For Missouri high school football prospect Jacob Eberhart, the thought of carrying on family tradition was too much to ignore.
Eberhart, who held offers from programs such as Oklahoma, Missouri and Nebraska, committed to play football for Illinois. His late father, Jason Eberhart, played for Illinois along the defensive line from 1997-2000.
A senior-to-be at Kirkwood High School, Eberhart checks all the boxes. He is 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, playing both wide receiver and safety for the Pioneers.
MORE: Former high school wrestling stars claim gold, silver at Pan-American Championships
Considered a four-star prospect, Eberhart helped Kirkwood go 10-3 a year ago and reach the Class 6 semifinals. He had 42 receptions for almost 800 yards with 15 touchdowns on offense to go along with 45 solo tackles, three interceptions and a sack on defense.
Illini commit Jacob Eberhart @jacobhart505 last season against Jackson in the Class 6 quarterfinals for Kirkwood. pic.twitter.com/8A7zHdiBNU
— Gateway Sports Venue (@GSV_STL) July 13, 2025
According to The St. Louis American, Eberhart shined bright in the postseason. He had three games with over 100 yards receiving, including an eight-catch, 192-yard, two-touchdown performance in a district championship win.
Eberhart is ranked a three-star prospect by 247Sports, coming in as the No. 4 player in Missouri and the 19th athlete overall. They had him landing at Oklahoma to play college football.
Markus Golden, a cousin to Eberhart, was selected in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft and played for three teams, recording 323 tackles and 51 sacks. His brother, Antonio Phillips, played in the XFL after attending Ball State.
MORE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS:
- Nebraska prep earns volleyball silver medal
- Iowa softball team ends incredible state tournament drought
- Pair of Nebraska preps selected in 2025 Major League Baseball Draft
- Top prep football recruit affirms commitment to Iowa