Navigating the UCF Knights' Roster Overhaul: A Comprehensive Transfer Portal Tracker

The landscape of college football is ever-changing, and the UCF Knights are no exception. Following a 4-8 season in the Big 12 Conference and the departure of head coach Gus Malzahn, the Knights are actively reshaping their roster through the transfer portal. This article serves as a comprehensive tracker, detailing both incoming and outgoing players, providing insights into the team's strategic moves for the upcoming season under the leadership of new head coach Scott Frost.

The Transfer Portal Window and Coaching Changes

The transfer portal has become a significant mechanism for roster management in college football. In the case of UCF, the Knights got early access to a 30-day transfer window. The transfer portal for the rest of college football opened Dec. 9 and runs until Dec. 28. Following a disappointing 4-8 campaign, their second in the Big 12 Conference, the Knights will see movement in both directions. Some players from their 2024 roster already announced intentions to seek new homes. UCF will attempt to improve through experienced additions, too. Keep tabs on that traffic with the News-Journal's UCF transfer tracker.

Key Additions to the UCF Knights

The Knights have been proactive in securing talent through the transfer portal, addressing needs across various positions. Here's a detailed look at the incoming players:

Quarterbacks:

Tayven Jackson (Redshirt Junior, Indiana): A dual-threat quarterback with two years of eligibility remaining. He appeared in 13 games for the Hoosiers in 2023 and 2024. He completed 101 of his 165 throws for 1,263 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions. Jackson started one game last fall, leading Indiana to a victory over Washington in October. The four-star recruit from the Class of 2022 will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Cam Fancher (Redshirt Senior, Florida Atlantic): Fancher has one year of eligibility left, having played 34 games at Marshall and FAU. The left-hander's career completion percentage sits at 60.6%, totaling 5,294 passing yards with 27 touchdowns compared to 23 interceptions. On the ground, he has added 1,122 yards (3.4 per carry) with eight scores. UCF had just two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster before signing Fancher, Dylan Rizk and Jacurri Brown.

Running Backs:

Jaden Nixon (Redshirt Junior, Western Michigan): Nixon spent three seasons as a backup running back and kick returner in the Big 12 at Oklahoma State before finding his way to Western Michigan before last season. In Kalamazoo, he broke out. He rushed for 919 yards, averaging 6.4 yards per carry and scoring 12 touchdowns. He was a three-star recruit in the Class of 2021 and has one year of eligibility remaining. Nixon is the cousin of NFL legend Adrian Peterson.

Wide Receivers:

Duane Thomas Jr. (Sophomore, Charlotte): A Miami Gardens native and two-time FHSAA state champion at Chaminade-Madonna, Thomas (5-8, 175) caught 30 passes in 20 career games for Charlotte, totaling 307 yards and one touchdown. He specializes out of the slot, lining up there for 78.4% of his 310 offensive snaps with the 49ers.
Marcus Burke (Redshirt Junior, Florida): Billy Napier spoke highly of Burke (6-3, 197) last spring, and the Jacksonville native made six starts for the Gators in the fall. He made seven receptions for 69 yards and his first two college touchdowns, one apiece in wins over Mississippi State and Florida State. Burke logged a career-high 212 offensive snaps and drew 18 targets.
DJ Black (Junior, Limestone): After walking on at the University of South Carolina as a freshman in 2022, Black (6-3, 195) spent the past two years at Limestone University, a Division II school in Gaffney, South Carolina. He made five catches for 121 yards in 2023 and broke out in 2024. Across six games last fall, Black recorded 26 receptions for 541 yards and seven touchdowns.
Ric'Darious Farmer (Freshman, West Virginia): Just over a year after flipping out of the Knights' signing class as a senior at Melbourne Central Catholic, Farmer (5-11, 165) transferred back closer to home in response to West Virginia's coaching change. He caught six passes for 54 yards as a true freshman, adding two carries for 6 yards and a 21-yard kick return. Pro Football Focus charted the consensus four-star recruit for 100 offensive snaps, lining up in the slot on 58 of his 60 routes run.

Tight Ends:

Elijah Brown (Redshirt Junior, Florida Atlantic): A consensus top-300 recruit from Dayton, Ohio, Brown (6-6, 250) began his college career at Alabama. He's spent the last two seasons at FAU, where he earned one start in 2024 and hauled in a 22-yard reception against Charlotte. Brown earned solid marks as a blocker from Pro Football Focus, and he arrives with two years of eligibility remaining.
Dylan Wade (Sophomore, Maryland): An Orlando native is returning home. Wade graduated from Jones High School in 2023 and suited up for the Terrapins the last two years. He broke out in 2024, producing 29 catches for 374 yards and two touchdowns. The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Offensive Line:

Carter Miller (Junior, Louisiana-Monroe): New offensive line coach Shawn Clark should know plenty about Miller (6-2, 300) from their respective Sun Belt days; Miller spent the previous two seasons at James Madison and ULM while Clark was the head coach at Appalachian State. Miller has made 20 starts - eight at left guard, 12 at center - and has two seasons of eligibility left. Per PFF, he had a 76.7 pass block grade and 59.4 run block grade in 714 snaps during the 2024 campaign. Miller previously committed to Colorado and was expected to follow offensive line coach Phil Loadholt to Mississippi State before signing with the Knights.
Justin Royes (Sophomore, Virginia Union): The Knights welcome Royes from Division II Virginia Union University. He made 20 starts across two seasons with the program, both resulting in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association titles. Royes stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 310 pounds. He possesses two years of eligibility.
Jakiah Leftwich (Redshirt Junior, North Carolina): Leftwich joins his third school in three years by signing with UCF. The 6-foot-6, 310-pound offensive tackle began his college career at Georgia Tech, where he started eight games across his redshirt freshman and redshirt sophomore seasons. He spent last fall at North Carolina, appearing in nine games with one start. Leftwich, originally a three-star recruit from Atlanta, has one year of eligibility left.
Preston Cushman (Redshirt Sophomore, Ole Miss): Coming out of Calvary Christian High School in Clearwater, Florida, Cushman (6-foot-5, 305 pounds) was a three-star recruit. He appeared in six games for Ole Miss across the 2022 and 2023 seasons. In 2024, he played in every game, mostly on special teams. He has tackle and guard versatility and two years of eligibility remaining.
Gaard Memmelaar (Junior, Washington): Memmelaar (6-4, 315) has a fitting given name considering he started 11 games at left guard for the Huskies this fall. He logged 520 snaps, posting a 66.3 grade in pass protection and a 53.5 run blocking grade according to Pro Football Focus. Memmelaar, who allowed nine QB pressures and was called for two penalties, could have multiple years of eligibility after missing the entire 2023 season - in which Washington reached the College Football Playoff's national championship game - due to a torn ACL suffered in fall camp.

Linebackers:

Cole Kozlowski (Junior, Colgate): An All-Patriot League selection in his first season as a full-time starter, Kozlowski (6-2, 230) led the conference with 133 tackles, adding eight TFLs, 3½ sacks, one forced fumble and one interception. Per Pro Football Focus, Kozlowski logged a team-high 750 snaps and was Colgate's second-highest graded defender with strong marks against the run (73.6), as a blitzer (75.7) and in coverage (77.6).
Lewis Carter (Sophomore, Oklahoma): UCF made Carter's top three during his high school recruitment; he was a consensus four-star athlete and top-200 prospect. Carter (6-0, 224) appeared in all 26 games for the Sooners across the past two seasons, and he set new career-highs in 2024 with 23 tackles (18 solo), two TFLs, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. In 126 defensive snaps, Carter produced a 76.8 PFF grade, including an 87.1 mark against the run. He reunites with his former head coach at Tampa Catholic, Jeris McIntyre - UCF's director of high school relations and recruiting analyst.
Keli Lawson (Redshirt Junior, Virginia Tech): Lawson played 36 career games for the Hokies. After arriving in Blacksburg as a wide receiver, the 6-foot-6, 220-pounder converted to linebacker. He made 144 tackles, including 40 in 2024. His best season came in 2023, when he earned an All-ACC Honorable Mention nod, making 80 stops with 2½ sacks and an interception. He has one year of eligibility left.
Phil Picciotti (Redshirt Freshman, Oklahoma): Though he calls Perkasie, Pennsylvania, home, Picciotti (6-3, 245) finished his high school career at IMG Academy in Bradenton. The consensus three-star linebacker was recruited to Oklahoma by Ted Roof, who had an eight-game tenure as UCF's defensive coordinator in 2024 before being relieved of duties by Gus Malzahn. Picciotti should have four years of eligibility left after missing each of the last two seasons due to injury. He also visited North Carolina this week before choosing the Knights.

Defensive Line:

Sincere Edwards (Freshman, Pittsburgh): At one point, Apopka native Edwards was UCF's first commit in the 2024 cycle; he remained firm with the Knights for 10 months before flipping to Pitt. In his lone season for the Panthers, he registered 17 tackles, six TFLs, three sacks and four quarterback hurries. He earned solid marks as a run stopper (73.5) and a pass rusher (69.0) across 349 defensive snaps.
Horace Lockett Jr. (Redshirt Sophomore, Georgia Tech): Lockett provided a big presence at 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds. He did not suit up for the Yellow Jackets last fall after a hand injury. As a redshirt freshman in 2023, he logged 270 defensive snaps and recorded 25 tackles (2½ for loss). He emerged from Westlake High School in Atlanta as a three-star prospect in the class of 2022.
R.J. Jackson Jr. (Sophomore, Tulsa): Jackson (6-3, 282) played nine games as a true freshman in 2023, and enjoyed a breakout season as a sophomore with 35 total tackles, four TFLs and three sacks. He played the most snaps (467) for any Tulsa interior defensive lineman and generated the second-most total pressures (21), per Pro Football Focus. He has two years of eligibility remaining, and provides crucial depth to an immediate position of need.

Defensive Backs:

Jyaire Brown (Junior, LSU): Brown (5-11, 177) brings Power Four pedigree to Orlando. He spent two seasons with Ohio State before transferring to LSU ahead of 2024. He has played sparingly, though. At Ohio State, Brown appeared in a career-high nine games as a freshman in 2022, tallying eight tackles. As a sophomore, he suited up four times, with one tackle. At LSU in 2024, he played in three games and produced three tackles. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Jayden Bellamy (Redshirt Sophomore, Syracuse): Bellamy (5-11, 180) reunites with Jaeden Gould, a childhood friend and teammate in Pop Warner, at Bergen Catholic High School in New Jersey and at Syracuse. Gould committed to UCF on Dec. 26, one day before Bellamy. Bellamy originally enrolled at Notre Dame in 2022 and redshirted. He spent the last two years at Syracuse. The results: 22 appearances, 66 tackles and three interceptions. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Jaeden Gould (Redshirt Sophomore, Syracuse): Gould will dive into his third of the four power conferences with UCF. He previously played one year at Nebraska in the Big Ten and the last two seasons for Syracuse in the ACC. After redshirting with the Cornhuskers, he made 22 appearances with the Orange. He racked up 30 tackles with one interception. The 6-foot-2, 209-pounder has two years of eligibility remaining.
Phillip Dunnam (Junior, Florida Atlantic): Dunnam (6-1, 190) will join his third college program, previously making stops at Indiana for two years and Florida Atlantic in 2024. After playing sparingly as a freshman, the Miami Beach native came on as a sophomore, with 12 appearances and seven starts for the Hoosiers. He turned those into 53 tackles and three interceptions. Last fall, in Boca Raton, he posted similar numbers - 56 tackles and three sacks.
DJ Bell (Redshirt Sophomore, Memphis): Pensacola native Bell (6-2, 180) registered a career-high five pass breakups with one interception in his third year at Memphis. PFF issued Bell a coverage grade of 71.8 this season as opposing quarterbacks completed 12 of 28 passes for 205 yards and zero touchdowns with him as the nearest defender. Bell, who has two years of eligibility remaining, also made 16 tackles and started twice on the boundary (against Charlotte and UTSA).
Isaiah Reed (Senior, Brown): One of the top defenders in the Ivy League, Tampa native Reed (6-0, 185) fielded offers from nearly half the Big 12 in the portal and took a previous visit to Texas Tech. In 34 games for Brown, Reed recorded 148 tackles (109 solo), nine TFLs, seven interceptions and 34 pass breakups. According to PFF, Reed maintained a coverage grade of 80.0 or higher in each of the last three seasons, including his injury-shortened 2024 campaign.
Brandon Jacob (Freshman, Maryland): UCF pursued Evans High grad Jacob (6-1, 192) until the very end of his recruitment last year, but he chose to sign instead with Maryland. He played in eight games for the Terrapins, logging 120 defensive snaps, including 62 at free safety. In coverage, according to PFF, Jacob allowed four receptions on eight targets for 75 yards. With starting safeties Quadric Bullard, Sheldon Arnold and Ladarius Tennison all out of eligibility, Jacob could play a big role right away.

Key Departures from the UCF Knights

The transfer portal is a two-way street, and UCF has also seen several players depart for new opportunities. Notable departures include:

Reece Adkins (Redshirt Senior, Tight End): After four seasons at Eastern Kentucky, Adkins transferred to UCF last winter. He did not appear in a game for the Knights before entering the portal Sunday morning.
Matthew Alexander (Redshirt Junior, Defensive Tackle): Alexander's snap count increased in each of the last three seasons, and he has consistently graded out positively as a run defender. He made 35 tackles for the Knights this year with four tackles for loss and one pass breakup.
Jack Bernstein (Redshirt Sophomore, Long Snapper): Bernstein took over long snapping duties for the final nine games of his freshman season at Georgia State (2022), but he was stuck behind Gage King and Aidan Fedigan on UCF's depth chart.
Colton Boomer (Junior, Kicker): Boomer impressed as a walk-on in 2022, taking the job in mid-September and making 14 of 15 field-goal attempts. He earned Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors the following year at Boise State, hitting two kicks of 50-plus yards and a walk-off 40-yarder as time expired. But injuries and inconsistency marred his tenure from there. He missed his last three attempts as a Knight, having a pair blocked versus TCU.
Kaven Call (Sophomore, Defensive End): Call suited up for all 13 games as a true freshman, making one tackle, and exited spring camp as an expected starter. However, he elected to redshirt after the TCU game. In an open letter posted to social media, Call stated that Ross Newton, the program's chief of staff and interim linebackers coach, said he would be kicked off the team for redshirting. Gus Malzahn addressed the claim in November, saying, "I've only kicked off one person since I've been here, and that was because of an arrest. We wish (Call) nothing but the best."
EJ Colson (Freshman, Quarterback): Colson took to social media and announced his desire to leave an hour after the Knights' season finale against Utah. A three-star prospect, Colson was originally a member of UCF's 2025 recruiting class, but he reclassified to 2024 and enrolled in June at age 17. He appeared in three games (one start) this fall. He completed nine of his 16 passes for 64 yards and one touchdown.
Wes Dorsey (Redshirt Senior, Offensive Tackle): Dorsey started 17 games the previous two seasons at Western Kentucky but never cracked the rotation with the Knights. Paul Rubelt won the job at right tackle in fall camp, limiting Dorsey to just 33 snaps before he redshirted.
Demari Henderson (Junior, Safety): Henderson missed the entire 2024 season due to a knee injury, but produced some memorable performances the year prior. In UCF's 45-3 blowout win over then-No. 15 Oklahoma State, Henderson was recognized as Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week after recording two picks and a fumble recovery. The All-Big 12 honorable mention finished his sophomore campaign with 45 tackles (29 solo) and six takeaways.
Ja'Cari Henderson (Redshirt Sophomore, Cornerback): Henderson played a career-high nine games in his third year with the program, registering 13 tackles. According to Pro Football Focus' metrics, Henderson allowed nine receptions on 10 targets for 183 yards with one touchdown and two penalties.
Antione Jackson (Sophomore, Cornerback): Jackson joined UCF after spending his freshman year at East Carolina, and he had 13 tackles, one interception and four pass breakups across 10 games. Targeted 21 times in coverage, Jackson allowed 16 receptions for 345 yards and four touchdowns, according to PFF.
Chasen Johnson (Freshman, Cornerback): Johnson impressed immediately in his debut spring camp and finished the season as a starter. Per PFF, Johnson played 452 defensive snaps, allowing 17 receptions on 29 targets for 186 yards and two touchdowns. He made 18 tackles (14 solo) and registered two pass breakups.
Nyjalik Kelly (Junior, Defensive End): Joining the Knights in the summer from Miami, Kelly played all 12 games for the first time in his college career. He was UCF's most disruptive edge rusher, leading the team with 5½ sacks and tying All-Big 12 second-team defensive tackle Lee Hunter for the team lead with 9½ TFLs.
Caden Kitler (Redshirt Sophomore, Center): Herb Hand's first interior offensive line signee, Kitler made 13 starts at center over the last two seasons (11 in 2024). Per PFF, Kitler was the Knights' highest-rated pass blocker (79.9) among the starting five, allowing nine pressures across 321 passing plays.
Derrick LeBlanc (Redshirt Freshman, Defensive Tackle): A four-star recruit out of nearby Osceola High School, LeBlanc originally enrolled at Oklahoma in January of 2023. He transferred to UCF just five months later. He played in one game for the Knights - the Gasparilla Bowl against Georgia Tech last December - and recorded one tackle. He did not make an appearance this season.
Marcellus Marshall (Redshirt Senior, Guard): Marshall was named one of UCF's team captains in August, along with KJ Jefferson, RJ Harvey and Ethan Barr. He played 1,571 snaps across two seasons, seeing time at four of the five O-line spots. Prior to arriving at UCF, he manned left tackle at Kent State and earned All-MAC honors.
Kam Moore (Junior, Linebacker): The younger brother of former UCF cornerback Brandon Moore, Kam appeared in 21 games and registered 21 tackles (12 solo) in his first two campaigns. He added two tackles in this year's opener against New Hampshire, though he saw nine defensive snaps.
Tyree Patterson (Redshirt Freshman, Wide Receiver): The nephew of UCF Hall of Famer Joe Burnett, Patterson played in three games during the 2023 season but did not appear in any this fall. The Eustis native will look to record his first college reception at his next stop.
Xavier Townsend (Junior, Wide Receiver): Townsend was, unquestionably, the biggest loss for the Knights among their in-season transfers. UCF sorely lacked the Tampa native's burst in the slot and explosiveness in the return game. He tallied 66 career receptions for 521 yards and scored five touchdowns in 29 outings.
Bryon Threats (Senior, Safety): Threats protected his eligibility after playing a season-high 42 snaps in UCF's loss to Colorado, a surprise to teammates and position coaches alike. The Cincinnati transfer had seven tackles, including six solos and one for loss.
William Wells (Senior, Safety): A veteran of 33 UCF games, Wells became a key reserve during the 2022-23 seasons, during which he had 20 tackles and a forced fumble.

Addressing Defensive Concerns

For all the accolades that the UCF Knights’ rushing offense got last year, the defense and the run game had the same volume of attention for all the wrong reasons. With the focus for the team’s improvement set on stopping the run, the defensive line has plenty of good and bad to address. The good news is the defensive tackles are once again the best position group on that side of the ball. While this may be counter-intuitive to a team that had struggles stopping the run, the Knights’ defensive tackle coach Kenny Martin talked about what a joy it is coaching his talent corps of Ricky Barber, Lee Hunter, John Walker, and Matthew Alexander who average 310 lbs.

“Those guys as a unit - it’s like coaching from a rocking chair honestly,” said Martin. “Those guys are really good at what they do. They treat everything like professionals, they’re trying to be pros, and they’re really trying to stack days every single day. Those guys are really good and I love coming to work every day with those guys”.

For all the upgrades made via transfer in the linebacker corps, it’s the defensive tackles’ role to hold blocks so backers can make the one-on-one tackles against Big 12 running backs for the offense to return to the field. However, within the mantra of stopping the outside run, the defensive ends come into play. This is the portion of the defensive line that draws concern since both of 2023’s starters in Josh Celiscar and Tre’mon Morris-Brash have departed. However, Malachi Lawrence has been stepping into the leadership role nicely among the ends.

As a rotational player, Lawrence still accounted for 7.5 sacks with 10.5 tackles for loss. As a 2024 starter and team captain, he made his approach as a leader by example clear. “I try to be more of a vocal leader now, but I like to show my leadership, “ said Lawrence. “Not messing up in practice; no mistakes is really the kind of leadership role that I like to take - the little things, detailing on those. . . “. Dylan Dotson, Nyjalik Kelly, and Kaven Call will all compete to be opposite Lawrence or contribute as rotational players on the edge. Lawrence’s promotion to the top guy at the position represents a small change in philosophy featuring speed more than power as Celiscar was known for. Weighing 20 pounds less than his predecessor, Lawrence may not turn the same sack numbers, but he will be in place to contain outside runs and escaping mobile quarterbacks. If he has more tackles for loss than last year, that would be an indicator that the goal of containing the outside run up front was better executed in the 2024 season.

If stopping the run is achieved, some of UCF’s close losses last year could turn into convincing victories this year.

Read also: UF: An In-Depth Look

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