UCF Flips Four-Star Quarterback Away From James Madison, Fending Off Missouri
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The UCF Knights flipped four-star quarterback Rocco Marriott on Saturday ahead of their final home game of the season, according to Rivals' Hayes Fawcett.
Marriott was initially offered by the Knights back on Oct. 20, and ended up accepting it while he was on an official visit to UCF during its senior weekend. He was present in the Acrisure Bounce House when the Knights escaped Oklahoma State on Saturday evening, 17-14.
BREAKING: Four-Star QB Rocco Marriott has Flipped his Commitment from JMU to UCF, he tells me for @rivals⁰⁰The 6’4 220 QB from Platte City, MO had been Committed to the Dukes since May⁰⁰“AGTG. Orlando let’s work!!”⁰⁰https://t.co/DMZqTPweto pic.twitter.com/IJ5MkIf9oo
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) November 22, 2025
Marriott, rated a four-star according to 247Sports Composite, initially committed to James Madison back in May. He is rated as the 22nd-highest rated quarterback of the class of 2026 and the fourth-best recruit out of the state of Missouri, where he plays for Platte County High School in the Kansas City metro area.
Allen Trieu, National Recruiting Analyst for 247Sports, said Marriott reminded him of former Duke quarterback Riley Leonard. He was a "good athlete who can run and make plays with his feet," "throws with touch and gives receivers a chance to make plays on the ball," and "decisive with his reads."
Trieu also wrote that Marriott still needs to add strength and velocity, plus implement some mechanical clean-ups.
The move had ripple effects in the Knights' recruiting class. A few hours following Marriott's flip, Fawcett reported that three-star quarterback Kane Archer of Greenwood High School in Arkansas decommitted from UCF after committing to the school back on April 29.
BREAKING: Class of 2026 QB Kane Archer has Decommitted from UCF, he tells me for @rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) November 22, 2025
The 6’1 210 QB from Greenwood, AR had been Committed to the Knights since April
He currently holds a total of 25 offershttps://t.co/SewhdPhFAP pic.twitter.com/zQvhSXeQ2Y
Marriott is the son of Jeff Marriott, a defensive end who spent five years at Missouri before getting drafted in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. The Tigers made a late push for Marriott, offering him a scholarship on Nov. 9, two days after he officially visited the school. However, it did not persuade him to flip his commitment from James Madison, something UCF ultimately convinced him to do during his visit to Orlando.
His first opportunity to officially sign with the Knights is during the NCAA's Early Signing Day period from Dec. 3-5.
However, before that, Marriott is trying to lead his high school to a second straight state title on top of an undefeated season. His team, the Platte County Pirates, has already made it to the state semifinals and is slated to face Kirkwood High School next Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.
Catch up on more UCF news below:
Three Key Takeaways From UCF's Close Senior Knight Win Over Oklahoma State
UCF Honors Its Seniors Ahead Of Oklahoma State Game
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Bryson Turner is a sports journalist who covers UCF Athletics. Turner has contributed to the Black and Gold Banneret, the home for UCF Athletics on SB Nation. He has called the Orlando area home since the age of 8 and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from UCF.
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