UCF Portal Thread-signings/rumors

[AuburnLegacy_1]

One more. I say we hold on to that last scholarship in case any big fish hop in during spring

View embedded media

UCF reaching here for a guy who is a tweener between two positions and apparent replacement for K.D. McDaniel, who didn't pan out as a linebacker or edge

I would have much rather had one of the FAU guards (Kamaar Bell or Dorian Hinton) or an undersized, true linebacker (Troy's Jaylen McDonald).

Signing a guard would have allowed Marshall to play both guard and tackle as needed.

Update: Hinton signed with Texas A&M.

 

[Shark19]

UCF reaching here for a guy who is a tweener between two positions and apparent replacement for K.D. McDaniel, who didn't pan out as a linebacker or edge

I would have much rather had one of the FAU guards (Kamaar Bell or Dorian Hinton) or an undersized, true linebacker (Troy's Jaylen McDonald).

Signing a guard would have allowed Marshall to play both guard and tackle as needed.

Disagree; this guy will be a good player for us…..kid had 22 P5 offers and started out at LSU and had PT in 2022. Referring to Carter.

 

[Poolside Knight]

Miami!

 

[Shark19]

Miami!

View embedded media

Yikes, talking about missing out on a top end QB transfer….:they could have had Nelson but this is who they choose,

 

[KnightLife1]

Disagree; this guy will be a good player for us…..kid had 22 P5 offers and started out at LSU and had PT in 2022. Referring to Carter.

I hope you're right. Clearly he is talented.

At 210 lbs he is a little light for the LB position. Maybe our plan is to get him to add another 10 to 15 lbs before the fall.

 

[AuburnLegacy_1]

Miami!

View embedded media

Hell of a player! I really like that guy.

I thought he would end up with Bobby Petrino at Arkansas because his sister plays basketball there.

 

[AuburnLegacy_1]

Cal landed Temple RT Victor Stoffel. His "representative" tells On3

Cal lands commitment from Temple transfer OL Victor Stoffel

Temple transfer offensive lineman Victor Stoffel has committed to Cal, his representative Miles Jordan tells On3.

www.on3.com

Texas A&M landed Orlando-native and OT Derrick Graham.



UCF landed the OT from Western Kentucky.

Will be interesting to see who got the best deal.

 

[tjb74]

Most of us wanted him last year, guess this is why you don’t burn bridges when they go elsewhere out of HS. ⚔️⚔️

 

[PhDee]

Most of us wanted him last year, guess this is why you don’t burn bridges when they go elsewhere out of HS. ⚔️⚔️

View embedded media

I guess we were waiting for JB to announce.

 

[Poolside Knight]

Seeing Cam Goode on that Michigan D Line 😢

 

[beelit47]

Seeing Cam Goode on that Michigan D Line 😢

He would have been a wrecking ball with john walker this year

 

[Black_Knight07]

Miami!

View embedded media

Uncle Luke ain't having it!

 

[Poolside Knight]

Penix’s draft stock took a hit tonight

Michigan defense and physicality is so impressive

 

[AuburnLegacy_1]

Most of us wanted him last year, guess this is why you don’t burn bridges when they go elsewhere out of HS. ⚔️⚔️

View embedded media

Hope this doesn't mean no Bryson Rodgers or Ja'Varrius Johnson.

Also hope Javon declaring frees up some extra NIL funds.

 

[BlakNGoldAllDay]

One more. I say we hold on to that last scholarship in case any big fish hop in during spring

View embedded media

After Spring more guys will leave us. Once they see they aren’t in the plans.

 

[Shark19]

Penix’s draft stock took a hit tonight

Michigan defense and physicality is so impressive

My first time watching him…..hate the way he throws off the back foot constantly. That’s why everything was a rainbow….you have to drive the ball.

I can’t see anyone taking him in the first round

 

[PositYourself]

My first time watching him…..hate the way he throws off the back foot constantly. That’s why everything was a rainbow….you have to drive the ball.

I can’t see anyone taking him in the first round

Yes it was like every throw he threw was a weird side-arm delivery. Can't say I'm a fan.

 

[AuburnLegacy_1]

Disagree; this guy will be a good player for us…..kid had 22 P5 offers and started out at LSU and had PT in 2022. Referring to Carter.

For sh*ts and giggles, I searched up his hudl. In high school, he was a defensive end who played with his hand hand down every snap.



I didn't stop there. I searched up UNLV's full games on YouTube. Kid didn't play a snap against Michigan, but he did play in the second half against Bryant.



The good ...

He can fly and is capable of running down backs in the hole from behind.

He will excel at long-sticking on pass-rushing downs.

The bad ...

He is a 200-pound standup edge defender. Not a linebacker.

He has not shown the propensity to gain weight in two years of college football.

He gets pushed around when taking on blocks.

The relative ...

He is a slasher who gets penetration in the backfield. He cares nothing about keeping contain and runs around blocks as he sees fit.

(Given UCF move to an 'attacking-style' front, these attributes can be viewed as a positives.)

---

My opinion of him has not changed. He is a reach. He cannot be made into a linebacker. He is the equivalent of a jumbo-sized defensive back rushing off the edge on a blitz. Barton Simmons's draft report is very accurate based on the film I saw against Bryant.

I assume he was a take for UCF because the Knights missed on some other prospects and because UCF is thin at the Buck position.


Scouting Report
EVALUATED 03/20/2020
Barton Simmons
FORMER DIRECTOR OF SCOUTING

PROJECTION: UFA

COMPARISON
DeMarquis Gates
OLE MISS REBELS

Long but skinny athlete that plays out of position in high school and will need to show the capacity for weight gain. Plays defensive end but is a standup pass rusher or more likely an off-ball linebacker at the next level. Uses hands effectively to maximize length and keep blockers off his body. Good reactive quickness. Slippery as a pass rusher. Good motor in pursuit. Ability to bend the edge. Don’t see him operate in space in high school. Regularly allows yards after contact due to size issues. If you project weight gain and a smooth transition to a new position, there is real Power Five impact potential but there’s a low floor because of the unknown. If it hits, Carter has late round NFL Draft upside.

 

[ReturnOf]

It behooves me how we still cannot find proper experienced LB's??

We're able to fill every other position with ease, even QB's, but a dying position like LB's has been elusive for Gus and Staff.

 

[Shark19]

For sh*ts and giggles, I searched up his hudl. In high school, he was a defensive end who played with his hand hand down every snap.

View embedded media

I didn't stop there. I searched up UNLV's full games on YouTube. Kid didn't play a snap against Michigan, but he did play in the second half against Bryant.

View embedded media

The good ...

He can fly and is capable of running down backs in the hole from behind.

He will excel at long-sticking on pass-rushing downs.

The bad ...

He is a 200-pound standup edge defender. Not a linebacker.

He has not shown the propensity to gain weight in two years of college football.

He gets pushed around when taking on blocks.

The relative ...

He is a slasher who gets penetration in the backfield. He cares nothing about keeping contain and runs around blocks as he sees fit.

(Given UCF move to an 'attacking-style' front, these attributes can be viewed as a positives.)

---

My opinion of him has not changed. He is a reach. He cannot be made into a linebacker. He is the equivalent of a jumbo-sized defensive back rushing off the edge on a blitz. Barton Simmons's draft report is very accurate based on the film I saw against Bryant.

I assume he was a take for UCF because the Knights missed on some other prospects and because UCF is thin at the Buck position.


Scouting Report
EVALUATED 03/20/2020
Barton Simmons
FORMER DIRECTOR OF SCOUTING

PROJECTION: UFA

COMPARISON
DeMarquis Gates
OLE MISS REBELS

Long but skinny athlete that plays out of position in high school and will need to show the capacity for weight gain. Plays defensive end but is a standup pass rusher or more likely an off-ball linebacker at the next level. Uses hands effectively to maximize length and keep blockers off his body. Good reactive quickness. Slippery as a pass rusher. Good motor in pursuit. Ability to bend the edge. Don’t see him operate in space in high school. Regularly allows yards after contact due to size issues. If you project weight gain and a smooth transition to a new position, there is real Power Five impact potential but there’s a low floor because of the unknown. If it hits, Carter has late round NFL Draft upside.

Yeah, is/was thin (haven’t seen the same weight published twice), but long arms and you can’t teach speed. Pretty sure the 22 P5 teams thought they could do something with him. Worth a shot considering we can’t recruit LBs.

 

[PositYourself]

It behooves me how we still cannot find proper experienced LB's??

I don't think you're using behooves correctly there chief

Maybe confounds is more appropriate.

 

[Retnuhrace]

I don't think you're using behooves correctly there chief

Maybe confounds is more appropriate.

Maybe he meant “bewilders”

 

[AuburnLegacy_1]

I don't think you're using behooves correctly there chief

Maybe he is taking it upon himself to recruit a linebacker to UCF.

 

[goodknightfl]

He would have been a wrecking ball with john walker this year

Yeah but he wouldn't have a Natti under his belt.

 

[Poolside Knight]

My first time watching him…..hate the way he throws off the back foot constantly. That’s why everything was a rainbow….you have to drive the ball.

I can’t see anyone taking him in the first round

it looked good vs Texas’s Defense but Michigan did some exposing w looks he would get at the next level. good at every phase: coaching, defensive line, DBs

 

[ReturnOf]

I don't think you're using behooves correctly there chief

Maybe confounds is more appropriate.

You're both right. Thanks for respectful correction.

 

[Guinness_Knight]

Our LB recruiting is a bizarre thing. Any transfer LB or HS recruit should have been drooling at the opportunity to get immediate playing time based on the last 2 years. And yet here we are 😭

 

[AuburnLegacy_1]

Our LB recruiting is a bizarre thing. Any transfer LB or HS recruit should have been drooling at the opportunity to get immediate playing time based on the last 2 years. And yet here we are 😭

Not a lot of 5 star linebackers are lining up to play in the Big 12.

In this portal cycle, UCF could have reached for some guys, who may have panned out...

Rara Dillworth, ECU, transferred to Troy
(True 4.4 speed, but largely unproductive)



Jayden McDonald, Troy, transferred to Indiana
(Only 6-foot tall)

Troy Linebacker Jayden McDonald Announces Transfer to Indiana

Linebacker Jayden McDonald is transferring to Indiana after making 190 career tackles across four seasons at Troy. He originally committed to Iowa in the class of 2018 as the Georgia High School Defensive Player of the Year.

www.si.com

There are still a couple of guys deciding...

​

Ozzie Nicholas, Princeton, uncommitted (East Coast guy, has not visited UCF)

Ozzie Nicholas - Football - Princeton University Athletics

Ozzie Nicholas (9) LB - Accolades: Second-Team All-Ivy (2022) Bluebloods Second-Team All-Ivy (2022) Phil Steele Third-Team All-Ivy (2022) 2022...

goprincetontigers.com

Nikhai Hill-Green, Charlotte (Former UCF commit has not enrolled anywhere yet)

Julien Simon, Tulsa, uncommitted (East Coast kid, originally signed with USC, do not know if UCF offered)

 

[Yaes]

Maybe he meant “bewilders”

How about "gobsmacked?"

 

[AuburnLegacy_1]

UCFSports - UCF adds LB Zavier Carter, WR Goldie Lawrence from transfer portal

Monday afternoon saw two more additions to UCF's transfer portal class: UNLV LB Zavier Carter and FSU WR Goldie Lawrence

ucf.rivals.com

"It's possible UCF could add another portal receiver in light of losing Javon Baker to the NFL Draft."

UCF does not have a true X receiver on its roster, and since Gus fiddle farted around and let CJ Smith sign with Purdue, Gus's options are limited to signing Bryson Rodgers to play X or moving Kodi to X and sign Ja'Varrius Johnson to play Z.

Rodgers will likely decide among uat, FSU, Florida, and UCF.

 

[AuburnLegacy_1]

Jayren Fox - 2023 - Football - Mississippi Valley State University Athletics

Jayren Fox (38) LB - 2022 - Phil Steele All-SWAC 4th Team

mvsusports.com

Late portal addition from Cordele, Ga.

Only Georgia, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Auburn, and Florida are closer to his hometown than UCF.

 

[tjb74]

 

[tjb74]

 

[AuburnLegacy_1]

View embedded media

He is from AUBURN (sort of).

That hat is absolute firah, but the positioning of the rocket in those edits ...

 

[Yaes]

He is from AUBURN (sort of).

That hat is absolute firah, but the positioning of the rocket in those edits ...

Surely you don't mean fitra or fitrah do you? If not, what does firah mean?

 

[Shark19]

View embedded media

THIS is a good pickup:

"You can see why the Huskers are interested. He earned first-team freshman All-America honors last season from Phil Steele. Alexander tallied 75 tackles, four tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 13 games last season."

"A native of Auburn, Washington, Alexander quickly picked up other offers from Washington, Louisiana Tech, UCF, Minnesota, UConn, Kansas, Montana State, Oregon State and Cal and others since entering the transfer portal."

HS evaluation:
"Alexander is a player who just continues to improve every time we watch him. Whether it is playing running back in spot duty or his more natural linebacker spot, he's always in the right place to make a tackle, does a great job diagnosing plays and shedding blockers and brings backs down. He's really emerged as a good coverage linebacker, he can be a three-down backer in college with improved coverage awareness, lateral agility and athleticism. As he continues to add weight and gets stronger, he could be an early impact guy in college."

 

[Shark19]

Between Alexander, Carter, Pierre, and Pace (who plays like a LB)......we have really strengthened our options at LB

 

[major.tom.foolery]

Maybe he meant “bewilders”

Or befuddles?

 

[AuburnLegacy_1]

Surely you don't mean fitra or fitrah do you? If not, what does firah mean?

Urban Dictionary: fi-rah

Street pronunciation (or slang) for 'fire'.

www.urbandictionary.com

 

[Oldest Man]

Between Alexander, Carter, Pierre, and Pace (who plays like a LB)......we have really strengthened our options at LB

Increased yes and hopefully strengthened. But this is a good first step.