Gators Make Late Addition to 2026 Roster with Former JU Basketball Player

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Despite not having a spring window in the NCAA Transfer Portal, the Florida Gators have made a late addition to its 2026 roster by signing former Jacksonville University basketball player Jaylen Jordon.

On3's Pete Nakos first reported the roster addition on Friday. Jordon (6-6, 240 pounds) will play tight end and will have one year of eligibility remaining.

BREAKING: Former Jacksonville basketball player Jaylen Jordon has signed with Florida to play tight end, @PeteNakos reports🐊https://t.co/F3KmAOmt90 pic.twitter.com/fTSLOnP9IW
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) May 1, 2026

Jordon first came on Florida's radar after participating in the program's Pro Day on March 26, where he had a 32-inch vertical jump and 10-foot broad jump. He returned to Gainesville for a visit on April 29, during which he received an offer from head coach Jon Sumrall.

After stints at Georgia Southwestern State University and Flagler, Jordon transferred to JU for one season, where he averaged 3.5 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.

A low-risk, high-reward addition to the room, Jordon is expected to provide depth in the tight end room while developing over the summer and into fall camp. Nonetheless, his addition does not come as a surprise as Sumrall previously indicated Florida was looking into ways to add more depth to the team after spring camp, even without the benefit of a spring portal window.

"We've scoured the ranks," Sumrall said on April 7. "We've looked at a lot of high school kids that are out there, JUCO kids. It's funny, I fielded the call from somebody about a player that I've had before that's still in the portal right now. So there's still maybe some vehicles to add a player or two.

"We still have some room for non-designated student-athletes to be added as walk-ons, potentially too, if we don't find the right scholarship-type worthy players to maybe add six or seven. But I wouldn't count as having some big additional six or seven signees. There might be one or something."

Florida's tight end room, in order of class, now consists of the senior Jordon, redshirt junior Evan Chieca, redshirt junior Lacota Dippre, redshirt sophomore Luke Harpring, redshirt sophomore Amir Jackson, redshirt freshman Micah Jones, true freshman Tripp Brown Jr. and true freshman Heze Kent.

Dippre, Harpring and Jackson appear to be the three most play-ready options at the position.

"They're all unique," Sumrall previously detailed of the room. "They all have different, I think, skill sets that, strengths and weakness-wise, sort of job description type guys, if you will.

"I think you look at Amir [Jackson]. I think Amir's really kind of a pleasant surprise. We all know he's got length and can run. He's a willing player at the line of scrimmage, blocking people. That's where he's got to grow, but he didn't turn it down at all. Lacota [Dippre] is super physical and wants to play with toughness. [Evan] Chieca is really sort of a versatile, can do a lot of things well. It's, like, continue to just build upon his game. [Luke] Harpring is probably currently just the best all-around. Him and Chieca are both kind of similar, but I think I'd say Harp is probably a little bit ahead right now."

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