Even if he avoids a stint behind bars, it could be quite awhile before you see J.C. Jackson in a Florida Gator uniform again -- if ever.
Over the weekend, Jackson was arrested in connection to an armed home invasion robbery and charged with three felonies. Jim McElwain was asked Tuesday about the cornerback’s standing with the football program, and the first-year head coach didn’t sound like a man in any mood to welcome him back anytime soon.
“It’s not something that’s reflective of who we are and what we’re all about as an organization,” McElwain said according to the Orlando Sentinel. “So he’s got a long row to hoe, and we’ll go from there. ...
“As of right now he’s dealing with these issues as it deals with the incident that occurred. Based on those choices and decisions we’ll choose the consequence, and at the end of the day it is a choice that he made.”
According to the police report, Jackson went to an acquaintance’s residence Saturday under the pretense of smoking marijuana. Unbeknownst to the alleged victim, Jackson brought two armed acquaintances along with him, who, after Jackson “excused” himself to make a phone call, proceed to pull their weapons and demand a large supply of drugs and cash.
Jackson spent three nights in the Alachua County jail, with the Gainesville Sun reporting that he was released Tuesday on a $150,000 bond. As of earlier this week, the other two suspects had not been apprehended.
In December of last year, Jackson and West Virginia wide receiver Jacky Marcellus were both grazed by bullets in a shooting that happened outside of an Immokalee, Fla., apartment building. A third individual, the brother of Marcellus, was shot in the face but survived.
A four-star member of the Gators’ 2014 recruiting class, Jackson was rated as the No. 21 corner in the country; the No. 37 player at any position in the state of Florida; and the No. 243 recruit overall by Rivals.com. He played in the 2014 opener, but missed the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury. Exiting the spring, Jackson was expected to take a starting job into summer camp.