Ohio State adds new weapon from Florida in the transfer portal

Ohio State continues their hot streak in the transfer portal with another under the radar addition.

The Buckeyes have found themselves in a precarious situation this offseason. They’ve seen almost as many players declare for the 2026 NFL Draft or transfer to another program as they’ve brought in via the portal for next season.

On Thursday, another name was added to their growing list of transfer portal acquisitions with Ohio State landing Ja’Kobi Jackson, a former Florida running back.

BOOM! Ohio State lands Florida transfer RB Ja’Kobi Jackson!

Jackson has rushed for 607 yards and 7 TD’s in his college career on 4.97 yards per carry.

Good depth piece for the Buckeyes! pic.twitter.com/0TUcIPtX7u
— The Silver Bulletin (@tSilverBulletin) January 15, 2026

Jackson’s time with the Gators was more prominent during the 2024 season than in 2025, but his presence nonetheless was felt when he saw time as Florida’s featured running back. During his time with Florida, Jackson accumulated 607 yards on the ground, accompanied by his seven total touchdowns, all of which came in his first season.

His most productive season came during his sophomore year as Florida’s number two running back, which didn’t prevent him from breaking onto the scene. Jackson logged 95 carries, rushing for 509 yards with all of his career touchdowns coming that season as well. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry, which is more than feasible for a second option back to contribute to his team's offense.

His second year with Florida didn’t go quite as planned for Jackson. This season, he appeared in four total games rushing for 98 yards on 27 carries before an upper body injury shut him down for the remainder of the season.

While Jackson won’t necessarily see the bulk of the carries on offense with Ohio State, he could quickly prove his worth and rise up the ranks to be a running back that sees moderate usage in order to keep their other backs, like Bo Jackson, ready to go.

Jackson showcases toughness and determination that compliment his game nicely, as he’s known for weaving and working his way up field while fighting for every yard he can get. His best play is featured when he is amidst a committee of running backs rather than overloading him with carries each game as a lead back.

Standing at about 5 '11 and weighing in at 214 pounds, Jackson features power that is difficult to find in smaller running backs, which helps him fight through contact and gain extra yardage. While this is Jackson’s seventh year playing combined between JUCO and at Florida, his age and experience to this stage points to reliability and assurance as a smaller runner.

With the recent departure of running back James Peoples from Ohio State, this addition was much needed to give their young quarterback Julian Sayin another option to lean on in the run game moving forward. Jackson will look to make an impact from day one with the Buckeyes, which will be worth monitoring as Ohio State looks to get back on track in 2026.