Meet The 2026 UCF Knights: Countdown To Kickoff - No. 38 Jayden Jennings
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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.
So, with 38 days to go, let's meet UCF linebacker Jayden Jennings:
1. Who is Jayden Jennings?
Position: Linebacker
Class: Fifth Year
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4 / 235 pounds
Hometown: Salem, Virginia
High School: Salem High School
The former Jayden McDonald is sporting a new name on the back of his jersey in 2026.
Jennings and his twin brother, Jorden, who finished his own college football career as an outside linebacker last season with William & Mary, changed their last name as a present for their mother, Sharon Jennings, and their maternal grandparents, he said following an April 28 practice session.
Growing up, Sharon had to work "a lot of jobs" to support her and her twin sons, which led to them being home rarely, Jennings said. So, he and Jorden ended up being in "a lot of after-school programs" and sometimes staying with their grandparents. Their father would "come in every now and again," but Jennings credited his mother and grandparents as the ones who raised him and shaped him into the person he is today.
"It meant a lot," Jennings said. "It seemed like it meant a lot more to her. She was very happy, and my grandparents was very happy as well."
2. What did he do last season?
In his first season at UCF after transferring in from Virginia Tech, Jennings started in two of the nine games he played before an injury prematurely ended his season. He recorded 15 total tackles, nine of which were solo, a fumble recovery, a pass breakup and an interception.
"When he came in the game, he had productive reps; he had meaningful tackles in situations," UCF linebacker coach Mark D'Onofrio said after an April 28 practice session.
3. What role is he going to have in 2026?
D'Onofrio said that Jennings did a "really good job" during spring practice as he concentrated on getting healthy after the injury that ended his 2025 season. He also praised his mindset and his versatility.
With Lewis Carter, one of the team's leaders, taking up one starting spot, that leaves Arthur Kingdom and a trio of transfers, Jahleel Culbreath, Tackett Curtis and Rashad Henry to compete alongside Jennings for the other.
Culbreath is coming off being a full-season starter at Old Dominion, Henry is coming off earning a starting role late last season at UMass and Kingdom has professional experience in Europe. While Jennings might have a year of experience in D'Onofrio's system, he likely needs to be healthy if he wants to take a starting role.
However, even if Culbreath, Kingdom or Henry do end up earning the job, Jennings' versatility means he could still end up serving as a go-to substitution for D'Onofrio and defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. Either way, as long as he is healthy, Jennings seems likely to have his place in UCF's linebacker rotation in 2026.
Catch up on the rest of the list below:
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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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