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Gators Lose 4-Star OT Kennedee Jackson to SEC Rival

The Florida Gators lose one of their blue chip recruits on the offensive line, and they see him choose a rival
Kyle Lander|
A reminder that recruiting classes are far from set in stone
A reminder that recruiting classes are far from set in stone | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Florida Gators

Despite committing to the Florida Gators on June 2, Lithonia (Ga.) four-star offensive tackle Kennedee Jackson has had a change of heart and flipped his commitment to the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday.

Jackson is rated as the No. 73 overall player and the No. 9 offensive tackle in the 2027 class, according to Rivals. 

The Gators had initially beaten out several teams for Jackson's commitment after his official visit to Gainesville. Florida pushed all the right buttons during the trip, which helped get the recruitment over the finish line, or so they thought. 

Although he committed to the Gators, the in-state rivals never stopped pushing for the highly-ranked prospect. And, while many thought Jackson would axe his planned visit to Athens that weekend, he still made the trip to give Georgia one last chance to sway his mind. 

That visit clearly appears to have worked out well in the Bulldogs' favor. It is also a recruitment that Georgia needed to win, given that they missed out on several other offensive line prospects leading up to Jackson's commitment. 

Nonetheless, Florida's 2027 class still ranks inside the top five in the country, according to 247Sports. Additionally, even with Jackson's decommitment, the Gators' offensive line class is one of the best in the country. 

Coatesville (Pa.) Coatesville Area five-star offensive tackle Maxwell Hiller leads the group, ranking as the No. 2 overall prospect in 2027, according to 247Sports. Two other top-200 prospects in the trenches join Hiller as well. Anna (Texas) four-star interior offensive lineman Peyton Miller and Roanoke (Va.) Roanoke Catholic School four-star offensive tackle Elijah Hutcheson is committed to the Orange and Blue. 

The Gators are also in the running for Tupelo (Miss.) four-star interior offensive lineman Antonio Berry. They are battling multiple SEC schools for his pledge.

Florida Gators 2027 Recruiting Class

Florida Gators on SI is tracking all of the Gators' additions to the 2027 recruiting class with the official tracker. Florida's 2027 recruiting class is ranked as high as fourth nationally, according to the 247 Sports Composite. They still have a chance to push for a top-three class during the summer.

  • 5-Star OL Maxwell Hiller
  • 4-Star QB Davin Davidson
  • 4-Star RB Andrew Beard
  • 4-Star WR Tramond Collins 
  • 4-Star WR Anthony Jennings
  • 4-Star WR Elias Pearl
  • 4-Star TE Jackson Ballinger 
  • 4-Star TE Tommy Douglas
  • 4-Star OL Elijah Hutcheson
  • 4-Star OL Peyton Miller
  • 4-Star EDGE Cahron Wheeler
  • 4-Star DL Zahmar Tookes
  • 4-Star LB Ellis McGaskin
  • 4-Star LB Ja'Bios Smith
  • 4-Star CB Amare Nugent 
  • 4-Star CB Aamaury Fountain 
  • 4-Star S Kailib Dillard 
  • 3-Star DL De'Voun Kendrick
  • 3-Star DL Stive-Bentley Keumajou Yondui 
  • 3-Star DL Cain Van Norden
  • 3-Star ATH/DB Kamarion Johnson
  • LS Jaydee Lane

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Kyle Lander
KYLE LANDER

Kyle Lander is a contributing writer at Florida Gators on SI. He is also a graduate of the University of Florida with a degree in journalism. On top of his writing, Kyle is a photographer for the site as well. Outside of his work with Florida Gators on SI, he likes to hike, travel, watch movies and hang out with family and friends.

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