UCF Recruiting Must Close with Top Prospects
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For the class of 2023, the UCF Knights are off to a really good start. Can they close out the 2023 recruiting class with a few more impact players like Xavier Townsend that's pictured on the front of this article? Here are some points to ponder, followed by a podcast further detailing the topic.
Once the Knights join the Big XII on July 1, 2023, the level of attention for the program, as well as recruiting, will go into another gear. UCF’s increase in exposure will make it easier to pitch to recruits from inside the state of Florida or from afar.
If the UCF head coach Gus Malzahn and his coaching staff can add a few more studs to the 2023 class, however, perhaps that adds just that little bit extra amount of talent to help the Knights win quicker within the Big XII.
Seeing recruits make an impact can also then help the class of 2024 prospects want to be a part of the UCF program. The two situations work off one another.
It’s true that teams that tend to play true freshmen get some extra buzz from recruits, and UCF is headed in that direction based on cornerback Nikai Martinez, safety Demari Henderson and Townsend, among others, playing early.
There’s still the aspect of the Transfer Portal. Will UCF sign fewer players that want to switch schools with more and more top-notch recruits coming to play their college football in Orlando? That’s a resounding yes, but with a caveat.
Malzahn and his staff will still use the Portal as conduit to quick fixes, i.e. an obvious need like players leaving early for the NFL or due to injury concerns at a particular position. While signing roughly 15 players from the Portal may not be necessary each year, it should not be surprising if UCF does go that route once in a while. Each year presents new roster challenges.
Overall, the hope is that a few more top recruits join the class of 2023 to expedite the process for UCF needing fewer and fewer high school recruits. It’s a debatable topic as to what will happen. Here’s the podcast further detailing that point.
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