Knights continuing to build on strong start for 2021 class
UCF added another piece to its 2021 recruiting class with the commitment of defensive tackle Matthew Alexander.
The Knights have not been able to hit the road and burn up the recruiting trail because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped the coaching staff from building the foundation for a strong recruiting class.
Football programs have had to rely on videoconferencing, phone calls or Face Time meetings with high school recruits and their parents as the NCAA continues to extend recruiting dead periods to promote safety.
“It’s given you a lot more time to develop relationships with the recruits in terms of how you’ve been able to connect with them,” first-year UCF co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Alex Golesh said during a videoconference with reporters in May.
“The biggest selling point outside of the football program is the city of Orlando and the beautiful campus. There’s nothing like stepping your feet on campus and seeing it.”
The Knights have secured 11 commitments for their upcoming recruiting class, with the focus primarily on the receiver position.
Cameron Brady, a three-star prospect out of Arlington, Texas, leads a group of five receivers in the class. He’s joined by high school product Davis Mallinger (Melbourne), junior college standout Jaylon Griffin (Kilgore J.C.) and tight ends Nathan Boerboom (Chesapeake, Va.) and Charlie Browder (Arden, N.C.).
Golesh, who helped sign three tight ends in the 2020 class, has two commitments for 2021 in Boerboom and Browder.
Brady recorded 1,088 yards on 64 catches during the past two seasons for Lamar High while Mallinger totaled 744 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior for Viera High.
The Knights will lose much of their production at receiver with Otis Anderson, Marlon Williams, Tre Nixon, Jacob Harris, Kyle Benkel and Alex Harris entering the 2020 season as seniors. Ke’von Ahmad, Jarrad Baker and Amari Johnson are the only other UCF receivers with game-day experience.
The Knights suffered a blow with the loss of receiver Xavier Franks, a three-star prospect from Magee, Mississippi, who committed in May and later withdrew his commitment.
UCF received commitments from a pair of running backs in Lake Brantley’s Anthony Williams and Texas high school standout Cale Sanders. Williams ran for 870 yards and 11 touchdowns on 128 carries last season as a junior while Sanders rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns for New Caney High.
The pair are slated to join a running backs group that will have to fill the voids left by Anderson and Greg McCrae, who are seniors. Bentavious
Thompson, Trillion Coles and Damarius Good along with freshman Johnny Richardson all should be back to help.
The top prospect in the class is Cole Joyce, a three-star linebacker from Arkansas who has received a dozen offers, including from Arkansas State, Louisville, Houston and Hawaii. He would be the highest-ranked linebacker — according to 247Sports.com — the Knights have signed since Eriq Gilyard (8.791) in 2018.
Kadeem Leonard, who had offers from Army, Eastern Illinois and Howard, will join Joyce at the linebacker position.
The Knights defense also is counting on adding three-star cornerback Ronnie Hamrick II (Lilburn, Ga.), who received offers from Iowa State, Kansas, LSU and Minnesota before committing to UCF in May. The Knights have zeroed in on defensive backs as of late, signing six in the 2020 class.
Alexander, who also received offers from West Virginia, Arkansas, Washington State, Missouri and Memphis, could be the latest addition to the defensive front molded by defensive line coach Shane Burnham.
UCF’s 2021 class ranks fourth among American Athletic Conference teams and No. 64 overall, according to the latest 247Sports rankings.
The Knights’ 2020 class with 20 signees was ranked No. 74 nationally.