The UCF Knights have turned the page on the recruiting class of 2023 and have begun to heavily recruit the class of 2024.
This upcoming recruiting haul will be quite important for head coach Gus Malzahn and the Knights as they sojourn to the Big 12 Conference. Even more talent will be needed across the board.
For this UCF recruiting class, running back, offensive line, and linebacker are three likely positions for the Knights to hit hard. The Knights did not sign a running back in the prior class, only signed two offensive lineman, and only one linebacker with Troy Ford, Jr.
Additionally, once the 2024 class has concluded, look for UCF to have once again made a concerted effort to sign as many of the top prospects from the state of Florida as possible. That's been a major priority from the classes of 2022 and 2023, and that trend will continue moving forward.
Inside The Knights will update this page often, so check back often and bookmark this page as Gus Malzahn and UCF add talent to the roster.
Jan. 30
Article photo: Fred Gaskin of Ocala (Fla.) Vanguard / South Florida Express; credit Brian Smith.
For UCF football, one of the benefits of being a part of the greater Orlando community would be access to recruits via seven-on-seven tournaments.
This past weekend, Pylon brought its tournament to Austin-Tindall Sports Complex in Kissimmee, which is roughly 45 minutes to an hour from the UCF campus. The number of teams that went over to see UCF was even more than Inside The Knightsoriginally anticipated.
Cam Newton, South Florida Express, and 24K, just those three teams alone, that's probably over 40 Power 5 prospects; it should be considered a conservative total as well.
So exactly how does this benefit head coach Gus Malzahn and the Knights? First off, it's familiarity. The more times these young men come to UCF and learn about the Knights, the more likely they will be end up signing with the Knights.
That's not only 2024 prospects either. There are underclassmen with these organizations, too.
For instance, UCF has been going after 2025 running back Taevion Swint very hard. He was a part of the trip over to UCF to see everything and be a part of all the photos and fun that took place during the unofficial visit.
Swint had been to the UCF campus prior to this past Saturday, but it was another shot for the Knights to get to know him better, and vice versa.
Because of the numerous programs that came over to UCF, look for a wider range of prospects to eventually take official visits with the Knights. It's a tremendous advantage.
To that point, UCF gained a commitment from Samarian Robinson while he was on a visit with Tigh Action, a team playing at Pylon. He's one of the best linebackers in Florida. Look for the Knights to continue to host as many seven-on-seven teams as they can.
Jan. 23
When looking for the total package of physical skills, proven playmaking ability, and a prospect that understands the importance of academics, it would be hard to bet against Clearwater (Fla.) High School safety Jarvis Boatwright, Jr.
He’s been on the recruiting radar for a couple of years. Those points are also part of the reasons he’s earned offers from programs across Dixie and the nation. UCF made an offer to him as well and look to be in contention for his services.
Boatwright dropped that top five list yesterday. As the Knights continue to build their football program through recruiting local talent more than any other part of the country, finding a way to land players like Boatwright will continue to be imperative for the future won-loss records that Knights end with. He’s a proven big-time player.
Boatwright's lateral quickness, in particular, made him an obvious Power 5 prospect even before he was a sophom*ore in high school. Boatwright has shown to be a hitter, too. Look for him to do quite well no matter which college football program he decides to sign with.
Jan. 17
One of the priorities for the upcoming 2024 recruiting class will be adding even more size to the interior of the defensive line. Well, UCF certainly went that direction with the following offer to Artavius Jones.
Jones was actually mentioned a few days ago in this same running article. He's a big-bodied defensive lineman, yes, but also one that moves like a young man that's closer to 230 or 240 pounds when he's out in space.
He regularly caught passes for Bountstown (Fla.) High School, which is located southwest of Tallahassee.
He's new to the game of football, as he noted the following to Inside The Knights, "I definitely need to work off season because this is my first time playing defensive line, I literally started playing football last year."
In the scouting world, the above comments by Jones make him a high-ceiling recruit, i.e. a player that's just now starting to tap into what he can eventually become.
When asked which schools were already recruiting him, Jones replied with, "FAU , Alabama state, Maryland, Jackson state and FSU. Thats about it."
All of those schools except Florida State have offered him a scholarship already.
While Jones has not been ranked highly by the usual suspects like 247, On3, etc., you can bank it that he's a prospect on the rise. Big-time talent that now has an offer from the Knights.
Jan. 16
The UCF football program has done a commendable job of recruiting the greater Orlando area, i.e. “State of Orlando,” as head coach Gus Malzahn has liked to call it. UCF has also been working on another area of the state of Florida as well.
With the hiring of linebackers coach Ernie Sims, a player that grew up in the state’s capitol, Tallahassee has already become a priority for the Knights. It’s a great area for talent, so it made sense for Sims and the UCF staff to really begin to dig into Tallahassee and recruit the top talent.
Here are a couple of the offers UCF extended in recent days besides the already highlighted Samarian Robinson, profiled yesterday:
Ashton Hampton, DB/WR, Tallahassee (Fla.) University School
Additional offers from Louisville, Florida State, Clemson, Miami, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State, among others.
The Knights have been continuing the trend of long and athletic defensive backs coming to play for UCF, and Hampton would be more of the same 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds.
Macahi Danzy, ATH, Tallahassee (Fla.) University School
Much like his teammate Hampton, Danzy has the length college coaches have long since coveted. He’s listed at 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, and he’s a track athlete as well.
He played mostly running back this past season. The long strider was a big-play threat every time he touched the football. The potential for him to play running back, wide receiver or in the defensive secondary are all there. Tremendous athlete.
Besides UCF, Danzy earned offers from Florida State, Georgia, Mississippi State, Coastal Carolina, Michigan State, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State, just to name a few.
Overall, it’s great to see UCF continue to push for top talent across Florida and even in enemy territory near Florida State University.
Jan. 15
The Knights offered a player from northern Florida, linebacker Samarian Robinson. The players in the Florida Panhandle do not always receive the attention they deserve, but Robinson will likely be an exception.
Playing for Tallahassee (Fla.) Lincoln, one of the most historically successful programs from the state of Florida, Robinson has played against his fair share of talented opposition.
Watching Robinson’s film, he provided some old-school linebacker qualities. He powered through several ball carriers. Direct shots that drove an opposing runner backwards. It’s not surprising considering his overall frame and athleticism.
He checks the boxes for a linebacker with his measurables: height, hitting power, and speed. In particular, for a 6-foot-3 and 215-pound inside linebacker, Robinson did a good job of reaching the perimeter to make tackles during screen passes and runs to the perimeter, much like this play.
UCF linebackers coach Ernie Sims also hailed from Tallahassee during his prep days, having played for North Florida Christian. He was a player that was well known for his hitting power and ability to run sideline to sideline before going on to Florida State and the National Football League.
Thus, it’s not surprising that one of the first linebacker offers that coach Sims made for UCF was to a player from his home area and one with some of the similar traits he possessed.
Besides his offer from UCF, Robinson has also earned offers from Louisville, USF and Florida A&M. That list will likely soon change as Robinson’s film circulates and more and more college coaches stop by Lincoln High School to learn about him and his teammates.
The Lincoln linebacker has a lot of upside and Robinson will be a recruit on the rise.
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