Top returners
Jason Johnson, 6-2/225, 5th year (129 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries in 2022)
Walter Yates III, 6-1/220, 5th year (54 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery)
UCF's base defense last year (under Travis Williams) was a 4-2-5, employing just two linebackers on the field at a time. It will be interesting to see under new DC Addison Williams if he stays with the base, or changes things up a bit. Johnson is the only returning starter of this group. He led the team in tackles last season and heads into '23 as arguably the most valuable/important piece of UCF's defense. Yates III earned playing time down the stretch last season (three starts in '22) as J. Jean-Baptiste battled through various injuries. Rising sophomore Kam Moore, who played in a limited role last season as a true freshmen, will likely be in the mix as well.
Top newcomers
Isaiah Paul 6-2/235, RS Sr. (transferred from Incarnate Word)
Rian Davis 6-2/230, RS Sr. (transferred from Georgia)
Andrew Harris 6-2/210, Fr.
Troy Ford Jr. 6-2/235, Fr.
Paul was a three-year starter at Incarante Word, earning all-conference recognition twice (117 tackles from 2019-2021). He originally committed to Washington State in the winter of 2022-23, but hopped back in the portal this past March (before enrolling at UCF). Davis was a former #1 recruit on the Orlando Sentinel's Central Florida Super60 list (2019). He played in 14 games last season at Georgia (two starts) after battling through multiple injuries in 2020-21. Like Moore and Davis, four-star recruit Harris played high school football locally at Lake Brantley HS. As true freshmen, it will be interesting to see how quickly Harris and Ford Jr. can get on the field this season.
Jason Johnson, 6-2/225, 5th year (129 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries in 2022)
Walter Yates III, 6-1/220, 5th year (54 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery)
UCF's base defense last year (under Travis Williams) was a 4-2-5, employing just two linebackers on the field at a time. It will be interesting to see under new DC Addison Williams if he stays with the base, or changes things up a bit. Johnson is the only returning starter of this group. He led the team in tackles last season and heads into '23 as arguably the most valuable/important piece of UCF's defense. Yates III earned playing time down the stretch last season (three starts in '22) as J. Jean-Baptiste battled through various injuries. Rising sophomore Kam Moore, who played in a limited role last season as a true freshmen, will likely be in the mix as well.
Top newcomers
Isaiah Paul 6-2/235, RS Sr. (transferred from Incarnate Word)
Rian Davis 6-2/230, RS Sr. (transferred from Georgia)
Andrew Harris 6-2/210, Fr.
Troy Ford Jr. 6-2/235, Fr.
Paul was a three-year starter at Incarante Word, earning all-conference recognition twice (117 tackles from 2019-2021). He originally committed to Washington State in the winter of 2022-23, but hopped back in the portal this past March (before enrolling at UCF). Davis was a former #1 recruit on the Orlando Sentinel's Central Florida Super60 list (2019). He played in 14 games last season at Georgia (two starts) after battling through multiple injuries in 2020-21. Like Moore and Davis, four-star recruit Harris played high school football locally at Lake Brantley HS. As true freshmen, it will be interesting to see how quickly Harris and Ford Jr. can get on the field this season.
