Tag: Jason Zandamela

Gators earn crystal ball prediction for USC transfer offensive lineman

The Florida Gators are the overwhelming favorite to earn a commitment from transfer portal interior offensive lineman Jason Zandamela out of USC.

On Thursday, Florida earned a trio of crystal ball predictions from experts at 247Sports in favor of USC interior offensive lineman [autotag]Jason Zandamela[/autotag].

The former four-star recruit out of high school entered the transfer portal after three weeks of spring practice with the Trojans, and he is in Gainesville on an official visit with the Gators this weekend.

Florida beat reporters Blake Alderman and Jake Rudner submitted their crystal predictions with a confidence level of eight (out of 10).

Zandamela is from Mozambique and grew up playing rugby. He moved to Clearwater, Florida, to play high school football at an international academy.

On3 also predicts Zandamela to UF

Nick de la Torre of Gator Online submitted an On3 recruiting prediction machine pick for Zandamela in favor of Florida on Saturday morning.

Florida’s proximity to Clearwater is one of the main reasons the Gators are favored so highly. Zandamela told Gators Online that being away from his support system was a struggle at USC.

“I was 2,000 miles away from home. I’m from Clearwater. You gotta be close to your support system,” Zandamela said. “I need to be close to my family. I need to be closer to the people I love to be the best athlete that I could be.”

UCF is the other program Zandamela is considering, but the opportunity to play in the SEC (and the perks that come with it) might overrule the work the Knights have done.

Portal Summary

A consensus four-star recruit out of high school, Zandamela was ranked No. 46 overall and No. 1 among interior offensive linemen in the class of 2024 by 247Sports.

As a spring transfer, he lands at No. 31 overall on the On3 transfer portal industry ranking. He’s also ranked second among interior linemen in the portal.

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Former USC offensive lineman sets official visit date with Florida

The Gators are getting the top transfer portal IOL on campus this weekend for an official visit.

The college football transfer portal is wide open and the Florida Gators have dove head-first into it this spring with some solid results. But there is still work left to be done.

The Gators have been focused on 247Sports’ top interior offensive lineman (and No. 7 transfer overall) who entered the portal this offseason, former USC Trojan Jason Zandamela — an 18-year-old from the 2024 recruiting cycle who is already seeking greener pastures.

According to Swamp247, he is traveling to Gainesville on Friday for an official visit that will stretch over the weekend.

Zandamela is a native of Mozambique, Africa, and a former rugby player whose first introduction to football came in 2020 when he moved to the United States. While still wet behind the ears as far as experience with the game is concerned, his athletic potential is unquestioned.

Recruiting Summary

As a prospect in the 2024 cycle, Zandamela was rated at four stars and ranked No. 46 overall and No. 1 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking had him at Nos. 118 and 6, respectively.

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Florida focused on setting visit date with former USC Trojans IOL

The Gators are trying to get the top-rated IOL transfer in the portal on campus for a visit later this week.

Billy Napier and Co. have been eyeing the college football transfer portal this spring as they look to reload the roster ahead of the 2024 campaign. Having lost a handful of players to graduation, the portal as well as the NFL draft, there is still room to add more.

The Gators have been focused of late on 247Sports’ top interior offensive lineman (and No. 7 transfer overall) who entered the portal this offseason, former USC Trojan [autotag]Jason Zandamela[/autotag], an 18-year-old from the 2024 recruiting cycle who is already seeking greener pastures.

According to Gators Online, Florida is working on finalizing a visit to Gainesville for the 6-foot-3-inch, 306-pound trench warrior who played for Clearwater (Florida) Academy International in high school. The report states that Zandamela will be visiting the UCF Knights on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the Gators might be able to woo him a couple of hours north to see the Swamp.

Zandamela is a native of Mozambique, Africa, and a former rugby player whose first introduction to football came in 2020 when he moved to the United States.

Recruiting Summary

As a prospect in the 2024 cycle, Zandamela was rated at four stars and ranked No. 46 overall and No. 1 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking had him at Nos. 118 and 6, respectively.

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Top five interior offensive linemen signed to the Big Ten during the early signing period

Top five interior offensive linemen signed to the Big Ten during the early signing period #GoBucks

The initial hype of the early signing period has died down, but there was a ton of talent to explore and so much so we are breaking it down by position. We have already dove into the top five quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends and offensive tackles to sign with Big Ten teams and now we want to break down a position that Ohio State actually makes an appearance on after the two position dry-spell in interior offensive linemen.

The Big Ten can recruit linemen and apparently, that is especially true when it comes to the interior as the conference has snagged five of the top ten prospects at the position in the country. Interior offensive linemen are players who are projected to play at either center or guard in college.

A new West Coast addition snagged the top honors, but there are some traditional Big Ten powers making an appearance as well. Let’s now dive into the top five interior offensive lineman to sign with Big Ten teams during the early signing period according to 247Sports.

Why Jason Zandamela will be a centerpiece of USC’s offense in the Big Ten

The scouting report on Jason Zandamela: raw and unpolished but fluid and very powerful.

USC football added its 12th commitment in the 2024 class earlier this week, landing four-star offensive lineman Jason Zandamela.

The top-five interior lineman from Clearwater Academy in Florida committed to the Trojans. Offensive line coach Josh Henson has another high-quality lineman to work with when the Trojans begin their new era in the Big Ten Conference.

Zandamela, who stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 285 pounds, is ranked as the No. 62 prospect nationally in the 2024 class, according to 247Sports.com. He’s the No. 2 interior offensive lineman. Zandamela chose USC over Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Oklahoma.

Here’s 247Sports.com’s scouting report on Zandamela:

“A former rugby player that spent much of his youth in Mozambique before moving to the United States. Is still relatively new to the game of football, but is quickly figuring things out after starting at center as a junior for Clearwater Academy International, which has cemented itself as a hub for overseas talent. Naturally squatty base allows him to find plenty of leverage while a powerful upper half makes his initial punch rather effective. Shifts his weight well for someone listed at 285 pounds and doesn’t have much issues getting east or west. Also doesn’t struggle to get to the second level and put his nose on a linebacker, which suggests that he could thrive in a pin and pull-heavy offensive scheme. Will need to keep progressing and continue to soak up any and all coaching, but fluid movement patterns, explosive hips and prototypical frame (has a 81.5-inch wingspan on file) make him one of the more intriguing interior offensive line prospects in the 2024 recruiting cycle. Should be viewed as a potential multi-year starter in the middle at the Power Five level, but someone that will likely need a few years of seasoning before they are ready to go on Saturdays. NFL upside.”

Zandamela is the Trojans’ third OL commit so far in this 2024 class, joining three-stars Hayden Treter (Englewood, Colorado) and Manasse Itete (Modesto, California).

Four-star offensive tackle Makai Saina, out of Texas, also took an official visit with the Trojans this weekend. USC remains a top contender for three-star Isaiah Garcia, out of Utah, who visited earlier this month.

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USC football reaches top 10 in national 2024 recruiting rankings

Jason Zandamela puts #USC in the 247Sports top 10. Lincoln Riley’s emoji tweets are also up to date. #EmojiMath

The USC Trojans had continuously courted Jason Zandamela. Their persistence paid off on Tuesday, when Zandamela’s commitment to USC was publicly announced. Lincoln Riley and Josh Henson got an agile four-star offensive lineman from the state of Florida. Zandamela comes from the Clearwater (Fla.) Academy, making him the second Clearwater-based prospect to join the 2024 class. Safety Jarvis Boatwright is the other Clearwater prospect to come across the country to play for the Trojans in the Big Ten.

Zandamela’s commitment, in addition to giving USC an impressive new piece on its future offensive line, gives the Trojans two other accomplishments fans will really appreciate: First, USC football is now in the 247Sports top 10 in the national recruiting rankings for the Class of 2024. The Trojans have moved up to No. 10 overall, and their big recruiting event this past weekend — which you can read more about here — is poised to elevate them even more in the coming weeks.

Second, Lincoln Riley’s Fight On! emoji tweets are once again up to date. The number of Riley emoji tweets is once again equal to the number of formally announced commitments.

Riley, as you will see below, tweeted a Fight On! emoji on Sunday afternoon, just after 2 p.m. in Los Angeles. That tweet had not yet been accompanied by a player commitment. Now, it has. That piece of business has been taken care of.

Visit our 2024 recruiting tracker for continuous updates. We’ll add to the list with each new commitment.

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Oklahoma Sooners to host a number of big names June 8-11

Oklahoma will look to turn up the heat on their 2024 recruiting as they host a number of prospects for official visits this weekend.

Recruiting has hit its zenith as the June has rolled around, and prospects across the 2024 class can take official visits. Oklahoma has a number of prospects expected to visit during the month, and the program’s signature ChampU BBQ is the headline event.

While this weekend’s official visitors will be a week early, June recruiting visits are where teams begin to separate themselves. Oklahoma will aim to start the recruiting month by knocking this first weekend of officials out of the park. Here is who is expected in Norman in this weekend.

  • Four-star OL [autotag]Grant Brix[/autotag]  

  • Four-star OL [autotag]Jason Zandamela[/autotag]

  • Four-star OL [autotag]Eddy Pierre-Louis[/autotag]

  • Four-star OL [autotag]Weston Davis[/autotag]

  • Four-star DB [autotag]Marcelles Williams[/autotag]

  • Five-star DL [autotag]Williams Nwaneri[/autotag]
  • Five-Star CB [autotag]Kobe Black[/autotag]
  • Four-star CB [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag]

  • Three-star Edge [autotag]Caleb Redd[/autotag]

  • Four-star OL [autotag]Eugene Brooks[/autotag]
  • Four-star WR [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag]
  • Four-star QB [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] (committed)

There’s a great deal of talent coming to Norman this weekend, headlined by five-star prospects Williams Nwaneri and Kobe Black. The Sooners have been the projected leader for Nwaneri, who hails from the Kansas City area, but this is a huge weekend for Brent Venables and his staff to close the deal. Georgia, Oregon, Tennessee and Missouri are serious names to watch.

Black’s recruitment is more contentious at this point, but given the success Jay Valai has had over the last two recruiting cycles, I wouldn’t count out the Sooners.

The Sooners also welcome fellow blue-chip defensive backs Eli Bowen and Marcelles Williams. Oklahoma leads for Bowen based on recruiting projections. The Sooners are hoping to pry Williams from West Coast schools USC and UCLA.

Oklahoma’s also is hosting five offensive linemen over the weekend, which provides them a good opportunity to spend time with the staff, namely Bill Bedenbaugh, but also each other. Chemistry is a huge factor in offensive line play. Spending time with offensive linemen on campus and those the Sooners are pursuing could create a further comfort level with Oklahoma.

This is a big weekend to kick start Oklahoma’s June recruiting efforts.

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4-star OL Jason Zandamela names top 5

Four-star offensive line recruit Jason Zandamela has named his top five schools including UGA and FSU

Four-star offensive line recruit Jason Zandamela has named his top five schools. Zandemela’s top schools are Georgia, Florida State, Miami, USC, and Oklahoma.

The four-star interior offensive lineman plans to focus on his top five schools moving forward, so it is unlikely that any other schools will enter the picture.

Jason Zandamela is presently favored to commit to the Florida State Seminoles, per 247Sports. The four-star interior offensive lineman plays high school football for Clearwater Academy International in Clearwater, Florida.

Zandamela is the No. 135 recruit in the class of 2024. The Clearwater standout is the No. 7 interior offensive line prospect and the No. 22 player in Florida. Zandamela played a lot of center during the 2022 high school football season.

The four-star has gone on recent visits to Miami, USC, and Oklahoma.

The 6-foot-3, 285-pound offensive lineman has a massive 6-foot-11 wingspan according to his Twitter page. Zandamela plans to play in the 2024 Under Armour All-American Game.

Interestingly, Zandamela is a former rugby player who spent his youth in Mozambique before moving to the United States in 2020. His career will be fun to follow.

Zandamela announced his top five schools via Twitter:

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UGA football offers 4-star FSU target Jason Zandamela

Georgia football extends scholarship offer to four-star offensive line recruit Jason Zandamela.

The Georgia Bulldogs have extended a scholarship offer to four-star offensive line recruit Jason Zandamela.

Jason Zandamela is presently favored to commit to the Florida State Seminoles, per 247Sports. The four-star interior offensive lineman plays high school football for Clearwater Academy International in Clearwater, Florida.

Zandamela is the No. 218 recruit in the class of 2024. The Clearwater native is the No. 13 interior offensive line prospect and the No. 36 player in Florida.

The 6-foot-3, 285-pound offensive lineman has a massive 6-foot-11 wingspan according to his Twitter. Zandamela plans to play in the 2024 Under Armour All-American Game.

Interestingly, Zandamela is a former rugby player who spent his youth in Mozambique before moving to the United States.

Zandamela was excited to receive an offer from the back-to-back national champions. He announced his offer from the University of Georgia via Twitter:

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Wisconsin offers four-star interior offensive lineman from Florida

The Badgers offered Jason Zandamela, a four-star interior offensive lineman from Clearwater, Florida on Friday.

The Badgers offered Jason Zandamela, a four-star interior offensive lineman from Clearwater, Florida, on Friday. The 6-foot-3, 285-pound athlete has one more season at Clearwater Academy International before he would potentially make the leap to the collegiate level as a member of the class of 2024.

Zandamela has 30 Division 1 offers, including five from current Big Ten programs and one from USC, a future member of the conference. With four-star quarterback Mabrey Mettauer (The Woodlands, Texas) already set to join the Badgers in 2024, the interior offensive lineman would be a great addition for Wisconsin.

Head coach Luke Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo are expected to usher in a new era in Badger football, and already they have attracted some of the highest-ranked recruits in program history.

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