Cam'Ron Jackson Determined to Create 'Disruption' on Gators Defensive Line

Florida defensive tackle transfer Cam’Ron Jackson recaps his commitment to the Gators, fit in the defense, long journey to the SEC and more.

Cam'Ron Jackson took the long way home to the SEC.

Originally committed to the LSU Tigers for nearly two years in high school, Jackson was slated to suit up for his hometown Bayou Bengals. However, despite his longtime pledge, Jackson was forced to head to Memphis due to strenuous circumstances.

During his time at Memphis, which included 34 appearances over three seasons, Jackson had the opportunity to grow on and off the field. He said he matured to start "taking things more seriously." From a football perspective, he found the grit he lacked, in his eyes, as a prep-level prospect.

Now, when he entered the transfer portal on Dec. 29, looking to take a step forward in his career, a return to the SEC weighed heavily on his mind. 

The Gators came calling with a desperate need for defensive linemen. Jackson answered.

"I feel like it was a good fit for me," he told All Gators about Florida on Sunday. "Especially, with me knowing that a lot of people know that I was committed to LSU in high school, things didn't go the way I wanted it. I had to go to Memphis and do what I had to do there, and I ended back up in the SEC, so that's a blessing."

As a Louisiana native, Jackson "felt good" about a Florida staff with major roots in his home state. In fact, after he pledged to the Gators, he learned of his unknown ties to the staff he will play for.

"I was actually just talking to my cousin today, coach [Jabbar] Juluke; I didn't know that he was my cousin," he said. "So that's a fun fact that I just found out."

Having that familiarity — albeit newfound — with various people at UF provided him comfort, knowing he could click with others quickly as a player and a person.

"It feels good to have Louisiana people down there. It's good knowing that I got some people that I can connect with."

However, the coaches aren't the only ones with ties to The Boot that he can connect with as he travels to Gainesville. In the 2022 cycle, the Gators staff used its influence in Louisiana to reel in a top offensive prospect in the former of Trevor Etienne.

Not only did Etienne showcase elite talent in his first season with the Gators, totaling 719 yards, six touchdowns and 6.1 yards per carry, but he is also stepping up as a leader in the Gators locker room. Jackson mentioned Etienne as one of the players he believes will take him under his wing as he grows acclimated to the new life at the University of Florida.

"You know, Trevor? It's good having him down there, knowing that he's from Louisiana and a few more Louisiana people.

"I know with him being down there longer, he's going to show me around, take me under his wing. I know all them dudes; they're going to take me under their wings and bring me in as family. Welcome me in. So I'm ready to get down there so I can meet all of them."

That will ultimately aid an important on-field transition for both Jackson and Florida as he plugs in as a day-one contributor.

Given the turnover on the interior defensive line, with the departure of key starter Gervon Dexter Sr. and reserve pieces Jalen Lee and Christopher Thomas, the Gators stood in desperate need of ready-now additions to plug into place for the 2023 season.

That wave of departures, and a potential pairing with one of the room's staples, defensive tackle Desmond Watson, led Jackson to Gainesville.

Desmond Watson (above) will be joined by Cam'Ron Jackson in the middle of the Gators' defensive line next season / Alex Shepherd

"I feel like I fit in with the defense. Cause I know they lost a lot of defensive linemen and everybody kept talking about 'Big Des, Big Des.' I was like 'man, people really want to see me and this dude play by each other.' So I was like, you know what, since they had lost a lot of people, man, I'm gonna go to Florida."

That decision gave the Gators a monstrous addition to Sean Spencer's "Wild Dogs" up front on the defensive line, given the beef it creates in the middle.

When he arrives, Jackson is slated to assume a primary role at nose guard in the three-man front the Gators operate. However, in packages with him and Watson on the field simultaneously, which he believes will be a frequent sight, Jackson was pitched the idea of sliding to the three-technique spot given the impressive agility and get-off he carries for someone standing 6-foot-7, 340 pounds.

There, he expects the duo to be a difficult one for opposing teams to game plan against. He expects constant disruption.

"I'm going to bring a lot of disruption," he said confidently. "Every team we played at Memphis last year, they were really scheming on me and I feel like in the SEC, that's how it's gonna be too. I feel like their game plan was to either double-team me or triple-team me. 

"But, you really can't do that because you got Big Des now, too. So, you triple-team me, you gonna leave that man there and he gonna grab the running back and swallow him. Like, he's gonna demolish him. That's a big 'ole kid. That's a big boy.

"You're really gonna have to play it smart. Nobody gonna try to run the ball because we gonna stop it."

Compiling 41 tackles and one sack in his 2022 campaign, Jackson didn't stuff the stat sheet with eye-popping statistics, although surely serviceable numbers for a defensive tackle. However, commanding frequent double and triple teams, Jackson felt that he produced in a way that freed up those around him to sniff out ball carriers in the backfield at a frequent clip.

That unselfish play, in his mind, is a product of knowing his role as the man in the middle. He's aware that disruptiveness means more than what he can individually produce. Instead, it's about helping his teammates make plays consistently.

Cam'Ron Jackson is celebrating a Memphis forced turnover during the 2022 season. The Gators hope he can bring that energy and impact to an improved Florida defense in 2023 :: Christine Tannous / The Commercial Appeal-USA TODAY NETWORK

"Half of the time when people try to double team, I'm coming off the ball so hard, so when I'm firing off the ball, my mindset is to knock you back before you ever get your hands on me. So really, I'm trying to get people on different levels.

"But, if I do get double-teamed, I'll play it so the linebackers can come free or any one of my teammates can come free. I look at it like, I can make plays if I want to, but I'm not the type of person who wants to be greedy. If the linebacker is supposed to fit in the gap, if I got to take some double team so the backer can fit in the gap, that's what I'm gonna do."

With the power, explosion and versatility he deploys on the field, his tape suggests that selfless disruption is precisely what the Gators are getting out of the Haynesville, La., product. Meanwhile, just as UF is excited to get the frontline anchor in the mix, he's ready to join a Gators defense he believes to be on the rise.

He hopes to elevate them to the next level this season and potentially the next as he holds two years of eligibility remaining. 

"That's another thing I'm trying to bring. When we're on people's necks, we ain't taking our foot off they necks."

The reinforcement in the trenches will arrive on campus on Jan. 6, where he hopes he's able to move in and get to work on elevating Florida to the next level.

"Be ready for me to come in and work. I ain't really a big talker. Like they say, actions speak louder than words. So I like to do that."

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