UCF Wide Receiver Announces Intent To Return For 2026
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Freshman wide receiver Waden Charles announced his plans to return to the UCF Knights for the 2026 season on Thursday evening.
The former four-star recruit out of Boynton Beach took to X to make his announcement on the same day that two of his teammates, cornerback Jyaire Brown and tight end Kylan Fox, revealed their plans to enter the transfer portal. Charles marks the first Knight to publicly announce his commitment to return.
"Unfinished business!! Let’s run it back Knight Nation… " Charles wrote.
Unfinished business!! Let’s run it back Knight Nation… ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/XBbIh3hsQy
— Waden “Woo” Charles🌴 (@takeemdeep9_) December 4, 2025
Charles started in half of the Knights' 12 games in his debut season. His 26 passes for 290 yards put him third on the team in receiving, with about 60% of those yards coming in the last four games.
"I came here with high expectations to come in and help this team right away, and they gave me opportunities to do that, and then that's what I'm just gonna keep doing," Charles said on Nov. 24 before UCF's final game of the season against No. 11 BYU.
While he would go on to enter the transfer portal on Wednesday, quarterback Tayven Jackson cited Charles, alongside tight end Dylan Wade, as two players the Knights had to get back for the next season.
For now, all announcements regarding the transfer portal remain just words, since the portal does not open until Jan. 2.
UCF Tight End Plans To Enter Transfer Portal
UCF Knights tight end Kylan Fox is planning to enter the transfer portal, according to Rivals/On3's Hayes Fawcett Thursday afternoon.
Fox becomes the fifth UCF player to reveal his intent to enter the transfer portal and the second to do so on Thursday, joining cornerback Jyaire Brown. He has two seasons of collegiate eligibility remaining.
The Valdosta, Georgia, native arrived in Orlando as a highly-touted four-star recruit coming fresh off an appearance in the Under Armour Next All-American Game alongside fellow UCF signeees Qua Birdsong and Jaylen "AP" Heyward. All three end up departing Orlando via the transfer portal.
Fox was relegated to being mainly a backup tight end in coach Scott Frost's first season back at UCF behind Maryland transfer Dylan Wade. The sophomore did still start in three of the Knights' games this season.
However, while Wade set new program FBS era records for tight end receiving, Fox caught 16 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown.
The transfer portal is set to officially open on Jan. 2 and remain so through Jan. 16.
Catch up on all the Knights that have entered the transfer portal below:
Name | Position | Years of eligibility remaining | 2025 Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
Tayven Jackson | QB | 1 | 200/315, 2,151 yards, 10 TDs, 8 INTs, 16 sacks |
Kylan Fox | TE | 2 | Played in 12 games (started 3), recorded 16 receptions, 137 yards, 1 TD |
Tony Williams | DB | 4 | Played in 2 games, recording two tackles. |
Jaylen "AP" Heyward | DB | 3 | Played in 2 games, recording three tackles. |
Jyaire Brown | CB | 1 | Played in 11 games (1 start), recording seven tackles and one pass breakup. |
Catch up on more UCF News below:
UCF Knights Early Signing Day Tracker: Every Player Coming to the Program in 2026
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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