3 ‘Impact’ UCF Recruits to Know
With the Under Armour All-American Game about to be played on Jan. 3, there’s a lot of attention on UCF signee John Walker. He’s a dude and that’s great.
He’s still not the only UCF recruit that’s likely to make an impact next fall. Here are three more recruits that should see significant minutes on the gridiron for the Knights.
Ja’Maric Morris, Cornerback, Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College
Size and experience, those two attributes should not be forgotten. UCF needs another cornerback to come in and compete with the returning group (and it’s a quality cornerback room) to keep pushing forward.
There’s nothing like competition. College coaches often talk off the record about needing to push veteran players to get the most out of them. That means bringing in more and more talent. Look at the teams winning big in college football.
Think Alabama’s Nick Saban cares if it ticks off a veteran player that he signed a five-star recruit? Two, perhaps, at that veteran’s same position?
Heck no. It’s the same for any Powre 5 college football coach, UCF’s Gus Malzahn included. They want competition to keep the program from becoming stagnant. Morris helps that initiative.
RELATED: Recruiting Trends: UF, FSU, Miami and UCF
Morris has shown the ability to play physically at the line of scrimmage and he can turn and run. That combination will allow him to play multiple places in the secondary, but boundary cornerback is where he’s likely to compete the most out of the gate.
Troy Ford, Jr., linebacker, Savannah (Ga.) Calvary Day School
As smart a player as this recruiting analyst scouted all of last season, Ford will find a way onto the football field. His anticipation is probably Ford’s best attribute, albeit debatable.
He shoots gaps and makes plays at or behind the line of scrimmage as much with knowing what’s coming as with his God-given ability. That’s impressive for a player coming out of the prep ranks.
Ford also has an old-school mentality with a physical penchant for punishment. He runs through the ball carrier. That fact alone will aid him to make multiple UCF special teams units. As for every-down linebacker play, there are chances there as well.
Against power teams, Ford will be a good fit to find his way into the rotation. He’s quite capable of banging with the big bodies inside the box and bringing down a running back. Do not discount his speed on the perimeter either.
Ford can run and cover some of the best prep running backs in the country and that’s going to carry over to the college level as well.
Randy Pittman, tight end, Panama City (Fla.) Mosley
Malzahn’s offense works best when he can utilize a variety of different types of tight ends. Pittman, with his ability to make plays after the catch like few other high school tight ends, adds a special dimension for the passing game of the Knights.
He’s quick enough to make defenders miss in space, and still likes to run over defenders as well. A good argument can be made that’s competing for major minutes by the end of fall camp, assuming he’s picking up the UCF play book.
One simply cannot teach Pittman’s natural ability.
As an extension of what he can do on the gridiron, finding different places to line him up to create mismatches. “In the hip” of the offensive tackle at H-back, split out like a receiver, and in the backfield, he can be in one-on-one situations with a linebacker. That’s a major advantage for the Knights.
Finally, with Pittman’s natural power, he could be a lead blocker from the fullback position. UCF has big-time talent at running back, and Pittman is another weapon to augment their talents.
There are a few other recruits that could certainly see the field next fall like Kaven Call (defensive end), Andrew Rumph (defensive line), or Jason Duclona (cornerback), among others. As always, practice and workout habits will dictate which recruits truly make the biggest impact for UCF.
Keep up with UCF News! Check out, like, and subscribe to Inside The Knights on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
