Prime flip: Deion Sanders snags another SEC commitment, signing Florida OL pledge
Deion Sanders is at it again.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer is looking to put his imprint on a Jackson State program that was 4-8 last season and is looking to return to prominence. The Tigers have not won a SWAC title since 2007, with the HBCU’s last Black college national championship coming in 1996.
Sanders has landed several SEC prospects, and the latest to do so is offensive lineman Javonte Gardner, who flipped from Florida and signed with the Tigers instead. The 6-foot-5, 290-pounder from Orlando is a 3-star recruit, rated as the No. 39 offensive tackle in the country by 247Sports.
According to Gators Territory, Gardner participated in a mock signing at his high school, but ultimately never officially signed his NLI due in part to academic issues. Instead, he will head to Mississippi to play for Sanders at Jackson State.
It’s not the first SEC player Sanders has flipped during the Early Signing Period. On Wednesday, Georgia cornerback commit De’Jahn Warren flipped his pledge from the Bulldogs and instead signed with JSU.
Sanders’ son Shilo, a former safety at South Carolina, will be joining his father, as is younger son Shedeur, a 4-star recruit ranked as the No. 15 pro-style quarterback in the country—who had offers from several SEC programs.
Prior to that, Aubrey Miller, a former linebacker at Missouri, entered the transfer portal before announcing that he would head to Jackson State, as did former Mississippi State cornerback Javorrius Selmon.
Javonte Gardner, welcome to Thee I Love Jackson State University! A 6-foot-5, 315 offensive lineman out of Orlando! #IBelieveJSU21 x #BleedTheeBlue x #NSD21 pic.twitter.com/OmUxNzWYwv
— Jackson State Football (@GoJSUTigersFB) December 17, 2020
3 star, #39 tackle, academic issues – I think Gators will be ok, may have dodged dealing with issues instead
Most recruiting sites had him listed as a strong mauling run blocker, but was going to be a project type player. Looks like UF was waiting on grades to see if they would send him a LOI. He decided not to wait. Best of luck to him.
The only “issues” the kid has had is with his academics. He will have a good career at Jackson State and be mentored well by Dion. I wish him a lot of success there and I hope he makes it to the NFL.
Mentored, maybe. Coached, who knows. Deion has no real coaching experience.
Yeah because Deion had such a stellar reputation in the classroom.
And to think it was only yesterday that someone was telling me… I’d much rather lose a recruit we didn’t have much of a shot with anyway, to UGA, then lose a recruit that was already committed to us to Jackson State lol…
Good times
Good times indeed. He was replaced in the lineup with a 6-7 / 300 lb. brut that actually believes in attending class. I think we’ll be alright as long as he doesn’t have a fondness for other players shoes.
I love you guys! Only UF can lose a 6’5 290 #38th ranked OLiner and Mullet replaces his slot with 6’7 300 #55 ranker and you’re Better off… What’s the secret? I’m obviously drinking the crappy stuff…lol
As big as that boy is it sounds like his fondness for shoes are having them cooked medium well!
LOL
Ha! How ironic! A UGA fan thinking a minuscule difference in a high school ranking equates to the win loss column in college.
Good thing for those recruiting national championships…
I don’t see where anyone said “better off” but if getting admitted and not getting admitted makes you better off, then i guess your right we are.
I figured you’d say something, but not quite the same situation Humper. The player you lost was the #1 JUCO CB in the country and #2 overall JUCO player that could basically go anywhere he wanted with no academic issues. It’s quite obvious why this kid moved on. It actually spells it out for you in the article.
Apology accepted Joe (:
bubba no can read!! Im sure its really no loss.
How will he feel when Deion keeps stealing his pizza?
Neon Deion! Thanks for taking him. He will fare much better academically at JSU.
With a coach who treated academics as a joke when he was a “student”athlete.
UGA tried hard to land a 3-star WR recruit who picked USF instead. UGA then lost the #1 JC CB recruit who was a 4-star to Jackdon State. Florida lost a kid who was not going to gain entry to UF and replaced him immediately with a similar type developmental OL recruit.
Sorry…Jackson State.
You left out the part where UGA signed the 5* OLB that visited UF last weekend and trends were projecting he’d go to Mulletville…but then the shoe!
These guys that actually have P-5 and G-5 talent, that have a shot at NFL riches is they develop, are entrusting their development to a guy that basically has no real coaching experience.
Deion isn’t the only used car salesman coaching in college at this moment.
That’s no way to talk about your gooberhead coach whippy…leave the Mullet bashing to me. I’m a professional, nothing to see here, move along!
No, but he is the subject of the article, and the one that these kids are going to play for. Try to keep up.
With all this hate coming lately from the GA fans, there loss to us really hurt there feelings didnt it.!! Its gonna drive them crazy all year! Funny part is GA also screwed up the election, so really they have two loses to Fl this year!!
Hate coming lately? Where have you been the last 4 years on this thread? I wouldn’t call it hate tho, we prefer the pc term tough love…