Florida redshirt junior [autotag]Kahleil Jackson[/autotag] will miss the rest of the 2024 season after undergoing knee surgery.
Jackson posted a photo of himself in the hospital after getting out of surgery on Friday, noting everything went well.
It’s unfortunate timing for the fourth-year Florida legacy pass catcher. Head coach Billy Napier spoke highly of Jackson during fall camp, and the expectation was for him to play a significant role in the Gators’ offense.
“Kahleil Jackson needs no motivation,” Napier said. “He’s self-motivated; he’s a grinder. He’s always been out to prove himself, and he’s done that. He has the respect of myself, our staff, his teammates.”
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Jackson lined up for nearly 500 snaps last season with Florida. More than half of those snaps came as a receiver on passing plays. His best games came against No. 9 Missouri and at South Carolina. He finished with a career-high 52 receiving yards in each of those games.
Napier listed Jackson as a starter on the depth chart for the 2024 season opener against Miami. He reeled in one catch on three targets with no drops over 13 snaps before leaving the game with an injury. Pro Football Focus gave him a receiving grade of 61.2, which is third among Florida’s wide receivers on Saturday. Eugene “Tre” Wilson III (68.1) and Elijhah Badger (69.5) performed better, while Chimere Dike did slightly worse (59.4).
Speaking of Badger, the Arizona State transfer figures to be the receiver who steps up on the depth chart, as well as Marcus Burke.
“Marcus Burke has had a phenomenal week,” Napier said on Wednesday. “Moved him outside behind Elijhah. He’s had a really good week, and I think as those guys get more experience and have some production, they get more confident.”
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