Three Underrated UCF Defensive Players For 2025

UCF Spring football practice at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Friday, April 11, 2025. | Nigel Cook/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The UCF Knights are a few days away releasing their first depth chart of this season.

While the question of "who is going to start?" has been raised at several positions during this fall camp, the real question, at least on defense, is "how deep can we go?"

"What's best, holistically, is to have a group of guys that just say, 'Okay, well, there could be a role for this guy, maybe if we have a rotation, and we can get the best version of all these guys, if we do some of those things,'" defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said following Thursday's practice. "So, that's a decision that's not just made before the first game, but it'll be made every single week, and then it can change."

So, here are three defensive players who might not be at the top of the depth chart to start this season, but could still be a factor in their respective position rotations:

1. LB Jayden McDonald

Sep 2, 2022; Norfolk, Virginia, USA; Old Dominion Monarchs running back Blake Watson (2) runs the ball against Virginia Tech Hokies linebacker Jayden McDonald (38) during the first quarter at Kornblau Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Arriving in Orlando this spring, linebacker Jayden McDonald is coming off a season in which he was hampered by an undisclosed injury, causing him to play in just two games.

However, his 2023 season saw him play in 12 games, starting five of them, recording 30 tackles, 11 of them solo, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup.

Fellow linebacker Cole Kozlowski named McDonald when he spoke about the linebacker room, saying, "players who can make plays all around."

"You just noticed him, you know, as a guy that, okay, this is a guy that, you know, you couldn't obviously earmark after spring, because he wasn't in the program, but just, you kind of take notice of some things," Grinch said.

2. DB Christian Peterson

Returning to UCF for his sophomore season, Christian Peterson, hailing from Dothan, Alabama, is coming off a freshman campaign of seven games played with just two tackles.

However, he has the endorsement of fellow defensive back Braeden Marshall, who called him "a dog" after Thursday's practice. Another defensive back, Phillip Dunnam, named him as a young player who stood out to him during Player Media Day on Aug. 4.

3. DB DJ Bell

Dec 29, 2023; Memphis, TN, USA; Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Jayden Higgins (9) is tackled by Memphis Tigers defensive back DJ Bell (35) after a first down catch during the first half at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

A transfer from Memphis, defensive back DJ Bell is coming off a season in which he played 12 games, two of them starts. He recorded 16 total tackles, 13 of them solo, five pass breakups and one interception.

Like Peterson, he also received an endorsement from Marshall, getting called "a dog" after Thursday's practice.

Grinch said after Thursday's practice, he had a conversation with the defensive backs about making a determination on what the rotation at the position will be, and even then, that can change from week to week. This leaves the opportunity not just to Bell, but also to Peterson, to gradually earn more playing time with good performances throughout the season.

That season begins on Thursday at 7 p.m. as UCF takes on Jacksonville State.

Catch up on more UCF News below:

UCF Linebacker Speaks Out On Move to FBS Level

ESPN's FPI Prediction Gives UCF Fans Some Hope This Season

ESPN Puts UCF Linebacker Among Its Top Sleepers In Nation