Jacobe Chester felt comfortable with the Kansas staff

The Kansas coaches have been recruiting Jacobe Chester for over a year, and their persistence paid off. Chester was on a Zoom call with the Kansas coaching staff and gave his verbal commitment on Monday evening.

Kansas assistant Emmett Jones has connections to Chester and has been recruiting him for a while. Cornerbacks coach Chevis Jackson joined in along with Les Miles.

Chester had seen everything he needed from the Kansas coaches to make his decision. He set up the Zoom call and broke the news to them.

“They were very happy and ecstatic,” Chester said of the Kansas coaches. “They were smiling and laughing, and they were saying I was someone they really wanted, and they were happy to get me on board.”

Chester plays at Fort Bend Marshall where the offensive coordinator is Samuel Padgitt. When Emmett Jones was at South Oak Cliff High the two were on the staff. That helped Jones get an early beat on Chester and the Jayhawks offered early.

Also on the Zoom call was former Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib and two of Chester’s seven-on-seven coaches.

“My 7-on-7 team is from Dallas and we have worked out at his facility,” Chester said of Talib. “He has a good relationship with my 7-on-7 coach.”

In a recent interview Chester said he didn’t want to rush his recruiting. But after evaluating his situation he was ready to give his verbal commitment to Kansas.

“It just felt like home and they were showing me constant love all of the time,” he said. “I feel like they have a great recruiting class coming in from 2021 and I think their program is going to make a big change. I think it can become a real powerhouse. I think it is somewhere I can go and perform and build a legacy there.”

It came down to the relationships and feeling Chester has with Jones, Jackson, and Miles. He said he has talked with Miles several times. From the head coach to his position coach to the lead recruiter, he felt comfortable them.

“I have a good relationship with all of them,” Chester said. “When I talked with them it wasn't always about football. They asked me about my family life and other things going on in the world. They would always pick up their phone and I could talk to them.”

Shortly after he committed, Chester said he was happy he made the decision.

“I'm very excited and I can't stop smiling,” he said.

Chester becomes the fourth commitment in the 2022 class and pushed the updated to 26th in the country.