Meet The 2026 UCF Knights: Countdown To Kickoff - No. 26 Duke Watson and Elijah Keys

Welcome to UCF Knights on SI's countdown to kickoff!

In this series, we are going to introduce you to every single player on the 2026 UCF football roster so that you can know what to expect from them or even pinpoint the ones you want to follow throughout the coming season. We are going to go through the Knights' roster in reverse jersey-number order, with the day each player's entry is published corresponding to the number of days remaining until UCF's season-opener on Sep. 3 at 7 p.m. against Bethune-Cookman.

For this entry, we have two players with the same jersey number. So, with 26 days to go, let's meet UCF running back Duke Watson and defensive back Elijah Keys:

Who is Duke Watson?
What did Watson do last season?
What role is Watson going to have in 2026?
Who is Elijah Keys?
What did Keys do last season?
What role is Keys going to have in 2026?

1. Who is Duke Watson?

Position: Running Back

Class: Junior

Height/Weight: 5-foot-11 / 185 pounds

Hometown: Forsyth, Georgia

High School: Mary Persons High School

A self-described "fast" and "physical" running back, Duke Watson arrives in Orlando after two seasons with Louisville. The Georgia native made an early impression in his true freshman season, averaging 8.9 yards per carry and scoring seven touchdowns.

2. What did Watson do last season?

Louisville Cardinals running back Duke Watson (26) runs the ball against the Pittsburgh Panthers. — Sep 27, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Louisville Cardinals running back Duke Watson (26) runs the ball against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Watson was limited by injuries last season with Louisville. However, he still started in one of the seven games he played. He rushed 49 times for 158 yards and a touchdown and caught six passes for 49 yards and a touchdown.

3. What role is Watson going to have in 2026?

Following an April 24 practice session, UCF running backs coach Jimmy Beal called Watson "a slasher," and that he was "explosive and dynamic" with the ball in his hands. Coach Scott Frost would later say, on May 5, that Watson was "at the top of the room" with Tavion Swint, and when he was interviewed for the Knights' Big 12 Football Preview show at Big 12 Media Days, he said Watson "fits what we do really well."

As long as Watson avoids an injury like he sustained last season, he is poised to be a leader for UCF in the backfield. However, Frost also called running back one of the Knights' deepest position groups back in May. So, while the Louisville transfer may begin the season as a starter, players like Swint, fellow transfer Landen Chambers, returner Agyeman Addae and a pair of true freshmen in Kaj Baker and Arthur Lewis IV are all waiting in the wings should he not live up to expectations.

4. Who is Elijah Keys?

Welcome to UCF, @_keys5 ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/U5pFgMeeWg
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) December 3, 2025

Position: Defensive Back

Class: Freshman

Height/Weight: 6-foot-2 / 180 pounds

Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida

High School: Duncan U. Fletcher High School

Elijah Keys committed to the Knights back in March, choosing them over offers from Pittsburgh, Tulane, South Carolina, Memphis and South Florida.

According to his UCF Athletics profile page, he is the son of a Marine.

5. What did Keys do last season?

Fletcher cornerback Elijah Keys (3) catches a pass during football practice at Jack Taylor Stadium. — Fletcher cornerback Elijah Keys (3) catches a pass during football practice at Jack Taylor Stadium Thursday May 8, 2025 in Jacksonville Beach, Fla. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

According to his UCF Athletics profile page, Keys pulled in five interceptions and was named the defensive MVP during his senior season at Duncan U. Fletcher High School.

6. What role is Keys going to have in 2026?

Thanks to being a true freshman in a deep defensive back room that returns most of its major contributors from last season, excluding Phillip Dunnam, and adds experienced FCS players Ty Bartrum, Matt Irwin and Jailen Duffie, Keys' chance at a significant snap share on defense in 2026 looks fairly small.

Catch up on the rest of the list below:

No. 13 Caleb Rollerson

No. 14 Alonza Barnett III and Kahmel Johnson

No. 15 Will Stone and Preston Hall


No. 16 Dante Carr and TJ Branch	No. 17 Jailen Duffie	No. 18 Caleb Flagg and Caden Piening	No. 19 Rashad Henry	No. 20 Lewis Carter and Kaj Baker
No. 21 Ty Bartrum	No. 22 Amarion Queen	No. 23 Jordan Nunuha and Jayden Burnett	No. 24 Tackett Curtis and Arthur Lewis IV	No. 25 Rukeem Stroud
No. 26 Duke Watson and Elijah Keys	No. 27 Nicholas Antoine	No. 28 Matt Irwin	No. 29 Tyce Porcher	No. 30 Otis Hardy
No. 31 Noah McGough	No. 32 Matthew Occhipinti	No. 33 Phil Picciotti	No. 34 Jahleel Culbreath	No. 35 Agyeman Addae
No. 36 Dylan Bennett	No. 37 Rocklyn Kelley	No. 38 Jayden Jennings	No. 39 Andrea Parisi	No. 41 Bruno Dall
No. 42 Artavius Jones and Chance Nixon	No. 43 Cole Kozlowski	No. 44 Kyle Hicks	No. 45 Quentin Hatch	No. 47 Arthur Kingdom and Sam Powell
No. 49 Atticus Bertrams and Donnell Johnson III	No. 53 LaParka Langston	No. 54 Cooper Terpstra and Trenton Turner	No. 55 Jacob Maiava and Noah Mercer	No. 56 Patrick Ryan
No. 57 Camp Lott	No. 58 Connor Meadows	No. 61 Owen Spell	No. 66 Brady Wayburn	No. 67 Noah Senka
No. 68 Ethan Higgins	No. 70 RaiShaun McHaney	No. 71 Amahn Williams	No. 72 Dominick Campbell	No. 73 Henry Tabansi
No. 74 Matthew Prigmore	No. 75 Tyler Gibson	No. 76 Justin Royes	No. 77 Kasiyah Charlton	No. 78 Preston Cushman
No. 79 Daniel Marcellinus	No. 80 Elijah Hardy	No. 81 Zack Palmer	No. 82 Jordyn Bridgewater	No. 83 Dylan Burk
No. 84 Thomas Wadsworth	No. 85 Carson Hinshaw	No. 86 Chase Hinshaw	No. 87 Brooks Hall	No. 88 Grayson Brousseau
No. 90 Mujahid Jefferson	No. 91 Donteye Drew	No. 92 Jeffson Lafontant	No. 93 Brad Gurley	No. 94 L A Jesse Harrold
No. 95 RJ Jackson Jr.	No. 96 Anthony Coaxum	No. 97 Josh Schell and Mason Denaberg	No. 98 Alhassan Iddrissu	No. 99 Thomas Collins

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