From Lowe’s to Highs: Gators' RB Continues to Overcome Adversity

Ja'Kobi Jackson arrived in Gainesville as an under-the-radar JUCO running back, and now he's expected to be one of the main offensive contributors for the Florida Gators in 2025.

Oct 5, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators running back Ja'Kobi Jackson (24) rushes with the ball against the UCF Knights during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Out of high school, Ja’Kobi Jackson was a zero-star recruit with four Division I offers before COVID hit. Quarantined, with no ability to take any visits, he lost contact with every program, forced to get a job at Lowe’s working in the Lumber department.

Despite the odds, Jackson never gave up on football, taking the JUCO route and enrolling at Cahoma Community College without ever stepping foot on campus beforehand.

With no weight room to work out in, a combined 4-19 record in his time there and the ‘Last Chance U’ environment living up to its reputation, the Pensacola running back would commit to FCS Charleston Southern, the only Division I program to show interest in him.

That was until Billy Napier and the Florida Gators gave him a call.

“Joe Hamiliton and Jacob LaFrance first texted me on Twitter and then Coach Napier called me twice, but I didn’t know who it was, so it went straight to voicemail,” Jackson said Thursday. “Then he texted me, and at that point it was just a crazy moment. I was just jumping up and down, and then went to Google to google the names from the Twitter pages to see that they were legit… I didn’t believe any of it from the start.”

Jackson had received minimal interest after racking up 1,289 yards and 14 touchdowns in 20 games as a Tiger, with truly only one opportunity to continue his playing career until Florida reached out. Regardless, stepping away from the game never crossed his mind.

“I never once thought that I wasn't going to be playing football again. It's just more like where and when and what school I was going to be at," Jackson said. “(Charleston Southern) gave me the opportunity, and was like, 'Come on,' and that's where I was going until Florida called me."

Coming from a family with 11 siblings, seven sisters and four brothers, Jackson continued to work for his ‘why’: his mother.

“Having a big family and just growing up with them and my mom, they were my why,” Jackson said. “I never watched my mom give up on us, she always came through and did what she needed to do, so that's why I do what I need to do.”

Once the work finally paid off and Florida showed interest, everything began to happen fast.

“I graduated Saturday. The following week that next Friday, Coach Juluke came to my high school, watched me work out, and then, like that next week, I was down here in Gainesville, and I committed,” Jackson said. “And then two weeks later, I was on campus. I was down here working out."

With two high-level, experienced SEC backs returning to Florida in Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne, the barriers didn’t stop for Jackson once on campus. Jackson redshirted during that 2023 season, during which he did not appear in any games.

“At that point, I really just thought about what I need to do so that I can get on their level. It wasn’t anything to do with being daunting or sad. I was really just grateful and thankful for the opportunity that coach gave me just to be here.” Jackson said on the challenge. “I had to come in and do extra. That's what I had to do. I had to come in and do the extra.

"... I didn't care about who was here, what it was, I just wanted to be here so I could get an opportunity to play in the SEC."

In 2024, Jackson broke out as part of a two-headed attack with freshman Jadan Baugh. Jackson rushed for 509 yards and seven touchdowns, which was tied with Baugh for the team high.

The Jadan Baugh and Jakobi Jackson duo is going to feed families this year pic.twitter.com/BUgZlSlMQE

— Blue-Ray (Tre Wilson Enthusiast) 2025 CHAMPS 🐊 (@MVPMertz) July 17, 2025

Just two years removed from receiving no other interest and preparing to head to an FCS program that had just finished 2-8, ‘Jack-Cheese’ now stands as one of the leaders for the Gators, looking to build on a strong season a year ago.

“I know how it was to have someone like Montrell to be a leader last year in the room. It helped me a lot just seeing certain things he did and how he carried himself through the day to day everyday. Just seeing that and wanting to take on that role being one of the older guys in the room this year,” Jackson said on stepping up this season. “I like to bring that energy back up if we're down. Say, like, defense won like two drives, then I gotta go. It's time for me to get in there, we gotta make something shake again."

Once again paired with Baugh and expected to be an important contributor in the conference he dreamed of reaching, Jackson continues to look ahead to bigger and better things.

“I would say we have the potential to be one of the best duos and one of the best running back rooms in the nation,” Jackson said. “I would just say our goals for this year are to do whatever the team needs us to do and for us to be successful… just continue to work hard and do what we do and see how it goes."

With his time at Lowe’s now in the rearview mirror, keep an eye out for Jackson to be laying the lumber between the numbers this fall.