UCF’s Dylan Wade keeps stacking up the recognition.
Just days after quarterback Alonza Barnett III landed on the Maxwell Award Watch List, the senior tight end earned his own spotlight by being named to the John Mackey Award Watch List, which goes to college football’s top tight end each season. Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers won the award in 2025.
Wade’s place on the list makes sense after what he did last season. He put together the most productive year by a tight end in UCF history, finishing with 43 catches for 523 yards and five touchdowns. Every one of those numbers set a program record at the position.
His value showed up right away in Orlando. In UCF’s season-opening win over Jacksonville State, Wade caught four passes for 54 yards and a touchdown.
The Knights were stuck in a scoreless tie at halftime after presumed starting quarterback Cam Fancher went down early in the first quarter, and Jacksonville State later moved in front 10-3 early in the fourth. Then backup Tayven Jackson found Wade for a 39-yard touchdown to tie it at 10, a play that gave UCF’s offense a needed jolt.
Wade’s biggest explosion came later in the year on senior night against Oklahoma State, when he was the spark for a struggling offense. He caught two second-half touchdowns, including an 83-yard bomb on the first play after halftime, and finished with four receptions for 145 yards.
His vertical ability and knack for finding openings in coverage made him one of the most important pieces in the Knights’ passing game. And while Pro Football Focus College ranked him No. 8 among returning Big 12 tight ends with a 68.5 grade this past Saturday, the league has plenty of talent at the position, including Texas Tech’s Terrance Carter Jr., who could be the leading bet to be the best tight end in the country this upcoming year.
Even so, Wade’s stock is clearly rising. He should have another chance to shine in Scott Frost’s system, and with Barnett at quarterback, the connection already looks promising. In Barnett’s first completion of fall camp, he hit Wade on a stick route.
In Other News...
UCF Could Get A Veteran Linebacker Back With One Big Hurdle Left
A familiar face may be on the way back into UCFs linebacker room after a U.S. District Court judge granted a preliminary injunction that opens the door for a fifth year of eligibility for Class of 2022 athletes. Cole Kozlowski was at preseason practice and is in the process of rejoining the team, giving the Knights a potential boost in experience as they continue sorting out the depth chart under Scott Frost.
There is still some fine print to work through, though, because Kozlowskis status could shift again if future court rulings change the eligibility picture. Frost has already signaled that he is open to the return, but he also stressed that the fit has to be right within the programs culture, which leaves Kozlowski with one final hurdle before anything feels settled. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Wade Just Showed How Big He Is For UCFs Offense
Dylan Wades rise has become one of the most important developments for UCFs offense heading into 2026. The Orlando native, who transferred in from Maryland, put together a record-setting 2025 season for the Knights and has already piled up preseason recognition before a new snap is even taken, landing on multiple watch lists and honors as the summer turns toward camp.
The latest nod may be the one that best captures how far his profile has climbed. Wade was named to the 2026 John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List, putting him in line with the nations top tight ends and underscoring just how central he has become to what UCF wants to do on offense. For a program looking to build on last years momentum, his name keeps showing up for a reason, and it is only increasing the anticipation around what he might do next. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Faces A Huge Pass Rush Question Heading Into Fall Camp
The biggest question hanging over UCFs defense as fall camp nears is how it will replace the pass-rush production left behind by Malachi Lawrence and Nyjalik Kelly, both of whom are now in the NFL. Those departures leave a notable hole at EDGE, where the Knights need new contributors to emerge quickly if the front is going to keep pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Isaiah Nixon is expected to see his workload climb, while Sincere Edwards also looms as part of the answer after missing last season with injury. The depth chart beyond them is still taking shape, with Aymeric Koumba and several transfers in the mix, which gives UCF options but also leaves the position group in a state of transition heading into camp. [Read more 🡒]