I first did this in early December at the onset of the NCAA Transfer Portal window. I thought it would be a good idea to revisit as there have been some additions and subtractions since then.
**Portal addition
*HS signee
QB (6)
KJ Jefferson (Arkansas)**
Timmy McClain
Xavier Williams
Dylan Rizk
Riley Trujillo*
EJ Colson*
UCF got their portal QB in KJ Jefferson. The question is whether UCF continues to carry six scholarship QBs heading into next season. That seems doubtful. Colson wasn't expected to be in the 2024 class but reclassified, which makes the room even more crowded.
RB (6)
RJ Harvey
Johnny Richardson
Demarkcus Bowman
Myles Montgomery (Cincinnati)**
Stacy Gage*
Frankie Arthur*
Myles Montgomery seemed to have taken Mark-Antony Richards' spot. Does this list remain unchanged before the season?
WR (10)
Javon Baker
Kobe Hudson
Xavier Townsend
Trent Whittemore
Chauncey Magwood
Jarrad Baker
Tyree Patterson
Jordyn Bridgewater*
Bredell Richardson*
Kason Stokes*
Javon and Kobe announced their return, though we are still wondering about Javon because there's been rumblings he was still contemplating going to the NFL.
UCF has offered several portal WRs lately, including Ja'Varrius Johnson (Auburn) and Bryson Rodgers (Ohio State). It sounds like Rodgers could commit soon.
Chauncey Magwood opted out this past season to preserve a redshirt, but I did hear he was planning to return. I haven't heard if Jarrad Baker was in or out - he could have a medical redshirt if he wanted it.
TE (4)
Randy Pittman Jr.
Evan Morris (Michigan State)**
Grant Stevens
Kylan Fox*
I left Jordan Davis off this list because he's been medically unavailable since suffered a devastating knee injury at FAU in early 2022. Is there a need for another TE? UCF is bringing in TE transfer Reece Adkins, who is a PWO walk-on from Eastern Kentucky.
OL (13)
Amari Kight
Marcellus Marshall
Adrian Medley
Jabari Brooks (Samford)**
Wes Dorsey (Western Kentucky)**
Caden Kitler
Paul Rubelt
Cameron Kinnie
Johnathan Cline
Keyon Cox
Patrick Barnett
Chase Malamala*
Waltclaire Flynn*
Jabari Brooks is a center. Wes Dorsey played RT. I would think Kight, Marshall and Medley are set as starters, then Brooks/Kitler will emerge at center. UCF is still recruiting portal OL. I think UF guard Richie Leonard would be a target. There are several other names that have also linked as UCF targets.
DT (7)
Ricky Barber
Lee Hunter
John Walker
Matthew Alexander
Derrick LeBlanc
Andrew Rumph
Marcus Downs*
We haven't seen any known portal offers to DTs this cycle, so it would appear UCF is content with the current depth.
DE (5)
Malachi Lawrence
Daylan Dotson (UT Martin)**
Jamaal Johnson
Isaiah Nixon
Kaven Call
This still looks fairly light in terms of depth. Barely enough to field a two-deep. I would anticipate UCF looks to the portal for further additions.
LB (8)
Jesiah Pierre (Texas Tech)**
Rian Davis
Andrew Harris
Kam Moore
TJ Bullard
Troy Ford Jr.
Qua Birdsong*
DJ McCormick*
The biggest portal need. Need to recruit multiple starter-level players. Jesiah Pierre is the first portal addition.
UCF had high hopes for UGA transfer Rian Davis which did not materialize. Is he coming back? Does Andrew Harris and/or Kam Moore have the potential to be a Big 12 starter?
S (8)
Bryon Threats (Cincinnati)**
Deshawn Pace (Cincinnati)**
Demari Henderson
Nikai Martinez
Quadric Bullard
William Wells
Jashad Presley*
Jakob Gude*
The commitment graphics for Threats and Pace both listed them as safeties. Quadric Bullard recently announced he is returning. He has been a safety, but played nickel a lot this past season. I'm curious if that's where UCF might see one of the Cincinnati transfers like Pace.
CB (10)
Ja'Cari Henderson
Brandon Adams
Braeden Marshall
Ja'Maric Morris
Jason Duclona
Jarvis Ware
Antione Jackson (ECU)**
Jaylen Heyward*
Christian Peterson*
Chasen Johnson*
Ja'Cari suffered an injury this past season. Is he back for spring? Brandon Adams is the only other experienced player returning at CB. Is Jarvis Ware coming back? He's been injury prone his entire career - he missed the entire 2021 and 2023 seasons.
Specialists (4)
K Colton Boomer
K Grant Reddick
P Mitch McCarthy
LS Gage King
Curious what happens with Colton Boomer this spring. I have to believe he wasn't 100 percent as the season progressed.
Recap
There are 81 players listed among the returners and portal/high school commits, leaving 4 available scholarship spots. And that's assuming everybody on the list is coming back. Still have questions about a few players, if they are indeed returning.
It would seem to be biggest remaining needs would be LB, DE and I think you'd take some DB depth. Corner is a bit questionable since you've lost your best player (Corey Thornton) and haven't made any portal additions yet.
Offensively, I think at least another two OL and another WR (especially if Javon does leave).
**Portal addition
*HS signee
QB (6)
KJ Jefferson (Arkansas)**
Timmy McClain
Xavier Williams
Dylan Rizk
Riley Trujillo*
EJ Colson*
UCF got their portal QB in KJ Jefferson. The question is whether UCF continues to carry six scholarship QBs heading into next season. That seems doubtful. Colson wasn't expected to be in the 2024 class but reclassified, which makes the room even more crowded.
RB (6)
RJ Harvey
Johnny Richardson
Demarkcus Bowman
Myles Montgomery (Cincinnati)**
Stacy Gage*
Frankie Arthur*
Myles Montgomery seemed to have taken Mark-Antony Richards' spot. Does this list remain unchanged before the season?
WR (10)
Javon Baker
Kobe Hudson
Xavier Townsend
Trent Whittemore
Chauncey Magwood
Jarrad Baker
Tyree Patterson
Jordyn Bridgewater*
Bredell Richardson*
Kason Stokes*
Javon and Kobe announced their return, though we are still wondering about Javon because there's been rumblings he was still contemplating going to the NFL.
UCF has offered several portal WRs lately, including Ja'Varrius Johnson (Auburn) and Bryson Rodgers (Ohio State). It sounds like Rodgers could commit soon.
Chauncey Magwood opted out this past season to preserve a redshirt, but I did hear he was planning to return. I haven't heard if Jarrad Baker was in or out - he could have a medical redshirt if he wanted it.
TE (4)
Randy Pittman Jr.
Evan Morris (Michigan State)**
Grant Stevens
Kylan Fox*
I left Jordan Davis off this list because he's been medically unavailable since suffered a devastating knee injury at FAU in early 2022. Is there a need for another TE? UCF is bringing in TE transfer Reece Adkins, who is a PWO walk-on from Eastern Kentucky.
OL (13)
Amari Kight
Marcellus Marshall
Adrian Medley
Jabari Brooks (Samford)**
Wes Dorsey (Western Kentucky)**
Caden Kitler
Paul Rubelt
Cameron Kinnie
Johnathan Cline
Keyon Cox
Patrick Barnett
Chase Malamala*
Waltclaire Flynn*
Jabari Brooks is a center. Wes Dorsey played RT. I would think Kight, Marshall and Medley are set as starters, then Brooks/Kitler will emerge at center. UCF is still recruiting portal OL. I think UF guard Richie Leonard would be a target. There are several other names that have also linked as UCF targets.
DT (7)
Ricky Barber
Lee Hunter
John Walker
Matthew Alexander
Derrick LeBlanc
Andrew Rumph
Marcus Downs*
We haven't seen any known portal offers to DTs this cycle, so it would appear UCF is content with the current depth.
DE (5)
Malachi Lawrence
Daylan Dotson (UT Martin)**
Jamaal Johnson
Isaiah Nixon
Kaven Call
This still looks fairly light in terms of depth. Barely enough to field a two-deep. I would anticipate UCF looks to the portal for further additions.
LB (8)
Jesiah Pierre (Texas Tech)**
Rian Davis
Andrew Harris
Kam Moore
TJ Bullard
Troy Ford Jr.
Qua Birdsong*
DJ McCormick*
The biggest portal need. Need to recruit multiple starter-level players. Jesiah Pierre is the first portal addition.
UCF had high hopes for UGA transfer Rian Davis which did not materialize. Is he coming back? Does Andrew Harris and/or Kam Moore have the potential to be a Big 12 starter?
S (8)
Bryon Threats (Cincinnati)**
Deshawn Pace (Cincinnati)**
Demari Henderson
Nikai Martinez
Quadric Bullard
William Wells
Jashad Presley*
Jakob Gude*
The commitment graphics for Threats and Pace both listed them as safeties. Quadric Bullard recently announced he is returning. He has been a safety, but played nickel a lot this past season. I'm curious if that's where UCF might see one of the Cincinnati transfers like Pace.
CB (10)
Ja'Cari Henderson
Brandon Adams
Braeden Marshall
Ja'Maric Morris
Jason Duclona
Jarvis Ware
Antione Jackson (ECU)**
Jaylen Heyward*
Christian Peterson*
Chasen Johnson*
Ja'Cari suffered an injury this past season. Is he back for spring? Brandon Adams is the only other experienced player returning at CB. Is Jarvis Ware coming back? He's been injury prone his entire career - he missed the entire 2021 and 2023 seasons.
Specialists (4)
K Colton Boomer
K Grant Reddick
P Mitch McCarthy
LS Gage King
Curious what happens with Colton Boomer this spring. I have to believe he wasn't 100 percent as the season progressed.
Recap
There are 81 players listed among the returners and portal/high school commits, leaving 4 available scholarship spots. And that's assuming everybody on the list is coming back. Still have questions about a few players, if they are indeed returning.
It would seem to be biggest remaining needs would be LB, DE and I think you'd take some DB depth. Corner is a bit questionable since you've lost your best player (Corey Thornton) and haven't made any portal additions yet.
Offensively, I think at least another two OL and another WR (especially if Javon does leave).
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