Heading Into the UCF Spring Game, Four Recruits Knights Fans Should Know

With the annual spring game just over 24 hours away, here are four class of 2023 recruits that UCF has a good shot to land.

Author:
Brian Smith
Publish date:
Apr 15, 2022 10:35 AM EDT

ORLANDO - Football recruiting is going more than just well for the Knights. Numerous recruits continue to take notice in the program, unofficial visits are taking place at a staggering rate, and the finality of recruiting would be more top talent taking a hard look at the Knights.

Here’s a look at four recruits that UCF has a good chance to land that are truly very good players. Keep in mind, this is just a snippet of the big picture, and it’s also a long-term projection. Not all of the following young men necessarily “favor” UCF at this time. These are all hotly-contested recruitments, as one should expect with top prospects, with the Knights are right in the mix to land their signatures.

Malachi Singleton

Size: 6’2”, 225-pounds

Position: Quarterback

High School: Kennesaw (Ga.) East Cobb

Recruitment

With offers across the South, Singleton has a plethora of options. He’s been able to visit the majority of schools that have offered like Georgia, Arkansas, UCF, and many others. He’s also getting ready to make a visit this weekend that could potentially impact his recruitment.

As noted in the introduction, these are all highly contested recruitments. UCF will battle to the end for Singleton and several other recruits. Miami and the other suitors are not going away.

Singleton has been to UCF multiple times including recently, as well as last summer for the UCF High School Football Camp. Head Coach Gus Malzahn and the entire coaching staff have made Singleton a priority. He’s definitely one of the most important recruits in the class and one that has a high opinion of UCF.

Important note: If UCF gains Singleton’s public commitment this spring, it would most likely help wide receiver and tight end recruiting quite a bit.

Robert Grigsby

Size: 6’4”, 300-pounds

Position: Offensive Line

High School: Kennesaw (Ga.) North Cobb

Recruitment

The teammate of Singleton, Grigsby recently visited UCF as well. He’s surprisingly not as highly rated as he should be. Big frame, good athlete, and one with quite a high ceiling.

The prevailing thought here is that he could come to UCF and play with Singleton while also making his own path at the same time. UCF needs high school offensive lineman like Grigsby after being a little big short on numbers from the classes of 2021 and 2022. Considering Grigsby could play guard or tackle at the college level, he provides even more value than many other prospects.

Braeden Marshall

Size: 5’11”, 185-pounds

Position: Cornerback

High School: Lake Mary (Fla.) High School

Recruitment

Marshall is a prime prospect in the state of Florida. He lives just north of Orlando and is quite familiar with the Knights after being on campus in March when he received an offer from Coach Malzahn.

Right after, he went to Clemson and was offered. They are two of many that offered this top cornerback talent. He was also back at UCF again in April.

Then, just this morning, Marshall offered the following via a message:

“There’s a possibility I hit up UCF tomorrow.”

UCF will continue to recruit this young man as it’s great to have top cornerback talent nearby. Cornerback is the most difficult position to recruit because there are so few of them and most potential cornerbacks would actually rather play wide receiver and get the football.

Jayvontay Conner

Size: 6’4”, 240-pounds

Position: Tight End

High School: Kernersville (N.C.) East Forsyth

Recruitment

A fantastic athlete that has the physical ability to play several positions on the gridiron, Conner is being pursued by programs that offered him like Florida State, Virginia Tech, Maryland, South Carolina and Mississippi State. Plus, Conner just recently received an offer from Texas A&M.

As for UCF, there’s a definitive connection. That would be Tight Ends Coach Brian Blackmon, the same person that used to be the Opelika (Ala.) High School Head Coach where Conner began his high school career.

“Yeah that’s my guy!” Conner replied when asked about Coach Blackmon. He was just down to Orlando two days ago for a UCF unofficial visit.

With UCF looking to build its tight end depth chart and probably wanting two tight ends in the class of 2023, Conner would be a welcome addition to the class.

There’s still a long way to go with high school recruits, but these are four of many top prospects that the Knights certainly hold a good possibility of adding to the roster this next December on National Signing Day.

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