Ja’Kobi Jackson has gone from a useful late-season piece at Florida to a name suddenly sitting in the middle of an Ohio State running back discussion.
Jackson’s rise with the Gators came late in 2024, when he turned into an efficient option out of the backfield. His rushing touchdown against Georgia tied the game at 20 and kept Florida alive in a shot at a miracle upset. He finished that season with 509 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
He opened 2025 as part of the rotation and produced 98 yards on 27 carries, but his season ended after he was hurt against Miami and did not play again.
Now at Ohio State after transferring in the offseason, Jackson appears to be pushing for a bigger role than most expected. A report from Adam King of 10TV in Columbus, picked up by Fansided sister site Scarlet & Game, said Jackson was getting first-team snaps ahead of returning sophomore running back Bo Jackson, who is not related to the more famous Bo Jackson.
Adam King reported: “Legend Bey is at practice today. He is working with the first team behind Isaiah West and Ja’kobi Jackson
Bo Jackson is with the second team again today. pic.twitter.com/fd6ucaSiRt
- Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) August 8, 2026”
The situation is a little surprising given what Bo Jackson did as a freshman, when he rushed for more than 1,000 yards for Ohio State at 6.1 yards per carry. He also had surgery in the offseason, but from everything that’s been reported, he looks healthy, and the current second-team placement has left people wondering why that’s the case.
For Jackson, this is the first time his name is getting this kind of attention on a big stage. He came out of Pensacola as an unrated prospect, took the JUCO path, and arrived at Florida in 2023. He redshirted that season before finally getting his chance in 2024.
That’s part of why his emergence shouldn’t be dismissed. Florida’s backfield was crowded with Montrell Johnson and Jadan Baugh, so opportunities were limited.
But the season still showed what Jackson can do when he gets a real run. He looked like a capable Power Four back when healthy, and now Ohio State is finding that out for itself.
Most Buckeye fans probably didn’t view him as much more than depth when he transferred in. Instead, he’s suddenly in the conversation for meaningful snaps, and that makes his path one of the more interesting developments in camp.
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The uncomfortable part for Florida is how quickly the math can turn against a team with a good record. In the hypothetical scenario the new format creates, a 10-2 Gators team could have the rsum to feel playoff-worthy and still lose out to Notre Dame because of the way the bracket is built. For Florida, the issue is not just winning enough games, but navigating a selection process that now gives the Irish a clearer lane than many other contenders. [Read more 🡒]