Florida lands commitment from USC offensive line transfer Jason Zandamela
Florida has landed a significant commitment from the NCAA transfer portal, securing a pledge from USC offensive lineman Jason Zandamela, according to On3’s Hayes Fawcett.
Zandamela visited UF’s campus on Friday and Saturday and apparently liked what he saw.
The Gators could certainly sell him on needing an influx of talent along the offensive line following a few key departures after the 2023 season. Center Kingsley Eguakun is gone, off to the NFL Draft, while Richie Leonard, Micah Mazzccua, Jalen Farmer, Kiyaunta Goodwin and Jordan Herman all entered the NCAA transfer portal this offseason.
That should open the door to pretty immediate playing time for Zandamela in Gainesville.
Zandamela spent just the spring semester at USC before entering the NCAA transfer portal and looking for a spot to play closer to home, in Clearwater, Fla. He found that at Florida, though he also visited UCF as he surveyed his options.
The 6-foot-3, 305-pound offensive lineman from Clearwater was ranked as one of the top offensive linemen in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.
Coming out of high school, Jason Zandamela held 30-plus scholarship offers and was named an Under Armour All-American. According to the On3 Industry Rankings, he was rated as a four-star prospect and the No. 118 overall player in America.
He was enrolled at USC for the spring of 2024 and was expected to compete for playing time along the offensive line as a true freshman in the 2024 campaign. Zandamela is originally a native of Mozambique, Africa, and he was a former rugby player.
In his junior campaign in high school football, he helped block for an offensive unit that averaged 7.8 yards per carry and 198.2 yards per game on the ground.
Florida has had a significant amount of attrition this offseason, so securing Zandamela’s pledge will help.
The Gators have lost 24 players to the NCAA transfer portal since the 2023 season ended, while they have now added 13 players.