Meet new DL Cam Jackson, who's already a fan favorite at Florida
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — New UF defensive lineman Cam Jackson has yet to play a game with the Gators, but he’s already a fan favorite among the Florida faithful. His popularity only increased this week with him being mic’d up in practice (see below).
The video, released Thursday on social media, is absolute gold. It’s one minute and 11 seconds of Jackson’s passion and personality on full display.
“They just told me I was going to be mic’d up. I was excited,” said Jackson, who transferred from Memphis. “I was like, OK, I gotta bring a lot of energy.”
The video opens with a declaration from Jackson.
“Aye, we going crazy today 21!” he shouts to fellow junior nose tackle Desmond Watson.
Jackson later shares some words of encouragement to Watson in between reps.
“You are a nice guy,” Jackson jokingly says to Watson, tapping him on the shoulder. “You’re a gentle giant, just like me.”
Jackson (371 pounds) and Watson (439 pounds) combine for over 800 pounds on the interior of the defensive line. Jackson revealed Thursday they often play together at the same time.
“Me and Des, we play a lot. You ain’t running the ball up in there,” Jackson said. “You really can’t run up the middle with me and Des in the game. I feel like we’re going to cause a lot of havoc this year.”
During his mic’d up video, Jackson can be seen on the sidelines calling out a challenging to the offense.
“Tell ’em run it up the middle while me and big 21 in there,” he says, before asking for it again after a play. “Run it up the middle! They won’t run it up the middle!”
Jackson makes his presence known throughout practice and is very vocal on the field. He addresses the starters in the huddle during the video, telling them that defenses win games “right here” — presumably a red-zone or third-down situation.
“With me being at Memphis for three years and having a lot of experience, I knew I had to come in and have a leadership role. We have a young D-line,” said Jackson, whose teammates heckled him in the comment section of his mic’d up video.
“It was funny because you got Shemar [James] and Des, they said I don’t act like that with the mic on. But mic on or off, I act the same.”
UF redshirt freshman Caleb Banks, who plays next to him at defensive tackle, chimed in on whether he thought Jackson was putting on for the camera.
“I ain’t going to say he was a little bit different on the mic but… I’m joking. He’s the same guy on the mic. He’s like that every day: training room, with nutrition,” Banks confirmed.
“He’s funny. He brings a lot of energy. He knows what he’s doing. If I make a mistake, I like to look to him and he helps me and if I make a mistake, I help him. We just work together.”
New number for Cam Jackson?
The funniest part of the video is an exchange between Jackson and sophomore safety Miguel Mitchell, who wears No. 10. That’s the number Jackson had at Memphis, so he made Mitchell an offer.
“I need to get 10 back,” Jackson tells him in the video. “Wanna make a switch?”
Although his reaction says it all, we don’t hear Miguel’s answer about the potential jersey swap.
“He says ‘yeah, no,’ but I told him we can do an exchange,” Jackson said. “He can get 99 and I can get 10.”
Is Miguel open to wearing No. 99?
“Hopefully,” Jackson said. “Miguel got to give me my number back. … He can just give me 10. I just want it for one game, that’s all.”
Jackson also teases in the video that, “I might drop back to safety, too.”
Don’t laugh.
Jackson was a three-sport athlete at Haynesville High School in Louisiana. He joined the baseball team as a freshman and started playing basketball his sophomore year.
Jackson said he averaged 28 points per game as a junior and hit double-dight home runs in baseball.
“Probably a good 10 to 15,” said Jackson, who played first base.
During his mic’d up video, Jackson took a moment to address Gator Nation. He gave a shoutout to the fans and said he can’t wait to perform in front of them.
“Gator fans, they love me. They really love me,” Jackson said. “They really motivate me, they bring energy to me, and they’re just passionate. I can’t wait to give them a show this year.”
