UCF Kicker Declares For 2026 NFL Draft
In this story:
UCF Knights kicker Noe Ruelas became the second Knight to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft on Tuesday afternoon.
Ruelas joins defensive back Phillip Dunnam, another UCF player who transferred to Orlando for his final season of college football, among the 2026 Draft Class.
"Thank you to Coach Frost, Coach Alamar, Coach Hargon, and the rest of the UCF Coaching staff for believing in me," Ruelas said in an X post. "I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to be a Knight and for the support you guys have given me."
Jeremiah 29:11🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/dbMeqM5plG
— Noe Ruelas (@noeruelas11) December 9, 2025
The West Hartford, Connecticut, native went 15/17 on field goals in his lone season as a Knight, tying 2019 Dylan Barnas for the third-highest single-season field goal percentage in program history. He also went 32/33 on extra point attempts.
Ruelas was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team, a Lou Groza Award semifinalist and was an honorable mention for the Big 12's Special Teams Player of the Year this season. He is the first UCF kicker to earn an annual conference honor higher than honorable mention since Matthew Wright in 2018.
The game-winning FG from the Lou Groza Semifinalist @noeruelas11 ✅ pic.twitter.com/FhQW7fkp2u
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) November 23, 2025
Ruelas converted on 11 consecutive field goal attempts, tying Matt Prater for the fourth-longest streak in program history. He also converted three of his four attempts from 50 yards or further. It's the most 50-yard field goals made by a UCF kicker in its FBS history, and tied for the second-most overall.
He is also now just the second Knight in program history to convert more than two field goals of 50 yards or further in a single season, and the first of the FBS era.
Ruelas was also the Knights' kicker on kickoffs, doing so 58 times this season. He averaged 64.3 yards per kick and got touchbacks on 70.7% of them.
Should Ruelas hear his name called in the draft, he would become the first UCF kicker to get drafted in program history. However, he would be the third UCF kicker to reach the NFL, joining Prater, who went undrafted in 2006, and Wright, who went undrafted in 2019. Both remain active in the league as of the 2025 season.
The 2026 NFL Draft is set to take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and runs from April 23-25.
Catch up on more UCF news below:
UCF Defensive Tackle Reportedly Entering Transfer Portal
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.
Follow itsBrysonTurner