Jackson, Ala., is the epicenter of UCF's early 2026 recruiting class.
Four-star safety Jamarrion Gordon committed Friday afternoon, flipping from a prior pledge to Alabama.
"I want my name to be remembered FOREVER," Gordon messaged Rivals. "When I go first round out of UCF my legacy will live forever."
Gordon joins his wide receiver teammate Keeyun Chapman, who was UCF's first 2026 commit in May.
UCF is also trending for Jackson four-star quarterback Landon Duckworth, the nation's No. 3 ranked dual-threat quarterback and No. 79 overall in the 2026 class.
Jackson is about 70 miles north of Mobile in the western part of the state. The city has a population of 4,600 with a high school enrollment of just over 400.
All three 2026 Jackson players (Gordon, Chapman and Duckworth) as well as 2027 running back Ezavier "EJ" Crowell are in Orlando Friday to attend 'Knight Splash,' UCF's final summer recruiting event. Crowell already has an elite list of offers, including UCF, Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Ole Miss.
Gordon, ranked 2026's No. 10 safety and No. 150 overall, initially committed to Alabama in May. Schools in the early mix included LSU, Miami and Tennessee, among others.
His future could be anywhere in the secondary. Gordon started at safety during his freshman year, then moved to cornerback as a sophomore. Last season he recorded 30 tackles, seven pass breakups and an interception.
"He's got elite recovery speed," Jackson head coach Cody Flournoy told Tide Illustrated earlier this spring. "A basic route is a corner route away from the safety, and you can't throw that against him when he's at the safety position because he runs underneath it and picks it off."
Gordon's brother is former South Alabama wide receiver Jamaal Pritchett and his cousin is former Auburn cornerback Nehemiah Prichett, who was a fifth-round 2024 NFL Draft pick by the Seattle Seahawks.
"This kid's the real deal," Flournoy said. "And he has been. Now he's getting on that national stage because everybody keeps seeing him and the more you see him, the more everybody likes him, and he's got the personality and the demeanor to go with it. The sky's the limit for him."
