Landing an offensive tackle the team could rely on throughout the season was an essential part of the plan to attack the transfer portal this offseason. The Blue Raiders immediately made that clear as they inserted themselves into the mix for several experienced transfers, including Rhode Island tackle Jacob Otts.

Today, Otts publicly announced his commitment to Middle Tennessee, giving the MTSU faithful an extra Christmas gift.

Otts is a big pickup, both literally, standing at 6-foot-7, and figuratively. The Blue Raiders beat out Western Kentucky, Troy, and Houston, among others, for his services.

He began his career with two redshirts at Rhode Island with the 2020 COVID season counting as the first. Following his redshirt season in 2021, he would appear in all 11 games in both of the next two seasons as a swing tackle off the bench, playing behind current Cleveland Brown, Lorenzo Thompson, and current Oregon Duck Ajani Cornelius. In this role, he showed the ability to play both left and right tackle.

This season gave him his first opportunity in the spotlight, and clearly, he has capitalized on it, earning 16 FBS offers in the transfer portal, with Middle Tennessee being the first.

With Jacob Otts on board, there is more security in protecting quarterback Nick Vattiato from edge rushers this season. The new Blue Raider has only one year of eligibility remaining but can make an instant impact as a player on the field and a mentor for up-and-coming tackles like Zach Clayton and Kyle Larkin.