Blue-chip OL commit flips from Florida football to fierce SEC rival

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Florida football received some discouraging news on Saturday as four-star offensive lineman Kennedee Jackson flipped from the Gators to their most fierce SEC rivals, the Georgia Bulldogs, after an official visit in Athens.

The 6-foot-6-inch, 301-pound lineman out of Lithonia, Georgia, had initially committed to Florida on June 2 after his OV in Gainesville, marking the 18th commitment and 13th blue-chip recruit to pledge to the Orange and Blue in the 2027 cycle at the time. His recruitment was seen as a major score for a program that lost two long-time starters to the NFL draft in April.

Jackson was initially expected to shut down his recruitment after choosing the Gators, but Kirby Smart and his staff made flipping the Peach State product a top priority, convincing him to keep his official visit date with the Bulldogs. That prioritization, along with a personalized pitch and an aggressive NIL offer, convinced the coveted prospect to rethink his pledge to UF.

Despite losing Jackson to Georgia, Jon Sumrall and Co. still have blue-chip commitments on the offensive line, including five-star Maxwell Hiller, along with four-stars Peyton Miller and Elijah Hutchenson under wraps for the 2027 recruiting class.

Kennedee Jackson’s recruiting summary

Jackson is ranked No. 112 overall and No. 12 at his position according to the 247Sports composite, while the Rivals industry rankings have him slated at Nos. 98 and 9, respectively. Jackson had 26 total offers, including seven SEC programs.

According to 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks, Jackson is a “large-framed offensive tackle prospect with valuable, full-time two-way snaps in high school” who “displays above average movement ability in a variety of scenarios” and is “particularly good when pulling and climbing.” He goes on to say that he “can better sustain blocks, especially in pass pro,” and his “initial pass pro set and punch are encouraging at this stage.”

Jackson’s “naturally higher center of gravity can affect pad level,” and his “two-way snaps and basketball participation make for strong athletic and on-field profiles.” He “projects to the P4 level as a potential high-major tackle with significant long-term upside,” Brooks concludes.

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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: 4-star OL commit flips from Florida football to Georgia Bulldogs

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