Over the last few days, the Florida Gators have offered two JUCO defensive ends committed to other schools as they try to build depth for 2019.
Colorado defensive end commit Datona Jackson (6-4, 265, Union City, OH College of the Desert) was one of those offered last Friday.
“Coach O [Otis Yelverton] offered me last week,” Jackson said of the coach from Florida who offered him. “We didn’t get to talk for very long but he said that after checking my classes that he thought I was the right fit for them and wanted to offer me.”
This is the first SEC offer for Jackson and he was excited about the offer and eager to learn more about the Gators.
“It was a good feeling, I was pretty happy about it,” he said to his reaction of getting the offer. “It’s a good feeling to get an offer from a school like Florida and an SEC offer. I want to get down there and see how everything is.”
Jackson doesn’t know a ton about Florida but does know a few things about the Gators and the history of football in Gainesville.
“I know about the history and stuff, I’ve watched a few games before,” Jackson said on what he knows about Florida. “I know about the prestige and the ranking they have down there.”
When Jackson spoke with Yelverton on the phone last week, the Gators recruiting assistant made sure to explain the need for lineman in Gainesville next year.
“He said they need defensive linemen,” he said on Coach O’s message about needing him. “He just said they have a big need and they need a guy to come in and make an impact.”
Now that Jackson has an offer from Florida, the JUCO defensive end is planning to visit Gainesville before he enrolls in January.
“Yeah, I definitely plan too,” he said on if he plans to visit Florida. “I would like to try and make it in for a game but I have to line up everything. It might be in December.”
When Jackson does get to Gainesville for a visit, the defensive end has a few things he wants to see out of the program.
“I want to see the area, I’ve never been to Florida before,” Jackson said on what he wants to see when he visits Florida. “I want to see the whole program, I know it’s one of the top programs in the country.”
Despite his commitment to Colorado, Jackson says he that he plans to take all five of his official visits.
“I’m going to visit UCLA at the end of the month and I’m going to set something up for USC, and Arizona,” he said on other visits. “I have an open mind set so I want to see what everyone has to offer and take all of my visits.”