Initial Thoughts, UCF Flips Xavier Townsend Away from Iowa State

Persistence paid off as UCF swayed Xavier Townsend away from Iowa State.

Brian Smith | Dec 15, 2021

Initial Thoughts, UCF Flips Xavier Townsend Away from Iowa State /

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One of the most difficult aspects of recruits stems from sticking with recruits that originally commit to one school and a coaching staff comes up with disappointment. That’s part of the world of recruiting, and it’s what happened with UCF when it did not land Xavier Townsend the first time he made his college selection.

The first round saw the Cyclones come out victorious, as he committed to play in Aimes, Iowa on July 25, 2021. That changed recently.

Townsend had unofficially visited UCF during the 2021 regular season, and he was ardently pursued by the UCF coaching staff. He backed off his Iowa State commitment on Sunday, Dec. 12, and that’s when the rumblings about him joining the UCF recruiting class really took off.

With Townsend in the fold for the Knights now, they have a big-time playmaker that fits the mold of current UCF wide receivers like Ryan O’Keefe and Jaylon Robinson.

BOOM!! @xtowns07 is a Knight!!#UCFirstCla22 #ChargeOn pic.twitter.com/HPorjgq37I
— Coach Gus Malzahn (@CoachGusMalzahn) December 15, 2021

Playing for Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep, Townsend has experience at running back, wide receiver, and as a return man. His natural side-to-side ability often leaves defenders grasping at air, and he’s very powerfully built for his 5’10”, 175-pound frame.

It’s incredible how many times Townsend ran through tacklers during the past few seasons, and many of those tacklers played along the defensive line.

Townsend possesses the ability to come to Orlando and make an impact for the Knights at slot receiver, running back, and even playing out wide as a receiver. He’s also a great fit for playing in the kickoff and punt return game.

Look for a full evaluation of Townsend later this week on Inside The Knights.

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