3-star TE Jackson Ballinger commits to Florida

The Florida Gators’ 2027 commitment list grew by one on Tuesday afternoon when Centerburg (Ohio) 3-star tight end Jackson Ballinger committed to UF. The Florida Gators were on an upward trend in this recruitment ever since the program offered last year. Even with a coaching change, Ballinger’s interest in Florida’s program never wavered. Ballinger logged his first visit back to Gainesville last month after the arrival of the new staff.

The new faces in Gainesville continued to keep the arrow pointing towards UF, and ultimately led to this commitment.

“Ever since I stepped foot on campus, it felt like home,” Ballinger told Gators Online when asked why Florida was the pick. “The staff has been amazing to me, and I want to help them win championships.”

Ballinger is excited about this new Florida staff

Florida tight ends coach Evan McKissack has been the lead recruiter for Ballinger. However, head coach Jon Sumrall has also been available when needed. Jackson Ballinger got his first in-depth sit-down with UF’s new head man last month and quickly saw a man inspired to get back to winning championships at Florida. He also saw a staff with high-energy people that made the program one he wanted to be a part of.

“After meeting with Sumrall, I can see why the rest of the staff are great people,” Ballinger said. “He knows who to hire and who’s going to follow through with what he’s planning to do. After talking with all of them, it’s a great feeling to walk away with.”

The message and plans of how Ballinger fits into UF’s offense have also made lasting impressions.

“They emphasized that they want to use me as a leader for my class and an example of Florida character. As well as playing the hybrid type of TE in early years.”

Florida’s current staff arrived in The Swamp in December and early January. They haven’t been settled long, so it’s been important to establish connections with targets in the 2027 class. That’s exactly what Coach McKissack did with Ballinger.

“He has been hands down my favorite coach. I love who he is as a person more than anything.”

Jackson Ballinger is commitment No. 2 for the Florida Gators

With the addition of Jackson Ballinger, UF now sits with two commitments in the 2027 class. Ballinger joins Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage 3-star cornerback Amare Nugent in the fold.

The Rivals Industry, a weighted average of the three major recruiting services, ranks Jackson Ballinger as the nation’s No. 823 overall player.