The Florida Gators added a fifth scholarship running back to the roster on Thursday evening following the commitment from Coahoma Community College RB transfer Ja’Kobi Jackson.
In three years at the JUCO level, Jackson appeared in 20 games, rushing 276 times for 1390 yards and 14 touchdowns while adding 14 catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns in the passing game.
The Florida native attended high school at Pensacola Catholic where he earned division one offers from Charlotte, South Alabama, UAB, and Western Kentucky before deciding on the JUCO route. In his two seasons of varsity football, Jackson combined for 2141 yards and 25 touchdowns on 270 carries, an average of 7.9 yards per carry. The star running back was efficient in the passing game as well, totaling 761 yards and 10 touchdowns on 36 catches, an average of 21.1 yards per catch.
After entering the portal three years into his collegiate career, Jackson committed to Charleston Southern before flipping his pledge to the Gators after his visit to Gainesville on Wednesday. It’s expected that Jackson will enroll at the University of Florida shortly.
FIVE SCHOLARSHIP BACKS
Billy Napier has been vocal about preferring five scholarship backs on the roster, so this addition didn’t come as a surprise.
Gators’ running backs coach Jabbar Juluke stated at the beginning of spring camp that the staff hadn’t talked about adding a fifth scholarship back, but if it was the right fit, they would consider it.
“If it’s the right fit,” Juluke said. “We’re not going to just take a guy just to say that we’re taking a guy, you know. We want to make sure that it’s a right fit that comes about. But we have not talked about it, you know what I’m saying. But we normally have five scholarship running backs; that’s true.”
Jackson joins a loaded running back room which includes Montrell Johnson, Trevor Etienne, Cam Carroll, and Treyaun Webb.
WHERE JACKSON FITS IN
It’s unlikely that Jackson will take many carries away from any of the other four scholarship backs, but the rising junior adds experienced depth to one of the best running back rooms in the country.
With Cam Carroll on his last year of eligibility and Montrell Johnson becoming draft eligible after the 2023 season, the Gators could be looking towards the future with the addition of Jackson, who has two years of eligibility left.
His 6-0, 215-pound frame will likely be heavily utilized on special teams, where the Gators ranked 96th in division one football in 2022, according to Pro Football Focus.
Florida is now at 84 scholarships after the addition of Jackson, leaving the Gators with just one scholarship to work with.