Meet The 2026 UCF Knights: Countdown To Kickoff - No. 56 Patrick Ryan

With 56 days to go until the 2026 UCF football season kicks off, learn more about the player wearing the Knights' No. 56 jersey: EDGE Patrick Ryan.

Nov 1, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; UCF Knights head coach Scott Frost on the sidelines against the Baylor Bears during the second half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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 56 days to go, let's meet UCF EDGE Patrick Ryan:

1. Who is Patrick Ryan?
2. What did he do last season?
3. What role is he going to have in 2026?

1. Who is Patrick Ryan?

Position: EDGE

Class: Freshman

Height/Weight: 6-foot-4 / 220 pounds

Hometown: Lake Mary, Florida

High School: Lake Mary High School

Patrick Ryan was one of the leaders of the Lake Mary Rams football team during his senior season, serving as a team captain during their run to the FHSAA 7A State Championship in 2025 against Vero Beach, which was depicted in the documentary "Lake Hail Mary."

Ryan did not just lead on the football field, though. He was also a team captain and midfielder on Lake Mary's lacrosse team. Before he was named a captain for his senior season, he played in 19 of 20 games as a junior during the Rams' spring 2025 run to the FHSAA 2A State Semifinals.

2. What did he do last season?

Very blessed to be named first team all state! (7A)@LMRamsFootball @Coachrobmarler @FHSAA pic.twitter.com/yvvJpkyJc6

— Patrick Ryan (@Patrick_Ryan8) April 9, 2026

Ryan was named to FloridaHSFootball.com's All-State 7A team and the Orlando Sentinel's All-Area Second Team after leading the Rams with 7.7 tackles per game, according to MaxPreps. In total, he made 115 tackles, 41 of which were solo tackles. He also recorded five tackles for a loss, two sacks and an interception.

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

After playing as a linebacker in high school, Ryan is now an EDGE with the Knights after signing with the program as a walk-on.

Considering the transition to a new position, his arrival in the fall and being a part of the last college football recruiting class that can utilize the redshirt, Ryan is likely not going to see the field much during his true freshman season, if at all. Perhaps, in time, he could once again become a team leader, but the foundations for him to assume such a role with the Knights would have to be laid now.

Catch up on the rest of the list below:

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. 89 Caleb Rollerson	No. 90 Mujahid Jefferson	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