Massive O-Line Recruit Leaning Florida Over FSU & Georgia

Former three-star basketball prospect, who stands at 6-foot-11, says Florida football leads FSU and Georgia in his recruiting process.

Offensive line recruit Jahzare Jackson / Cam Parker

As the Florida Gators begin to close their June visit schedule with recruits, one prospect stands out among the rest, both in stature and in story.

Offensive lineman Jahzare Jackson, who stands at a whopping 6 feet 11 inches, has had a whirlwind of a recruitment. The former three-star basketball prospect spent time with Overtime Elite before declaring for the NBA Draft. 

However, he’s now looking to play college football, and he considers the Gators his frontrunner over Georgia, FSU and Mississippi State after an official visit this past weekend, he told Gators Illustrated. He’ll make a decision “somewhere around two weeks.” 

“It’s a legit lead,” he said. “The people here, I was able to really connect with them, ask them some deep questions. What was it like last year to what it looks like this year. Definitely a lot of things I liked.”

Despite the recent inexperience, Jackson said the current staff have a developmental plan for him should he decide to attend UF. 

“I’m gonna come here, be able to develop and actually pay attention to that process as well,” he said. “That was a big thing for me, being able to pay attention to my developmental process because I haven’t done it in a little bit.”

This wouldn’t be the first developmental prospect that Napier and his staff have courted at offensive line. While at Louisiana, Napier recruited tackle Kamryn Waites, a former basketball prospect. He transferred to Florida following Napier’s hiring. 

Additionally, the Gators have dipped into the international recruiting market twice with offensive linemen from Europe in the 2024 class: Noel Portnjagin and Enoch Wangoy, who reclassified from the 2025 class. 

“Coming back to it, it’d be good, and just knowing that people believe in that process as well,” Jackson said of Florida’s ability to develop offensive lineman. “Believing in their work, that’s a big thing to me as well.” 

Overall, the sudden whirlwind of Jackson’s recruitment is something he considers to be a blessing. With multiple visits coming up and the hope to enroll in a school in time for the 2024 season, Jackson said he’s evaluating everything that’s come up. 

“It means a lot to me. Definitely a blessing,” Jackson said of his recruitment. “Something I definitely got to evaluate and just look at. Take the time with my family and make the best decision for myself.”