Zephyrhills quarterback Xzavier Jackson, who led the Bulldogs to a district title and the second round of the state playoffs, signed a letter of intent Wednesday to continue his academic and athletic career at Clark Atlanta University.
Before a crowd of family, teammates, coaches and teachers, Jackson made his choice to loud applause. The 6-foot-1 signal caller passed for 1,906 yards and tossed 23 touchdowns for the Bulldogs and rushed for 160 yards and three more scores. Jackson transferred to Zephyrhills prior to the 2024 season from Tampa Bay Tech. He was quickly welcomed into the Bulldog family.
“Ever since I came out of the womb, I’ve been throwing the football, catching the football and watching football,” Jackson said. “So for me to be able to play in college and have other people see what I can do on the field makes this a big moment for me.”
Clark Atlanta, an HBCU, was established in 1865 by the American Missionary Association and was the nation’s first institution to award graduate degrees to African-Americans.
The Panthers were 7-3-1 in 2024 and were runner up in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
“This day means a lot because I’ve been working for this day since I could pick up a football,” Jackson said. “It means a lot to me and my family to be able to keep playing while I get my degree.”