Texas Football had me quoted that by his senior year, he’ll be a top-five back in the nation, and I think that’s probably not enough praise,” Kates shared with MyStatesMen. “If he’s not the best back in the nation in 2017, I’d like to see who it is.”
His game is speed-based: he's run the 100-meter-dash in 10.75 seconds, good for sixth in Texas but only second in his family. His late father, Lawrence, clocked in at 10.66 for La Grange in 1997, when he was leading the Leopards to a state semifinal appearance. The younger Dobbins isn't running away from comparisons.
“It’s an honor; my dad was a great player,” Dobbins, told MyStatesmen.com “Everyone compares me, but I honestly think I’m better already. It’s kind of motivation because I feel like I have to do better than what he did.”
The loss of his father two years ago, midway through his freshman season at La Grange, changed everything for JK–J’Kaylin–told 11W.
"When my dad passed away," Dobbins said. "It changed the way I look at things. It matured me and it made me a better man. It was a sudden thing; I've got two younger brothers."
When you're familiar with that kind of pressure, real-world pressure, a decision that would normally be a heavy one, like leaving your home for a school 1200 miles away when you've never visited, becomes lighter, easier.
"It's not that hard to handle anymore," Dobbins said of leaving home. "It's not factor. It's about going to a great program, where I'd be a good fit. (At Ohio State), they've told me they think I'd fit well, and (Tony Alford) is genuine, he seems like he will make me a better man, as well."
For a kid from the Middle of Nowhere, Texas to earn national accolades and attention from a school like Ohio State means something special to Dobbins.
"It's a great feeling and it's what I work so hard every day for," Dobbins, reacting to his national ranking and the chance to play for a program at the level of Ohio State. "I'm honored because Ohio State has a lot of great coaches, and they know what it takes to succeed. I just have to keep getting better."
Getting "better" isn't an easy thing to do for a player who's already regarded as a top five running back nationally. The electric Dobbins says he's tried to model his game after two of the college game's best backs in the last decade.
"I kind of feel, sometimes, like Ezekiel Elliott and the old Reggie Bush," Dobbins said when pressed on who he'd compare his game to. "Tony Alford has kind of hinted that (he sees similarities with Elliott.) I bring a lot of things to the table, I think. I can catch, run through the trenches, I can also beat you with speed but I'll also block for my teammates as well."
Ohio State hasn't seen Dobbins in person, but that initial visit to Columbus is coming, and it's a big one for the Buckeyes. The Texas star will enroll early, meaning that to defend their turf and make sure he's in the class next February, Ohio State has to get through only eight months of recruiting competition, not ten.
"Me and my mom are going to make the trip," Dobbins said. "In about two weeks. I just want to get up there and get a feel for everything."
Everything is a big word for a player from a little town, and a place like Ohio State, where everything is huge, can be a bit intimidating. It's an easy-going personality and a laid-back approach to his life away from the field that keeps him grounded, but it's a drive to be the best that will take him to Nike and Rivals regional camps this summer to improve his already ample game. To succeed in Columbus, you've got to take your game seriously and yourself–well–not so much.
Dobbins is looking forward to that chance and says that there's nothing in his mind that will deter him from being a Buckeye. He's listed as a visitor for Baylor's big junior day weekend next weekend, but there are no plans to check out any other school at this time.
"As of right now, no," he said about visiting other schools. "I'm not sure there's anything that will change that."
