Heading Into Big XII, UCF Landing Top DL Talent
The UCF Knights are recruiting an excellent defensive front. With joining the Big XII and the Power 5, it’s vital that they do so to be competitive week-in and week-out. That’s exactly what’s happened since Head Coach Gus Malzahn arrived in Orlando.
It’s a long process that requires multiple top-notch recruiting hauls to achieve. To better understand what UCF is bringing to the Big XII, here’s a look at the 2022, 2023, and 2024 defensive line signees and commitments for the Knights.
In 2022, the Knights signed two talented defensive ends with Jamaal Johnson and Keahnist Thompson.
By the end of the 2022 season, Johnson had really taken his game to another level. He helped his Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna team win a state championship, and his ability to play the run and the pass was a major reason why.
The 6-foot-2 and 250-pound edge defender could play on the weak or strong side in college. Johnson’s tenacious style of play and overall talent will allow him to complement any number of other players the UCF coaching staff wants to place in the same lineup with him.
Thompson, meanwhile, should also be considered a multi-faceted defender from Lakeland (Fla.) High School. With his wing span, strength, and athleticism, Thompson plays similar to Johnson by playing the run and pass well.
Keahnist Thompson, 2022 UCF signed recruit.
John Garcia, SI All-American
As he continues to develop, the 6-foot-3 and 255-pound defensive end could play multiple roles for the Knights, including the ability to move inside during obvious pass situations to present matchup problems for opposing offensive guards and centers.
Moving to the class of 2023, the first commitment of the class would be Apopka (Fla.) High School defensive end Kaven Call, while the second defensive line commitment went to Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola defensive tackle John Walker.
Call’s all-around game has vastly improved during the past two seasons. He plays with excellent pad level, quickness, and has begun to develop more detailed hand placement to move past offensive linemen.
The 6-foot-2-and-a-half and 245-pound defender possesses the overall natural talent and football acumen to be a tremendous pass rusher for the Knights. He also hustles and chases down running backs from behind.
UCF commitment Kaven Call is one of Florida's best prep players for the class of 2023.
With Walker, he's the prototypical interior defensive lineman that every school looks for. Massive at 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds, yet agile enough to maneuver into and past the A Gap between the center and guard. From that point, the quarterback is in trouble.
Perhaps the best way to compare Walker to a current UCF player would be a taller Ricky Barber. Much like Barber, Walker is a player that opposing teams must be weary of during each snap.
Finally, the class of 2024 has already begun to take shape with the first commitment going to Apopka (Fla.) Wekiva defensive lineman Sincere Edwards. He’s yet another versatile defensive lineman that can play defensive end or move to the inside and be a playmaker.
The 6-foot-1-and-a-half and 252-pound defensive lineman possesses an elite first step, which he relies on to set up different counter pass-rushing moves. Much like Call, he’s also a player that keeps on coming even when the football goes away from him. Edwards provides an excellent start to the 2024 recruiting class.
During the next several seasons, the defensive line signees from 2022, combined with the commitments from 2023 and 2024, provide the Knights with the ability to make a splash with the move up to the Power 5 and the Big XII.
Keep up with UCF News! Check out Inside The Knights on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
In This Article (1)
