TE Amir Jackson re-signs with Florida for the 2026 season
The NCAA Transfer Portal won’t officially open until Jan. 2, but several Florida Gators have already shared their intentions to enter and transfer. Redshirt freshman tight end Amir Jackson was one of those names that announced his intentions to enter the portal on Dec. 15. However, as Gators Online reported earlier this week, UF’s new staff has worked to keep Jackson at Florida. Conversations were progressing in a positive direction, and have now led to Amir Jackson signing a new NIL deal to remain in Gainesville under new head coach Jon Sumrall, according to Rivals Hayes Fawcett.
Amir Jackson has tons of untapped potential to develop
Jackson was a 4-star recruit in the 2024 class from Portal, Ga. Furthermore, he was the No. 7 tight end and No. 96 overall recruit nationally for Rivals. He chose the Gators over programs such as Alabama, FSU, Georgia, and Miami.
Jackson played receiver in high school and arrived at Florida at 6-foot-4.75, 210 pounds. He transitioned to tight end at UF and is now listed at 235 pounds.
Jackson played in four games, making his college debut in Week 11 at Texas, as a true freshman in 2024. However, he did not record any catches.
Jackson took a step forward in the 2025 season and played in all 12 games. His first career reception, which covered 10 yards, was against LIU in UF’s season opener. He scored his first and only Gators touchdown on a 1-yard catch at Texas A&M, and later added a career-long reception of 18 yards vs. Mississippi State. Amir Jackson played 138 offensive snaps this year.
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The Gators received a boost in their efforts to retain Amir Jackson with the hiring of new tight ends coach Evan McKissack earlier this month. McKissack recruited Jackson as a high school prospect in the 2024 cycle while at Troy, and was one of the first coaches to offer him a scholarship. As negotiations between Jackson and UF continued, it was helpful for the Gators to have a familiar face from the recruiting process on staff.
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