Gators set July visit for blue-chip 2025 LB after ‘dead period’ ends

The 6-foot, 200-pound defender has made a few visits to Gainesville during his recruitment and has set a date for another stop in the Swamp.

Things have quieted down on the 2025 college football recruiting front since the end of the official visit season and the start of the “dead period” following. However, Billy Napier are forever burning the midnight oil and have been working on a followup visit for a blue-chip prospect who made an OV back in June.

Four-star linebacker Ty Jackson out of Loxahatchee (Florida) Seminole Ridge in the 2025 cycle spent a weekend in Gainesville in the middle of last month and came away impressed with what the Orange and Blue have to offer him. The 6-foot, 200-pound defender has made a few visits to Gainesville during his recruitment and has set a date for another stop in the Swamp.

According to Jackson’s father Semaj, the rising senior will be in attendance for Florida’s Grill in the Ville event at the end of July. The family has only decided on a date with the Gators so far — a good sign for Napier and Co. as they court the coveted young linebacker.

“He had the opportunity to get around Napier,” Ty’s father offered. “Having breakfast, lunch, and dinner around him, (Austin) Armstrong, and (Ron) Roberts. Even a lot of the other coaches and staff also. Larry Williams to Brandon Spikes.

“They all will meet with you at the meals, someone new may introduce themselves and small talk. Ty had his brothers accompany him, so for the most part it was all positive. No negative feedback. Just getting to know the guys. I know Larry Williams because he’s from Miami and went to the same high school.”

“I’m a little older than him, but Larry knows a lot of the same people as me, and we know each other. He’s the reason why we started to get there with Florida. A lot of these visits, you may not get the one-on-one time that you get on an OV. Sometimes even on an OV you get more time with some head coaches than others.

“I can say on this one I was able to spend a lot of time with Napier one on one, and Armstrong. He practically calls every day. Roberts a lot too. More than a lot of schools. That one-on-one time was definitely in abundance as far as I’m concerned on this visit to Florida.”

“He will know when he knows, but he’s doing his research and his due diligence,” the senior Jackson said. “He’s looking at all ends, but I think it will be a later decision. He wants to look at the schools he has on his list, and see how they play this year. How they look, how they compete, and the players at his position.”

Jackson spent time with the Penn State Nittany Lions on the opening weekend of June, followed by the Georgia Bulldogs, Florida and the Alabama Crimson Tide. He is also considering visits this fall, including the Florida State Seminoles, who will get an official visit in November when they host the Gators.

Jackson is ranked No. 108 overall and No. 14 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 82 and 7, respectively.

On3’s recruiting prediction machine has Alabama at the top of its board with a 28.3% chance of signing the Sunshine State product, followed by Georgia (20.7%), Florida (14.3%) and Penn State (11.9%).

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