UCF Player Preview: WR Ryan O'Keefe
The number of wide receivers returning to any college football roster with the overall talents of the next UCF Knights player are few and far between. He was UCF’s go-to player in 2021, and that is likely to be the case in 2022 as well.
Ryan O’Keefe
O'Keefe's all-around skills make him one of college football's most dangerous receivers.
UCF Athletics
Size: 5’10”, 175-pounds
Position: Wide Receiver
Year: Senior
2021 Statistics
84 receptions, 812 yards, seven touchdowns, as well as 16 rushes for 274 yards and one touchdown. He also threw three passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns.
All-Around Player
O’Keefe’s value to the overall offense is immense. His 9.7 yards per catch average may look low, but there are key components of that. He was used as a primary receiver for screens to help get the football in his hands. Simple plays that did not help his average, but often placed the Knights in enviable down and distance situations.
Further, those short passes helped a true freshman quarterback in Mikey Keene. Taking pressure off an 18 year old playing FBS football is hard to place into finite terms, and it’s also a sign that O’Keefe just wants the ball in his hands to help his squad win.
Then there are the big plays. Clutch catches on third down, the reverses that allowed him to average a tremendous 17.1 yards per rush, and of course the passes he threw, two going for scores. College football did not have many players better than O’Keefe at helping his team win.
Where Will O'Keefe Line Up?
O’Keefe is now a part of a dynamic group of athletes at receiver with a variety of skills and sizes. Look for O’Keefe to play multiple wide receiver positions this next season – slot, receiver to the wide side of the field, and maybe even boundary – to keep opposing defenses guessing about how to cover him.
This will also help other players like Auburn transfer Kobe Hudson be able to keep defenses guessing. The number of ways that Head Coach Gus Malzahn and his offensive staff can create mismatches by moving the receivers around is going to be a great advantage for UCF.
Special Situations
Third downs, end of the game, first play after a turnover, or any other situation where UCF really needs a play to be made, hard to argue with the notion that O’Keefe will be a prime target. He’s earned that right. O’Keefe is a playmaker first and foremost.
2022 Projection
His overall catches could actually go down with the depth and talent at receiver. That may end up being the case, but O’Keefe’s impact on the offense will be just as great because he will draw additional attention from opposing teams. That means more one-on-ones for the other UCF receivers, as well as the tight ends.
Statistically, surpassing 60 receptions seems likely, and it’s also a good bet that he finds the end zone in a variety of ways – receiving, rushing and throwing – to help UCF win football games.
O’Keefe should be a strong contender for First Team All-American Athletic Conference honors prior to heading off to the National Football League.
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