GAINESVILLE — Georgia standout tackle Kennedee Jackson has committed to Florida, becoming the fourth offensive lineman rated among the nation’s top-150 prospects to commit to the Gators’ 2027 class.
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Jackson’s decision continued the success of offensive line coach Phil Trautwein landing top prospects at an area critical to coach Jon Sumrall’s rebuild. Florida’s ’27 class jumped to No. 5 in the nation, according to 247Sports’ team rankings and features nine top-200 prospects.
The 6-foot-6, 297-pound Jackson, who hails from Lithonia, ranks as the nation’s No. 14 player at his position and No. 135 overall, based on 247Sports’ composite rankings. He is the 18th commitment and fourth offensive lineman in Florida’s class.
Jackson joins Pennsylvania 5-star Maxwell Hiller, the nation’s top-rated interior lineman, Elijah Hutcheson, a 4-star prospect from Roanoke, Virginia, rated the nation’s No. 7 offensive tackle, and 4-star offensive lineman Peyton Miller of Texas, the nation’s No. 8 interior lineman.
Trautwein’s impact has been immediate since Sumrall’s December hiring of the former Gators’ All-SEC offensive tackle.
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Last week at the SEC spring meetings, Sumrall said recruiting is a staff-wide effort.
“The one thing that we’re unique about, is we staff recruit more than (most),” he told the Orlando Sentinel. “Phil deserves all the credit in the world, but we put him on the staff recruit list. I want the whole staff to be all hands on deck with recruiting every player.”
The Gators also added 4-star linebacker Ja’Bios Smith this past week. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Smith is a native of Swainsboro, Georgia, rated the nation’s No. 12 linebacker and No. 142 overall prospect.
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He recorded 160 tackles, including 13 for loss, the past two seasons.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at [email protected]