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CJ Ingram Creating His Own Legacy with Florida Gators

Originally posted on Florida Gators on SI
By Dylan Olive | Last updated Oct 8, 2025 4:14 PM ET

As a two-sport athlete in high school, CJ Ingram seemed destined on the same path as his father, two-time football national champion Cornelius Ingram.

A three-star athlete and state-champion quarterback at nearby Hawthorne, the younger Ingram was being recruited by Billy Napier and the football program, poised to continue an Ingram legacy on the football field with the Florida Gators.

While he ultimately ended up a Gator, CJ is now preparing to create a legacy of his own, not at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium but across the street on the hardwood of the O’Connell Center.

The son of a former NFL draft pick, Ingram received more interest from schools as a football recruit early on, forcing him into a tough decision between the sport he loved and the one that many already decided would be his future.

Taking a risk, he committed to basketball with far less opportunities offered to him at that point, betting on himself rather than taking the easy way out.

“I was contemplating how to play basketball and football. I didn't start getting offers (in basketball) until after Florida offered me. That was late in my junior year, so throughout high school, I always wanted to play basketball, but playing football kind of altered the offers and stuff,” Ingram said on the process. “Just talking to my family, we made the decision that basketball was it and I just focused on that in the spring and now I'm here."

While a decision on what sport to play at the next level was difficult for Ingram, where to play was much easier for the Gator legacy. Though his stock skyrocketed his senior year, playing at the premiere Montverde Academy and earning over 20 offers, it was one of his first that always felt like home.

“(Florida’s) offer meant a lot, you know, especially being a hometown kid, just getting the opportunity. When it presented itself, I wanted to weigh out my options. I kind of knew what I wanted to do when I got the offer,” Ingram said. “I didn't really take other visits. I knew I wanted to come here.”

With Gainesville in his blood and having spent most of his high school career just down the road in Hawthorne, the decision wasn’t forced on Ingram despite the many connections he had to the school. As much as he is his own person, the decision was his own from the jump.

“A lot of people may think that, but he was just being a Dad the whole process, you know? Wherever I wanted to go, whatever visit I wanted to take, he told me I could do whatever I wanted. He was pretty laid back throughout the process," Ingram said about his dad, the former Gators tight end, and his impact on his decision. “He wasn't biased at all… The whole decision was up to me. He didn't really push me one way."

Now a true freshman seemingly earning a strong role early in his time on campus, Ingram’s choice to play basketball at Florida looks on its way to being the right one. Regardless, the former quarterback and Napier target can still be seen at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium every Saturday.

“I’ve been to every home game so far. I miss it a little bit sometimes. Those guys handle business and they are going to have a great season. I miss it sometimes, but I’m happy where I’m at,” Ingram said. “But you know, with the heat here in Florida, it helped me make the right decision.”

On his way to making his own legacy just steps away from where his father created his, the Ingram name on the back of an orange and blue jersey looks to be in good hands, with CJ’s impact expected quickly on the Gators' hardwood in 2025.

This article first appeared on Florida Gators on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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