Who says dreams don’t come true? Since he was in the sixth grade, Servite’s Jake Overman has dreamed of playing Division I college football. Congratulations are in order for Jake since the Servite graduate has accepted a scholarship to play tight end for the Division I Oregon State University (OSU) Beavers this upcoming season.
Jake started playing rugby, basketball, and baseball when he was seven years old. When his baseball coach, Joe Florentine, suggested that he play football, Jake found his sport. According to Jake, “I knew when I first put on my pads and helmet that I wanted to be a football player. The other sports were fun, but I really love football.” During high school, Jake maintained a 3.6-grade point average, was an Academic Ambassador, and on the Principal's honor roll while playing seasonal sports before committing exclusively to football in his senior year.
With 16 football scholarship offers on the table, Jake and his family spent ample time during his junior and senior year researching and visiting many schools before deciding on OSU. “As a mom, I felt secure about OSU early on, but he was really diligent about making sure this was the right choice for him,” says Kelli. “It was a long process going through all the offers, but it was really fun,” says Jake. “OSU felt like the right choice. It felt like home.”
Having come this far in meeting his academic and athletic goals of playing Division I college football, does Jake see the NFL in his future? “I’m on the right path, God willing,” says Jake. However, realizing the challenges ahead, Jake understands there is more to life than just football and is determined to graduate from college. Although Jake is undecided on his major at OSU, he is passionate about sports and plans “to be involved in sports no matter what.”
