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Report: J.C. Jackson will not be returning to Florida, even if charges are dropped

In case it wasn't obvious by now, J.C. Jackson is done as a Gator.

By Andy Hutchins
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The criminal case against former Florida cornerback J.C. Jackson could be resolved by the end of this week — but even if the three charges of armed robbery against him are dropped, Jackson will not return to Florida, tweets Robbie Andreu of The Gainesville Sun.

Last Tuesday, Jackson was removed from Florida's official roster as part of a slew of updates made to it with the enrollment of players for the university's Summer B term. He faces three counts of armed robbery stemming from an April incident in which he allegedly aided two men in a home invasion involving a gun and the theft of "a bag of cannabis," cash, and "gaming systems."

Jackson was reportedly not cooperating with police early in his case, and no other suspects have ever been arrested in conjunction with the alleged crime.

In April, I wrote this:

"If Jackson is not totally cleared in this case, I think Florida's only means of handling this accordingly is taking the privilege of being a Florida Gator from him for good."

While it seems possible that charges will indeed be dropped against Jackson, it would seem likely they will be dropped for a lack of evidence that would allow for him to be prosecuted effectively, specifically: He was implicated by multiple witnesses who apparently haven't recanted their stories, as a recanting would likely have prompted a dismissal of charges.

And that specter of involvement in a felony would seem to be something Florida — and, quite possibly, the school's administration above Jim McElwain, who sounded supportive of Jackson in April — simply does not want to tolerate.

I'm okay with "Don't get arrested for armed robbery" being part of "Just do what's right," and I hope I'm not alone in that regard.