A standout football player who was born and raised in Ocala has just been selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the second round of the National Football League’s draft.
Jake Slaughter was selected with the 63rd pick (31st pick in the second round) by the Los Angeles Chargers, who traded with the New England Patriots to land the pick.
Although ESPN draft specialist Mel Kiper Jr.’s predictive models showed Slaughter being picked as low as 106th in the week leading up to the draft, Slaughter jumped up more than 40 spots on Friday.
Watch CBS Sports’ video of Slaughter’s name being called during the draft.
In a statement issued by the L.A. Chargers’ organization late Friday night, officials praised Slaughter’s leadership and versatility.
“He came into our room in Indianapolis [during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine] and it was fun watching him and Coach [Harbaugh]. They were locked in, the two of them. Great conversation and you feel his presence. He is a man, he is a dude. And just incredible intelligence,” said Joe Horitz, the general manager of the L.A. Chargers.
“Jake’s been our top center through the entire process there. With the ability to play guard. At least he’ll get a real good, fighting chance to compete for the starting position,” said L.A. Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh.
According to the statement, the Chargers’ plan is to have Slaughter compete for the starting left guard spot.
The team predicts that Slaughter will either start at guard, or he will be the “next man” up in all three positions of left guard, right guard, and center.
“That’s incredible value. I predict a couple years from now that’s going to be a highly valuable player,” said Coach Harbaugh.
Slaughter, who logged hundreds of snaps at the center position, said he played guard early in his career at the University of Florida but never appeared in a game at the position.
“I played a good bit of guard as a young guy in college. I fit best at center at school, but, you know, we talked about guard at the Combine at the Senior Bowl,” said Slaughter. He added that he is “preparing to go be a ballplayer” and that he wasnt to get on the field and “go help the team win games.”
Slaughter graduated from Trinity Catholic High School in 2021 and played his college football at the University of Florida.
During his time in high school and college, Slaughter built a decorated resume that caught the attention of professional scouts.
After appearing primarily on special teams in 2022, Slaughter moved into a starting role at center during the 2023 season, where he logged 622 snaps across 12 games.
In 2024, Slaughter’s performance earned him the title of team captain as well as first-team All-SEC and first-team All-American honors. During that season, Slaughter was a cornerstone of the Gators’ offensive line, allowing only a single sack and one quarterback hit over 800 total snaps.
Slaughter’s decision to return for the 2025 season further solidified his draft stock, with Pro Football Focus (PFF) naming him the best returning offensive player in the SEC ahead of his final year.
During that 2025 season, Slaughter was also named a Rimington Trophy Finalist and was ranked the No. 85 top college player by ESPN and No. 99 by CBS Sports.
Leave your words of congratulations for Jake Slaughter, who will represent Ocala and Marion County in the National Football League.
The NFL draft concludes this weekend with the final few rounds being televised on ABC.