"I watched them play as I grew up": Florida commit Devin Jackson on Big Ten team looking to recruit him; might be worrying for Billy Napier 

By Byron Terry

Modified Feb 25, 2025 02:27 GMT

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Recruiting is a major factor in college college football. Schools will recruit from all over, including high school athletes, the transfer portal and more. Recruiting is an essential building block of a college football program. Athletes commit, de-commit and transfer quite often, but some decide to stay committed to a certain program. One particular school might be in the mix for a 2026 safety, although they are currently committed to another program.

Safety Devin Jackson out of First Academy in Florida has been committed to the Florida Gators since July 2024, but other schools are still recruiting him heavily, with Oregon being one of them.

The Oregon Ducks recently sent Jackson an offer and he spoke to On3's Max Torres about what it meant to him.

“That offer really meant a lot to me. Coming from Oregon I watched them play as I grew up," Jackson said via On3.com. Seeing what they can do and as we see the Big Ten, they’re leading in college football right now.

“So that’s really a great opportunity that I’m willing to see, willing to go up there and see Oregon for the Spring and set up an official visit when I look at these dates," he added.

Oregon has been on a roll in college football going 14-1 with a Rose Bowl appearance this past season and the No. 2 ranked 2025 recruiting class along to go with the fourth overall transfer class, according to 247sports. But with Oregon looking to recruit the already committed Jackson, what does that mean for the Gators?

Florida offered early on and he pledged to them as a junior. Jackson also spoke about his commitment to the Florida Gators and the recruitment process.

"My commitment is pretty strong. Still keeping my options open, looking at other schools ’cause you never know what’ll happen."

Devin Jackson's recruiting breakdown

Devin Jackson is a three-star prospect, the 91st-best player in Florida and the 63rd-ranked safety in the class of 2026 per 247sports. He holds over 40 offers from programs like Auburn, Baylor and more.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound safety scans the field well and makes plays against the run, excelling in coverage by utilizing speed. As a junior in 2024, Jackson accumulated 80 total tackles, 54 being solo, one tackle for loss, four interceptions, seven pass deflections and two fumble recoveries in 10 games.

Florida Gators' recruiting breakdown

The Florida Gators currently have the 51st-ranked 2026 football recruiting class per 247sports. The class features two commits, Devin Jackson being one of them, and four-star quarterback Will Griffin.