Weston Could Be the Secret Weapon for NFL Teams

A special teams ace for the Florida Gators, Ja'Markis Weston could carve out a consistent career in the NFL.

Florida Gators safety Ja'Markis Weston (82) celebrates his tackle with a salute on military day at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 4, 2023 in the first half against Arkansas. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun] | Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- While he may not have extensive stats at any of the four positions he played with the Florida Gators, Ja'Markis Weston has the potential to carve out a long career at the next level.

In fact, Weston even considered leaving UF to pursue a career in the league after the 2023 season.

"Ja’Markis was considering maybe pursuing the NFL last year," head coach Billy Napier said in August. "We had quite a few conservations. I can still remember where I was at when he called me and told me. He said, hey, coach I’m coming back. Because I thought it was a big deal for our team."

Instead, the veteran came back and began work at his fourth different position as a depth piece at edge rusher. He began his career as a receiver before brief stints as a backup safety and backup linebacker.

Despite inconsistency on where he was on offense or defense, special teams has always been Weston's strongest suit as a gunner on the punt team. At 6-foot-2.5 and weight 235 pounds with a top speed of nearly 23 miles per hour, he's a freakish athlete who found a strong role as an impact player for the Gators' special teams.

"This guy is one of the best special teams players in the country... He has an NFL future as a core special teams player," Napier said.

Now, that pursuit has taken the next step after last week's Pro Day, during which Weston worked out in front of scouts from all 32 NFL teams and the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

"He's always been a very good special teams player. That's his ticket," Napier said after the events.

In 2024, Weston recorded nine total tackles, five of which came on special teams in a team-high 219 snaps. 10 of his 16 career tackles came on either punt or kick return coverage while also having experience as a blocker on both return units.

He even spent the early portion of 2021, when he was still a receiver, as one of the team's kick returners.

Now, though, his future seems set as a gunner, but it remains to be seen which team may want to take a chance on him. It wouldn't be out of the ordinary, though, to see him carve out a long career as a full-time special teams ace as many others have found ways to stay in the league for a long time despite being down on their regular position's depth chart.

NFL examples include former Patriots' receiver Matthew Slater, who ironically played under now-UF special teams coordinator Joe Houston for a time, alongside Commanders' safety Jeremy Reaves and former Browns' star Josh Cribbs, who starred as both a returner and a gunner.

If team's see Slater, Reaves and Cribbs in Weston, then there's no reason he can't be a consistent face in the NFL.