Columbia (FL) football stars commit Ahead of 2022 Season

LAKE CITY, FLORIDA – The Columbia (FL) Tigers football program saw a pair of its most talented players make commitments to Division I schools this month.

Three-star defensive back Amare Ferrell and four-star linebacker Jaden Robinson bolster the Tigers defense, which allowed just 23 points per game last season. These two helped the Columbia program reach the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 6A Regional Championship game in 2020.

Ferrell, a 6-foot-1, 192-pound defensive back, stands as a top-50 prospect at his position according to 247Sports. The composite recruiting service lists Ferrell as the No. 92 prospect in the state overall.

He’s coming off All-First Coast Team honors last season, helping the Tigers reach the postseason. Ferrell made three interceptions in 2021, including a game-sealing pick against Oakleaf in a critical, 27-23, win early last season. A dual-sport athlete, Ferrell also played point guard for the Columbia basketball team.

Ferrell committed to Indiana University and projects as a safety for the Hoosiers program. Before settling on Indiana, he mulled offers from 17 different schools, including Arizona, the University of Miami, Florida State, and UCF.

Robinson, meanwhile, punched his ticket to an SEC school when he committed to South Carolina recently. At 6-foot, 215-pounds, Robinson stands as a four-star prospect according to 247Sports. He ranks as a top-35 recruit at his position and the No. 71 prospect in the state overall with the composite recruiting service.

Robinson selected South Carolina among his 24 offers. His final four came down to the Gamecocks, Kentucky, Maryland and Michigan.

South Carolina also secured other commitments from the Northeast Florida area of late. Those include Andrew Jackson (FL) four-star linebacker Grayson Howard and Bolles (FL) three-star tight end Connor Cox. 

Columbia head coach Demetric Jackson spoke highly of both athletes in an interview with news4jax.com earlier this month.

“They do great things in the classroom, they’re great in the community. Even out here in practice, you can kind of see how they’re leading the other guys,” Jackson said.

Both Ferrell and Robinson look to continue Columbia’s established run of talented players moving on to the highest levels of football. Among the Tigers’ notable alumni are current NFL players Trey Marshall (2014), Laremy Tunsil (2013) and Timmy Jernigan (2011). More than a dozen Columbia alumni have made it to the NFL over the years.

Robinson remembers watching some of these talented former players growing up and said former Tigers players have returned to give advice to the current stars.

“They would give me advice, like come in and say that Columbia like makes you ready for college though,” Robinson told news4jax.com. “So, they say just keep doing what you’re doing and come in to college like you’re hungry.”

The Columbia football program has made a run to the Regional Semifinals in three of the last four seasons, and could make noise once again. The Tigers are slated to compete in the FHSAA’s District 3-3S (Suburban), with Middleburg, Orange Park and Ridgeview.