JUCO RB Ja'Kobi Jackson details two-week ‘whirlwind’ that led him to Florida

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Two weeks ago, JUCO running back Ja’Kobi Jackson was days from earning his AA degree and transferring to Charleston Southern. A phone call on May 12 from Florida Gators running back Jabbar Juluke would be the start of a two-week “whirlwind” for Jackson, who signed with UF on Thursday.

When Juluke first reached out to Jackson, he had done his homework on him.

“He already talked to my JUCO head coaches and my high school coaches,” Jackson recalled, “and he said that they were going to start recruiting me.”

On May 19, Juluke traveled to Jackson’s hometown to watch him work out at his high school, Pensacola Catholic. The Gators already had his film from Coahoma Community College, where he rushed 1,390 yards and 14 touchdowns in 20 games played.

However, as Florida does with many prospects, Juluke wanted to see Jackson go through a series of field workouts. After Juluke gathered the clips, he took them back to Gainesville to evaluate Jackson with UF coach Billy Napier and the staff.

“They took film of me so they can just see me as I am right now. So, he recorded me and then went back and they watched the workouts that I did,” Jackson said. “He showed it to the head coach and watched the clips with him, and then they brought me on a visit.”

Jackson visited Florida on Wednesday, which marked his first-ever trip to Gainesville. Once Napier personally offered him in his office, he committed on the spot.

“I was just looking for a family, just welcoming. And then just recognition. Just a coach that recognizes my talent,” Jackson said. “Just a coach that knew, ‘OK, like he’s a baller. He’s a good player.’ Coach Napier, when I was in his office, we sat down and talked for about 10 minutes.

“And that’s when he offered me. At that point I told him, ‘This is where I want to be at coach.’ For him to give me this opportunity, it’s just so special to me and I just will never forget it. I’ll never forget it.”

As a high school senior in 2019, Jackson rushed for 1,127 yards and 12 touchdowns and was the team’s leading receiver with 450 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. The two-way player also made 40 tackles and two interceptions, earning first-team all-state honors and being named the area’s most valuable player by the Pensacola News Journal.

However, COVID-19 hit the spring of 2020 and Jackson said not being able to finish out his senior year in school set him back in his recruitment. For the past three years, he’s been working to earn another chance at playing major college football.

When Juluke actually showed up to see him in person, it was an emotional moment for Jackson.

“My emotions were just like, ‘Man, this is an opportunity of a lifetime.’ Where I come from … I come from nothing, honestly,” Jackson said. “Coming out of high school, I’m PNJ Player of the Year. And then everything happened with COVID, I ended up having to sign JUCO. But I still stayed down, and I stayed with it. And this is the blessing. This is what the outcome is right now.

“The last two weeks have been a whirlwind. It’s been crazy. I’m just trying to soak it all in. I still can’t believe it. I’m an official Gator. I just know I’m blessed for the opportunity and I’m going to take advantage of it.”

Having to go the JUCO route is a predicament no player wants to be in. Jackson credits his family for supporting him and keeping his confidence high despite his circumstances.

“It just made me humble and more hungry,” Jackson said. “My mom, my grandma and my granddad, when I think of them, the only thing I can think of is just continuing to grind because of all that they did for me coming up and all that they still do today.

“So, with them just being in my corner, just always pushing me, it’s just always helped me continue to keep going and just never lose faith in anything. No matter what anybody says, or anybody thought I was, I just always continue to grind and it paid off.”

Kerry McDowell, the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Pensacola Catholic, congratulated Jackson on Twitter after he signed with Florida.

“Nobody deserves this more than you. You earned every bit of this,” McDowell wrote. “I don’t always cry watching football games but I might August 31.”