UCF Football Recruiting: A Look Back At The 2020 Recruiting Class
It’s still very early, but there are signs that the 2020 recruiting class will bring prosperity to the UCF football program. Speed and athleticism, especially at running back and defensive back, are present within this class. Moving forward, there’s much to be hopeful for when considering how newly hired Head Coach Gus Malzahn and his coaches like to run uptempo offense and be aggressive one defense.
That means a need for a plethora of skill players that can be interchangeable on both sides of the football. The 2020 recruiting class provides that opportunity with several candidates.
2020 Recruiting Class Notes
The 2020 class included a player from Germany, three junior college transfers, and 16 high school players. The state of Florida provided UCF with 12 players, and no other state allotted the Knights more than one prospect that signed a letter of intent. Like with the 2019 recruiting class, the defense led the way with 11 recruits to nine for the offense.
Arizona (1)
Arkansas (1)
California (1)
Florida (12)
Georgia (1)
New Jersey (1)
Texas (1)
Virginia (1)
QB (1)
RB (1)
WR (1)
TE (3)
OL (3)
DL (3)
LB (2)
DB (6)
Florida provided the bulk of the talent with six recruits signed by the Knights, and there was a little more of a mix of states after that, with no other state producing more than a single player for UCF. It was a fairly balanced recruiting class when considering offensive and defensive players.
Big Play Threat
As noted in yesterday’s article, Johnny Richardson is a dynamic running back. He’s also a player that can be a weapon within the passing game. Richardson was a highly recruited running back from tradition-rich Lake Wales (Fla.) High School in Polk County, just southwest of Orlando.
EAT, FRESHMEN 😤😤
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) September 26, 2020
First Sack @KHester2019
First TD @Humble_Johnny pic.twitter.com/tuDHzf4eKa
Richardson’s rushing totals included 11 carries, 65 yards and one touchdown. He was productive during the 2021 spring practice session, and should be seen as a key cog for UCF moving forward.
Richardson’s speed can and will be utilized within Coach Malzahn’s power-spread offense in a multitude of ways, and do not be surprised if he’s in the backfield with other running backs, or plays in the slot. Further, Richardson’s speed is great for jet sweeps and reverses.
Another Playmaker Added to RB Depth Chart Via A Transfer
A.J. Harvey played quarterback for Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater and graduated with the class of 2019. He was a dual-threat signal caller and accounted for 25 rushing and 23 passing touchdowns during his senior campaign in 2018. After transferring from Virginia, Harvey played in two games as a freshman. There’s still plenty of time.
He’s a talented prospect that could develop. A change in system could be the key, as Coach Malzahn’s scheme is much different. Let’s see how Harvey develops after racking up two rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown during the spring game.
Key Loss To Transfer
Ja’Cyais Credle, from Columbus (Ga.) Carver, transferred to Georgia State. The 6’4”, 195-pound wide receiver caught eight passes for 76 yards during nine games his freshman season. Credle was one of the top recruits for the Knights’ 2020 recruiting class, and the only true wide receiver signed by the Knights.
Defensive Back Haul Provides Talent And Depth
In today’s modern college football world, every team needs as many talented defensive backs as possible. UCF lured six defensive back recruits for the 2020 recruiting class, and to be honest that number could be close to the norm moving forward.
Beyond quarterback, cornerback is arguably the most important position on the field. There will be recruiting misses, so numbers are key. The safety position is a little more flexible and easier to find players via moving a wide receiver, running back or wide receiver to safety. Even a cornerback could transition to the deep secondary and play safety as well. From the 2020 class, two UCF defensive backs played well.
Although he played in only five games, Justin Hodges accumulated four pass breakups. He also had three tackles. That’s a promising start for the Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Western talent. Another talented defensive back from South Florida did quite well.
Davonte Brown came from powerhouse Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage and recorded 23 tackles, one pass breakup and one tackle for loss. He’s expected to be a starter moving forward and he’s the long-and-lean cornerback that college programs covet at 6’2”, 180-pounds. He’s also likely to be joined by yet another South Florida recruit when he trots onto the field.
Corey Thornton played for Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington before signing with the Knights. The talented cornerback was accustomed to playing top-notch competition by way of being a part of the Miami Public League. That helped him account for 30 tackles, one interception and two passes broken up.
When looking at what UCF already added to the secondary in one class, there’s reason for hope during future seasons. As Hodges, Brown, and Thornton progress, perhaps other young defensive backs will as well.
That’s just the start of the Knights’ defensive back haul, and everyone should know more about the secondary this fall as the new coaching staff looks to improve upon the 2020 pass defense that ranked No. 121 in the nation out of 127 teams.
Tomorrow there will be an overview of the 2021 recruiting class.
You will find me on Twitter @fbscout_florida and @UCF_FanNation
