Jacob Copeland was a highly-sought after recruit that ultimately chose Florida to begin his college career in 2018. Copeland redshirted in 2018 and would rise to no higher than the fourth receiving option over the next two seasons, as he found himself behind Kyle Pitts, Van Jefferson, and Kadarius Toney in the receiving pecking order.
In 2021, Copeland got the opportunity to be the alpha receiver as he led the team in receptions (41), receiving yards (642), and receiving touchdowns (4). His 15.7 yards per reception ranked seventh in the SEC. Copeland was dissatisfied with Florida's offensive strategy and opted to transfer after the season to Maryland. In his lone season at Maryland, he finished fourth on the team in receiving yards with 376, while averaging 14.5 yards per reception.