The Next UCF Knights Players Who Could Follow Malachi Lawrence to the NFL
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With the 2026 NFL Draft now in the history books, professional scouts now turn to the 2027 draft class.
Thanks to EDGE Malachi Lawrence’s first-round selection by the Dallas Cowboys, the Knights have now had a player selected in nine of the last ten drafts and are currently on a three-year streak of one of their names being called.
These three players could be the ones that extend that streak to four drafts:
1. Alonza Barnett III
Lawrence was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft despite not participating in spring practice before his senior season. While quarterback Alonza Barnett III may not command such a selection as things stand today, a productive senior season with the Knights could very well put him on scouts' radars.
Barnett is already coming off two productive seasons as the starter at James Madison, during which he threw for over 2,500 yards in both seasons, ran for a combined 1,000 yards, and led the Dukes to a College Football Playoff appearance in 2025. While he is the defending Sun Belt Player of the Year, his arrival in Orlando is set to be an opportunity to show his skills against Power 4 talent, which could address any potential reservations from general managers about the quality of his opposition.
It would not be the first time a UCF quarterback bursted into the draft conversation in just one year. Way-Too-Early mock drafts for the 2014 NFL Draft had a consensus that Teddy Bridgewater was going to be the top quarterback of that draft class, with Bortles not even sniffing the first round. One landmark season later, which included a win against Bridgewater and Louisville, Bortles was the No. 3 overall pick.
So, if Barnett can replicate, or even build on, his success with James Madison with the Knights, then perhaps another quarterback is going to enter his name into the conversation for the 2027 NFL Draft class.
2. Lewis Carter
Linebacker Lewis Carter led the Knights with 92 tackles, while also tallying four tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles and a pass breakup. If this kind of production can earn him All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors, then either replicating or improving on that kind of production for another All-Big 12 conference honor could very well earn him some looks from NFL scouts.
There is also the matter of intangibles, as Carter is set to enter 2026 as one of the team's leaders on defense, in the words of defensive tackle Josh Schell. All four of last season's team captains: Lawrence, running back Myles Montgomery, offensive lineman Paul Rubelt and linebacker Keli Lawson all came away with at least a UDFA contract during NFL Draft weekend. Should Carter also take on such a role this season, such leadership experience could prove valuable during the NFL Draft process.
It might be as a late-round draft pick or a UDFA contract like Lawson, but if Carter can at least replicate his 2025 success in 2026, he could at least get a chance at making it in the NFL.
3. Horace Lockett
UCF defensive lineman Horace Lockett, who has been a hot commodity in the transfer portal, plans to withdraw from the portal and return to UCF, his agent @AliBarnes_DSG tells @CBSSports https://t.co/BMt0750Czb pic.twitter.com/qcMQ6f1QH5
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 5, 2026
Defensive tackle Horace Lockett might not have a full college football season under his belt going into his senior year, but an NFL scout is unlikely to miss a defensive tackle standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing in at 355 pounds.
Plus, Lockett was looking poised for a productive 2025 campaign, considering he already recorded 13 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and two pass breakups in four games. He even earned a start in his fourth game, which ended up being the game in which he tore his pectoral muscle, causing him to sit out the rest of the season.
With one more chance to show what he can accomplish over a full season, 2026 could be the difference between Lockett hearing his name called by commissioner Roger Goodell next April or him signing a UDFA contract.
Catch up on more UCF news below:
Three Returning UCF Knights Players Who Will Define the Season After NFL Losses
Scott Frost Provides Alonza Barnett III Update As Spring Practice Winds Down
Ranking UCF's NFL Departures from Least to Most Impactful for 2026
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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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