Opinion: 2023 UCF Recruiting Shows Program's Growth
Now that there’s been at least a little bit of time to reflect on the 2023 UCF recruiting class, I wanted to share my overall thoughts. Some of it is straight forward based on what’s happened, and then projections are mixed in as well.
*When looking at UCF’s recruiting efforts, in conjunction with how well the Knights have proven to add additional talent from the Transfer Portal, the roster has changed dramatically since head coach Gus Malzahn took over in 2021. From everything in this article, that’s the most important one. The talent has been upgraded, no question.
*The direction the UCF defensive line has gone must also be noted. As numerous college coaches (and NFL, too) have noted over the years, you cannot have enough defensive line talent and depth. UCF added three excellent defensive lineman in John Walker, Isaiah Nixon and Kaven Call.
A program must throw defensive linemen onto the field in waves. Having good starters is not nearly enough. That’s especially true during the latter stages of a college football season when players are hurt and worn out. Defensive line talent, and plenty of depth at that position as well, are major reasons why programs like Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson have been consistently in the College Football Playoff hunt since its beginning in 2014.
*Speed continues to be a focus. As noted in yesterday’s National Signing Day overview article, the speed UCF brought in will aid the Knights across the board. That’s imperative with competing in the Big 12 in 2023 and beyond.
*Malzahn and his staff continue to be selective. Football is a team sport. Having been around the vast majority of these young players that are coming to UCF, this is a coachable group that is willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the team.
*Adding Grant Reddick to what UCF signed last year with Colton Boomer, the Knights have as good a 1-2 punch at place kicker as any program in the country.
*The Knights are still a program that likes to develop prospects with high ceilings. Keyond Cox is a great example after he played his junior season at 230 pounds. He’s at 275 now, and plenty of room for more weight to be added via the strength and conditioning program. It might be a year or two, but Cox is the type of recruit that can develop into a starter for the Knights and possibly a NFL player.
*An instant impact recruit like Walker is obvious. He’s not alone. Look for tight end Randy Pittman, among others, to hit the field and make a contribution next fall.
*Looking at the Big 12 recruiting landscape and how some of the programs like Texas, Oklahoma, Baylor, and TCU are bringing in talent, UCF still needs to add even more prep talent moving forward; talking sheer numbers here. Signing 18-20 prep players would be great instead of 13-15, ideally speaking. Having Power 5 exposure will make that an option to coach Malzahn and his staff with the 2024 class, as well as each class afterwards.
*Of course the Transfer Portal is a major reason why the Knights are sometimes picky with prep prospects. It has worked well with improving the roster, so there’s no reason to abandon it completely.
That said, it’s going to be interesting to see how many Transfer Portal players UCF goes after in a few years, say 2025. Look for a bit of a shift and fewer Transfer Portal players than what’s been signed by the Knights the past few years.
*It’s great to see UCF mentioned with more and more big-time high school recruits. That’s already increased with the underclassmen ranks based on first-hand conversations I’ve had with players at seven-on-seven tournaments and various high school practices and games.
*In the future, look for UCF to be even more dominant with signing local talent.
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