Five Players From UCF That Florida State Should Monitor

Florida State officially has its next offensive coordinator in the fold after announcing the hire of Gus Malzahn on Monday. Malzahn joins the Seminoles after four years as the head coach at UCF, where he compiled a 28-24 record and guided the Knights through their move to the Big 12 Conference. The veteran coach has a wealth of experience and a prior relationship with head coach Mike Norvell.

With the departure of Malzahn, players at UCF have a 30-day window to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal and explore other options. That coincides with the traditional opening of the winter window on December 9, which will span a total of 20 days.

There are plenty of players on UCF's roster that could help Florida State rebound in 2025. These are five Knights who we think the Seminoles should pursue if they decide to transfer.

1. Lee Hunter, Defensive Lineman

Hunter signed with Auburn in 2021 when Malzahn was the head coach and followed him to UCF. He's spent four years at the college level and could very well enter the NFL Draft, If not, maybe Hunter will want to follow Malzahn to a third program. He's recorded 114 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, four sacks, and a pass deflection over the past two seasons.

The Alabama native visited Florida State in high school which means there is some type of familiarity with head coach Mike Norvell. Hunter played over 500 snaps at UCF this past season and graded out at a career-best 77.0, including a team-best 80.3 run defense grade, per PFF. Hunter stands at 6-foot-4, 320 pounds and has one season of eligibility remaining at the college level.

2. Randy Pittman, Tight End

This name probably rings a bell because Pittman was committed to Florida State for well over a year. He ended up moving on from the class ahead of his senior season and ultimately ended up at UCF. He appeared in all 13 games for the Knights during his first season on campus. Pittman's role expanded significantly this past season as he's played the fifth-most snaps on offense (747) and finished second on the team in receiving with 32 catches for 416 yards and two scores.

Considering the prior relationship, this makes a lot of sense. Plus, Florida State needs reinforcements in the tight end room. The Seminoles have a promising young trio in Landen Thomas, Amaree Williams, and Chase Loftin but they could use more quality bodies with how important the position is in Norvell's offense. Per PFF, his blocking grade (72.2) is much higher than any tight end currently on the roster.

3. Caden Kitler, Offensive Lineman

For the first time in basically half a decade, Florida State has to find a new starting center with Maurice Smith exhausting his eligibility. There aren't many clear answers in the offensive line room. Jacob Rizy and Andre' Otto have the capability to step into the role but the Seminoles might want to find a more experienced option instead.

Kitler is coming off his third year at UCF and he stepped into a full-time starting role, manning the center spot in 11 games. He was one of six players on the Knights' offense to play over 700 snaps. Kitler had an average PFF grade (68.1) and is somewhat undersized at 6-foot-3, 295 pounds. Still, he would've ranked as the second-best offensive lineman on FSU's roster in 2024.

The Texas native already has a wealth of knowledge playing in Gus Malzahn's offense. He's expected to have two seasons of eligibility remaining and entered the portal a few days ago.

4. Nyjalik Kelly, Defensive End

Another familiar name, Kelly was pledged to the Seminoles for about eight months before re-opening his recruitment. He signed with the Miami Hurricanes, spending two years with the program and appearing in 17 games. Kelly transferred to UCF this past offseason, putting together a career year with the Knights.

Kelly totaled 53 tackles, ten tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and one pass deflection. He led the team in sacks and was the second-highest-graded player on defense (78.6) while playing 576 snaps. Kelly had a higher PFF grade than any defender on Florida State's roster.

Relationships could be beneficial here if Kelly enters the portal once again. The Seminoles have a good portion of the same staff in Tallahassee as when the Florida native was pledged to the program a few years ago. Kelly has one season of eligibility remaining.

5. Malachi Lawrence, Defensive End

Lawrence could be another option as a potential pass-rusher addition to Florida State's roster. With Sione Lolohea graduating and the futures of Patrick Payton and Marvin Jones Jr. unclear at this time, a veteran transfer with some juice makes a lot of sense. Lawrence started in ten of his appearances at UCF in 2024.

The 6-foot-4, 250-pound edge-rusher ranked top-10 on the team in snaps this season and had a 70.9 pass-rushing grade. Lawrence has totaled 42 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and two pass deflections over the last two years. He posted a career-high two sacks in a win against Arizona in November.

The Seminoles might be looking for a more consistent transfer but Lawrence only has one year of eligbility remaining and could be utilized situationally as a defensive lineman or linebacker in the 3-3-5.

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