Meet The 2026 UCF Knights: Countdown To Kickoff - No. 34 Jahleel Culbreath
In this story:
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 34 days to go, let's meet UCF linebacker Jahleel Culbreath:
1. Who is Jahleel Culbreath?
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt Senior
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4 / 222 pounds
Hometown: Virginia Beach, Virginia
High School: Ocean Lakes High School
Coming out of Ocean Lakes High School, Jahleel Culbreath did not earn a star as a high school prospect, according to 247Sports. However, that did not stop him from making it onto Old Dominion's team, located in nearby Norfolk, Virginia. He played for the Monarchs for four years while pursuing a degree in cybersecurity.
By the time Culbreath graduated with his degree and entered the transfer portal as a grad transfer, 247Sports rated him as a three-star transfer prospect. Following an April 28 practice session, Culbreath said that, during his visit, UCF linebacker coach Mark D'Onofrio was "very intuitive in what he was talking about," which got him to trust him with his final season.
"With it being my last year, I have to make the most of it," Culbreath said.
2. What did he do last season?
Culbreath started in all 13 of Old Dominion's games in 2025, recording 71 tackles, 26 of them solo, nine tackles for loss and three sacks.
3. What role is he going to have in 2026?
Culbreath said that coach Scott Frost and D'Onofrio told him there would be a "special role" for him if he joined the Knights. Given that, and how he started at the position for all of last season, something other linebackers like Rashad Henry and Teckett Curtis can't say, Culbreath looks like a favorite to earn UCF's second starting linebacker role alongside a returning Lewis Carter.
Curtis and Henry still do have starting experience, though, even if it was not a full season's worth, so they are still likely to push Culbreath for the spot if they stand out in fall camp.
Catch up on the rest of the list below:
Add us as a preferred source on Google
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