Jalen 'Teez' Tabor uses heartfelt letter to declare for NFL draft

“Where I grew up, nobody’s really expected to go to college. I often doubted whether or not it was in the plans for me. So getting the opportunity to go to a school — any school — was significant for me and my family. When I think about my journey, coming from inner-city D.C. and living in some challenging environments, to arriving on campus and seeing the Swamp for the first time, I realize that I’ve been a part of something bigger than just a football team. It has reminded me to continue to work hard no matter the circumstances.”

“Now that the season is over, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and have been feeling pretty nostalgic. I’ve also realized something: The University of Florida has changed my life. And I don’t mean that in the cliché way. I mean every single syllable of it. Every day, I’m walking around campus thinking this is some sort of dream. I am fully aware that I would have never gotten this far on my own, and I’m thankful to everybody who helped me get here. I have matured so much since that first day. In my mind, that’s because of the people I have met in Gainesville.”