Jon Sumrall and the Florida Gators have made a big move on the recruiting trail.
Jon Sumrall has certainly been busy since taking over as Florida Gators head coach in late November.
Sumrall was one of the most active coaches in the country during the transfer portal, putting together one of the best hauls in college football.
The 43-year-old has also been hitting the recruiting trail hard, with Florida's name seeming ubiquitous when it comes to the top prospects in the nation.
Well, this week, the Gators struck big, landing a commitment from 2027 tight end Jackson Ballinger.
Ballinger is a three-star prospect and is the 22nd-ranked tight end in the country, via 247 Sports' composite rankings.
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound playmaker is the second player Florida has landed for the class of 2027, with four-star cornerback Amare Nugent being the other.
Ballinger just visited Gainesville between Jan. 22 and Jan. 24, and he came away feeling very impressive with what he saw.
"It was fantastic," Ballinger told Swamp247. "I feel like I walked away with a great feel about the type of character that's in the building."
Jackson Ballinger. Credit: Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.The Centerburg, Oh. product was particularly impressed with new Gators offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner.
"He's such an intelligent man when it comes to football," Ballinger said. "I mean, he showed me some clips on what they do and how it relates to what I do in some of my film, and how they would use me and what they're trying to get after this year."
Ballinger had offers from 24 schools in total, including Colorado, Indiana, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.
He will be taking an official visit to Gainesville this June.
Florida is looking to rebuild an offense that has struggled mightily in recent years. Sumrall landed quarterback Aaron Philo in the transfer portal to replace the departing DJ Lagway and also bagged several other impressive offensive talents.
Perhaps Ballinger will end up being a crucial part of the unit in 2027 and beyond.
The Gators went just 4-8 in 2025 and have only registered one winning season over the past five years.
We'll see if Sumrall — who previously coached Troy and Tulane — can lift the program out of the doldrums.
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