- December 4, 2025
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When NFL reporter Adam Schefter posted that the New York Jets signed offensive lineman Samuel Jackson at 8 a.m. July 23, it prompted some predictable responses.
Fans sent back GIFs of the famous actor, recited their favorite quotes of his, and some even photoshopped the actor in a Jets uniform.
It was a funny moment in an otherwise dry time for NFL news, but it’s a joke that the football Samuel Jackson, a Lakewood Ranch High graduate, has heard throughout his life.
“I did see a bunch of people sending Samuel L Jackson GIFs,” Jackson said. “I know it comes with my name. It’s pretty funny. Every time I meet someone new, they say, ‘Hey, we have to ask you, does your middle name start with an L’? It’s followed me my entire life. Hopefully one day it’ll give me the opportunity to meet him.”
Jackson has been a journeyman offensive lineman since graduating from the University of Central Florida in 2022.
Though he appeared in 66 games across his five years with the Knights, he went undrafted and signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of the 2023 season, but was waived before the season began.
He most recently played with the Houston Roughnecks of the United Football League this past spring, which gave him enough game tape and credibility to earn his current opportunity with the Jets.
Jackson has yet to make a name for himself at this juncture in his career, but he wants to one day be known for more than low-hanging jokes.
“I’m a guy who perseveres and believes in himself,” he said. “I have a dream, and I know what I want to do. Regardless of what people might say or think, I have the rest of my life to have a career. I only have this short amount of time to do what I want to do and make my dream happen.”
Jackson was a 6-foot-6, 332-pound offensive lineman by the time he graduated from Lakewood Ranch High in 2017 and committed to UCF.
He received immediate playing time with the Knights, playing in all 13 games in his freshman season.
Despite not wavering on his commitment to playing football, Jackson made use of his five years at UCF to prepare him for his next stage of life.
A three-time member of the All-American Conference All-Academic and an Honor Roll graduate, Jackson earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology and used his fifth year to achieve a master’s degree in educational leadership.
No matter what happens with Jackson’s NFL or UFL career, there will come a day when he has to stop playing football professionally.
When that happens, Jackson said he wants to be a sports psychologist to help players understand different perspectives.
“You can’t negative self-talk,” he said. “The more positive you are, and the more that you understand that every day is a new day for a new opportunity, it helps. This is a stressful job and you have millions of people watching you. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone is a backseat coach. A lot of people played football in high school and think they understand football, but they really don’t. If you know you and you keep doing you, eventually success should follow.”
It will be a challenge for Jackson to make the 53-man roster as an offensive guard with New York.
The Jets have the ninth-best offensive line in the NFL this season per Pro Football Focus, and guards John Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker were both ranked inside the top 12 guards in football last year.
However, Jackson said if his stint with the Jets doesn’t last beyond training camp, he will have the opportunity to return to the Roughnecks next spring.
Now 26 years old and standing at 6-foot-5, 330 pounds, Jackson has the physical makeup to keep his dream alive — and potentially inspire others along the way.
“Hopefully I can be someone people can look at and be like, ‘Maybe I should give this another shot or continue to do this,’” Jackson said. “‘I shouldn’t give up on something so easily.’
