DL Jamaal Jarrett's Ties to New Staff Led to Florida Gators Re-Offer
Photo: Jamaal Jarrett; Credit: Zach Goodall
The Florida Gators' new coaching staff has utilized plenty of relationships built by assistants at their previous stops to begin recruiting prospects in the class of 2023, and in the case of Grimsley (N.C.) defensive lineman Jamaal Jarrett, much remains the same.
Jarrett, freshly removed from an impressive performance at Under Armour's Atlanta camp, opened up to AllGators about his re-energized recruitment to Florida with a familiar face leading the way as the Gators hope to secure his talents.
"[Inside linebackers] coach [Jay] Bateman offered me, it was awesome," Jarrett said. "We already know each other, so he's like, 'Come be a Gator!'"
Jarrett was originally offered by Florida's previous coaching staff in April 2021, and earned a re-offer on February 14 of this year from Bateman. Bateman led the way on Jarrett's recruitment to North Carolina where he served as the Tar Heels' defensive coordinator before making the move to Gainesville.
"It's awesome, he's a real family guy," Jarrett said of Bateman. "He opens up with me to his family, and he really loves the recruits, wants to build that family relationship with the recruit."
Although he has yet to check out UF in person, which is something he is "most likely" to do on an unofficial visit in the future, Jarrett has an appreciation for Florida and has already researched what an education from the university would do for him.
"It's pretty cool. I love the colors," Jarrett shared regarding the program. "The school is great, they have my majors there and everything surrounding the school seems pretty cool."
At this time, Florida is one of the schools standing out to Jarrett as he surveys his options for college. Georgia, Auburn, Clemson, Alabama, UNC, NC State and Vanderbilt are in that group of programs as well, with the in-state schools "boxing each other right now" for Jarrett's services. Tennessee will also receive a visit from Jarrett on March 5, and he is attempting to visit Clemson sometime in April.
The 6-foot-5, 330-pound interior defensive lineman was a standout at the Under Armour camp, earning the Big Man Challenge MVP award and winning each of his one-on-one reps throughout the day.
"I learned a lot more tips and pointers from [Under Armour's] coach Nate. He has a lot of NFL guys make it to the first round, so I've definitely learned a lot of good stuff from him," Jarrett said. "Staying low, using my hands, and he called it the Nate rip or something like that? We had to raise our hand a certain way and get under the blocks. It was pretty cool."
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