Week 1 gave two former UCF standouts a taste of how thin the margin can be in the NFL.
Dallas rookie EDGE Malachi Lawrence and Denver back RJ Harvey both got their first real look at the pro game this season, but neither left with a headline stat line. Lawrence opened his career in a 28-20 loss to the New York Giants, while Harvey and the Broncos were handled 31-10 by the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football.
For Lawrence, the debut was steady more than splashy. He finished with five tackles and had a couple of solid takedowns, but he was mostly quiet as a pass rusher. Dallas had bigger issues elsewhere, too, as the defense struggled to get off the field on third down and managed only two sacks on Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart.
That kind of growing pain is part of the early-season picture for the Cowboys, and Week 2 offers Lawrence a chance to make more noise against a Washington Commanders offensive line described as below-average. The four-year UCF Knight arrives with real production behind him after a First-Team All Big 12 senior season in which he posted seven sacks and two forced fumbles.
His college résumé was backed by eye-catching numbers beyond the box score. According to PFSN, Lawrence ranked fifth among all FBS edge defenders in pressure rate, getting to quarterbacks on 22.7% of his pass-rushes. And his combine showing turned plenty of heads: he was second among all defensive linemen in the 40-yard dash at 4.52, the broad jump at 10'10", the vertical jump at 40", and the 10-yard split at 1.59.
Harvey’s night was quieter in terms of volume, but the juice was still there. He picked up 18 rushing yards on three carries, added four catches for 23 yards, and handled four kick returns for 111 yards as Denver struggled to find rhythm against Kansas City.
Even with the modest totals, Harvey showed the same quickness that made him such a dangerous piece for the Broncos last season. He made Chiefs defenders miss on multiple touches and flashed the elusiveness that keeps him dangerous every time he gets the ball.
That burst was a big part of Harvey’s rookie year, when he scored 12 touchdowns and ran for seven of them. His final touchdown of the season came against the Chiefs, too, as he found the end zone for a fifth straight game and helped deliver the eventual game winner.
Denver leaned on him heavily on that deciding drive. Harvey ripped off an 11-yard run from the Broncos’ 44-yard line to push the ball into Kansas City territory, then added 14 more yards on the ground as Denver faced a 4th and 2 at the two-minute warning. Sean Payton took the aggressive route, putting Harvey in the wildcat for the biggest snap of the night.
Harvey answered with a hard count that drew an offsides penalty from six-time Pro Bowler Chris Jones. Another carry moved Denver to the one-yard line before the Broncos ended up facing a 3rd and goal.
In Other News...
UCF Suddenly Has A Quarterback Decision That Could Shape Everything
Alonza Barnett IIIs hamstring injury has put UCF in an uncomfortable spot at the most important position on the field, and it has arrived at a time when the offense is already trying to steady itself. With Barnett sidelined, Scott Frost said the Knights are sorting through several backup options for the start against Georgia State, while also taking a close look at the offensive line rotation after the group struggled in the last game.
Frost has not yet settled on who will take the first snap, and the list of possibilities gives UCF a few different directions to explore. Senior Keyone Jenkins and redshirt sophomore Kaleb Annett are among the names in the mix, along with Rocco Marriott and Dante Carr, and the decision could ripple beyond one Saturday if Barnetts absence stretches on and the Knights have to keep adapting around a quarterback spot that suddenly carries a lot more weight. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Suddenly Has A Quarterback Decision That Could Shape Week 3
John Barnetts status has quickly turned into one of the bigger questions hanging over UCF entering Week 3. The quarterback went down with a hamstring injury in the recent game, and with Coach Scott Frost still not publicly naming a backup, the Knights have had to sort through their options on the fly after bringing in two transfers during the portal cycle.
Keyone Jenkins and Kaleb Annett both arrived as possible answers, but the profile here leans heavily toward Jenkins, who brings three years of starting experience from FIU. Annett gives UCF another body in the room, yet the more immediate concern is simply stability, because Barnetts absence could stretch beyond one game and force the Knights to adjust their plans well before the league race really settles in. [Read more 🡒]
UCF's Defensive Line Suddenly Looks Like A Strength That Could Change Everything
Through the first two weeks, UCF has found an unexpected foundation up front, and it has started with Jeffson Lafontant and Horace Lockett. The defensive line has been a real factor in limiting opposing scoring and rushing production, and the Knights run defense has opened the season allowing just 2.55 yards per carry. For a team that needed steadiness in the trenches, that kind of early push has changed the tone around the defense.
Locketts return after a season-ending injury has given UCF an experienced presence in the middle, while Lafontant is stepping into his first major role and looking every bit like a contributor the staff can trust. Together, they have helped turn a unit that was easy to overlook into one that could alter how the rest of the season unfolds, even if the bigger question is whether this early surge can hold once the schedule starts asking more of them. [Read more 🡒]