Will Jackson, Reed Ramsier lead football commit flurry; 2 others choose Ivy | Football Insider
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Commitment time arrived in Central Florida along with the arrival of summer last week, as Evans quarterback Will Jackson and The First Academy offensive lineman Reed Ramsier led a flurry of announcements with the close of spring football.
Jackson and Ramsier are the top players among 10 recent local commitments, according to the Sentinel’s 2027 Central Florida Super60.
Jackson, the big QB with the big arm, is hoping to be the missing piece as Evans eyes supremacy in Class 5A. He committed to Maryland on May 30, picking the Terrapins over Coastal Carolina.
Ramsier, one of the top offensive linemen in the country, has equal intentions at TFA as the 2A Royals emerge from a two-year FHSAA playoff ban. He chose Auburn over Texas on Monday.
Jackson (6-foot-5, 200 pounds) said it was a tough decision between Maryland and Liberty, as he had built great relationships with the coaching staffs at both schools. Once he visited the College Park, Md., campus, however, he said he was sold.
“It feels great. Me and my parents felt like it was the right spot for me. Everything felt right when we was on the visit,” said Jackson, the No. 63-ranked quarterback in the country according to the 247 Sports composite rankings. “We talked about it as a family and that’s just what we thought was the best decision for my future.”
He said offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Clint Trickett, safeties coach James Thomas Jr., and head coach Mike Locksley were his main recruiters.
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“We already had a past relationship, so it was just about building it and making the relationships better,” Jackson said.
He had built similar inroads with the staff at Liberty, including quarterbacks coach Malcom Dixon and head coach Jamey Chadwell.
“I really liked what they do schematically and how I could fit into their offense,” Jackson said. “So they have great things going on over there, but I just decided to stay with Maryland so that’s where I’m at.
“It was a hard decision. I love Coach Chadwell and Coach Dixon and they treated my family with nothing but love and consistency. It was a hard decision for sure, but I’m at Maryland.”
Jackson, who is at his fourth high school since starting out at Lake Minneola as a freshman, threw for nearly 2,000 yards and 24 touchdowns as a junior last year at Camden County High in Kingsland, Ga.
“Me and my parents are pretty relieved about the whole situation and everything is going good,” Jackson said. “My head has always been about what’s coming up next year. That was still my main focus no matter what, but it does take a little pressure off me. Now I can focus on high school football and making sure my teammates and I are getting better on and off the field.”
Top Players Series: Football offensive line, Reed Ramsier, TFA
Ramsier, who started his high school career at Boone High before moving over the TFA as a sophomore, is ranked as the No. 16 interior offensive lineman in the country by 247 Sports. He is No. 4 in the Sentinel’s 2027 Super60.
TFA offensive line coach Chad Mavety said of Ramsier earlier this year: “What makes Reed so good is his consistency. It’s his work ethic, his drive to not only be the best player on field, but also to be the best player mentally with his IQ.”
Galeano chooses Yale
Oviedo quarterback Sebastian Galeano also had a tough choice when it came to narrowing down his college choice. It was between a pair of Ivy League powers in Yale and Princeton. In the end the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Galeano picked Yale.
“For sure I struggled with some stressful nights, but I just trusted God and (offensive coordinator Chris) Ostrowsky and (head coach Kevin) Cahill. All of them truly poured into my family, and I’m so excited to be with them,” said Galeano, the No. 30-ranked prospect in the Sentinel’s 2027 Super60.
“It’s rare, right? You have to have good grades and be a great football player. They say you give us four years and we’ll give you 40. One of the coaches told me it’s like starting life on third base,” said Galeano, who carries a 3.9 GPA. “That’s why I chose Yale.”
Like most kids, Galeano said Ivy League football dreams weren’t really in the picture when he was young.
“To be honest, not at all. I always thought SEC this and SEC that, but really, looking into it … Ivy is the way to go,” he said. “And they get guys into the (NFL) every year.”
He said it was a close choice picking Yale over Princeton, but a trip to the New Haven, Conn., school was all it took.
“After visiting spring practice at Yale and seeing how their coaches are, very similar to my coach, coach (Greg Odierno), here at Oviedo, that’s why I’m going,” Galeano said. “Going to a program where they do things the way I’m used to is amazing.”
Lessard also going Ivy
Big tight end Smith Lessard (6-7, 250) of Winter Park, a player who some SEC coaches were trying to convince to seek a future as an offensive lineman, picked Princeton over 12 other offers, including schools like Wake Forest.
Lessard, who has a 4.0 GPA, started off his high school career with aspirations of being a quarterback and was at Bishop Moore as a freshman. His size eventually had coaches trying him at other positions, like defensive end, but he grew to enjoy playing tight end, which is where his heart is and that has become his sole focus.
Other recent college commitments
- Drew Follett, 6-4, 235, tight end, Bishop Moore, picked USF over a strong push from Memphis after an official visit Sunday.
- David Coleman Jr., 6-0, 170, cornerback, TFA, picked Bowling Green after an official visit Sunday.
- Darren White-Jackson, 6-2, 290, defensive tackle, Lake Nona, picked Buffalo after an official visit Sunday.
- Torrey Scott, 5-10, 170, cornerback, Edgewater, speed track athlete picked West Georgia.
- Joe Tesoriero, 6-0, 200, cornerback, Lake Brantley, picked Marshall after an official visit Sunday.
- Tristan Gunn, 5-11, 170, athlete, Winter Park, picked Kent State after official visit Sunday.
Chris Hays can be found on X.com@OS_ChrisHays.
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