Anthony Wilson
USC offensive line transfer Jason Zandamela committed to Florida on Thursday afternoon, 247Sports Reports. The No. 7 overall prospect and No. 1 interior offensive lineman in 247Sports Transfer RatingsZandamela was the main prospect left on the market and the highest-rated player to enter the portal during the spring window.
All this, and he still hasn’t played at the college level. That’s to the Gators’ advantage, as Zandamela retains all four years of eligibility after a brief stay with the Trojans.
A product of Clearwater Academy International in Florida, Zandamela signed with USC in December as the No. 1 interior offensive lineman and the No. 46 overall prospect in the class of 2024. He was the highest-rated recruit in USC’s most recent crop of signees, and the only freshman in the top 50 on the Trojans’ spring roster.
Zandamela went through most of USC’s spring practices before entering the transfer portal on April 16, four days before the Trojans took the field for the spring game. Initial reports indicated that Zandamela wanted to return to Florida, and schools like UCF and Florida began requesting his services. He took an official visit to Gainesville, Florida, the weekend of April 26 and joined the Gators a few days later.
Examining Zandamela’s Role in Florida
Zandamela worked as a center at USC and could fit into that role in Gainesville. He’s also versatile enough to line up at any guard position, giving Florida the option to test him at multiple positions before choosing a more permanent home.
The team certainly has time to bring in Zandamela before throwing him into SEC trench warfare. The Gators are at center, with starter Jake Slaughter back to fill the middle. UF needs to sign a new pair of guards, but former starter Dameion George Jr. slipped in during spring practice and sophomore Knijeah Harris — who has generated significant buzz since arriving on the Florida campus a year – will probably get a first look ahead from George.
Taking time to develop Zandamela is the smart approach unless he destroys Florida during summer workouts and fall camp. Zandamela grew up in Mozambique and played rugby most of his life until moving to the United States in October 2020. He only began participating in American football as a sophomore in high school.
The 6-foot-2, 307-pound Zandamela accepted that quickly. He was a multi-year starter at center for Clearwater Academy International and earned a spot in the 2023 Under Armor All-America Game. Still, the SEC represents a pretty sharp jump in competition. For now, Zandamela is still a talented ball of clay for Florida to mold.
