UCF’s freshman class is already making noise in College Football 27, and the ratings paint a pretty clear picture: this group isn’t just developmental depth. It’s built to help right away.
Four Knights freshmen came in at 70 overall or better, led by running back Kaj Baker and safety TJ Branch, who are both rated 74. Wide receiver Tyren Hornes checks in at 73, while cornerback Amarion Queen rounds out the group at 70.
Baker, Hornes and Queen are incoming freshmen. Branch is a redshirt transfer from Colorado, and he arrives with some real pedigree even if he never saw game action for Coach Deion Sanders. He was committed to the Buffaloes as a four-star recruit ranked by ESPN and On3.
Branch also brings a résumé that stands out at the high school level. He helped Miami Northwestern to a 12-2 record and a Florida High School 3A State Championship in his senior year, and he was nominated for the Nat Moore Trophy, which goes to the best high school football player in South Florida.
Baker’s rating makes sense when you look at what he did at Somerset Academy Charter in Pembroke Pines. The 5-foot-8 back showed off plenty of versatility there, scoring 10 touchdowns on the ground and adding four receiving touchdowns while piling up 500 yards.
That kind of all-purpose ability matters for UCF, especially with Myles Montgomery and Jaden Nixon gone. The pair are now trying to extend their playing careers after combining for 1,308 rushing yards on 214 carries with 11 touchdowns, plus 270 receiving yards on 34 catches. Replacing that production is no small ask, but Frost believes Baker has the tools to help lift the Knights’ run game.
Hornes has been one of the more eye-catching names in camp, and his 73 rating tracks with the buzz he’s created. He’s been turning heads with highlight plays against older teammates, and that has opened the door to the possibility of real snaps as a true freshman.
Scott Frost already showed last season that freshmen can earn trust if they prove themselves, starting Waden Charles, now a sophomore, in the final five games. Frost, as the saying goes, puts the best football players on the field.
Hornes climbed 11 spots in his class rankings and finished as the 12th-ranked receiver before getting to UCF. Even NFL analysts viewed him as a receiver ready for the next level.
Queen comes in as the lowest-rated of the four at 70, but he’s hardly short on production. The 6-foot-2 cornerback was a three-star recruit out of Martin County High School and played both ways there. Over his junior and senior seasons, he picked off five passes on defense and produced 1,101 receiving yards with 15 touchdowns on offense.
For UCF, those ratings say something bigger than video game numbers. They suggest a freshman group that can step into the conversation immediately, which is a strong sign for Frost as he continues rebuilding the program in his second stint.
In Other News...
UCF Is Putting A Major Orlando Brand At The Heart Of Game Day
UCF Athletics is adding a familiar Orlando name to the center of its football presentation, announcing a multi-year partnership with Westgate Resorts that makes the company the programs Official Vacation Resort Partner. The deal is another sign of how tightly the Knights continue to tie their game-day brand to the Central Florida business community, while giving Westgate a more visible platform tied to one of the regions most recognizable sports settings.
The most noticeable part of the agreement will come at midfield inside the Acrisure Bounce House beginning with the 2026 season, where the Westgate Resorts logo will be prominent on the field. For UCF, it is a sponsorship move with local roots and national reach, the kind of partnership that can shape the look and feel of home Saturdays while reinforcing the programs place in the Orlando market. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Still Has One Big Question Behind Alonza Barnett III
Alonza Barnett III is set to open the season as UCFs clear No. 1 quarterback, giving Scott Frost and Steve Cooper the kind of stability they wanted as camp winds down. The transfer has already been installed as the leader of the offense, and the Knights are treating the rest of the room as a true competition rather than a formality.
The bigger question now is what comes after Barnett, with the backup spot still unsettled as UCF moves toward its season opener. Frost is expected to sort out the depth chart next week, and the battle behind the starter has given the staff something to evaluate even as Barnett settles into the role of guiding the offense. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Gets One More Shot With A Defensive Leader Fans Know Well
Braeden Marshall has already been part of the UCF story for a while, which is part of what makes his decision stand out. The veteran cornerback and hometown product has been a steady presence for the Knights since his freshman year, and he was again in the middle of things in the recent win over Oklahoma State. Off the field, he has kept that local connection strong too, hosting a youth football camp back in his hometown and staying visible in the community that knows him best.
For UCF, getting another season from a player like Marshall matters because it keeps a familiar defensive leader in the room and on the field. For Marshall, it also extends a run that has already made him one of the more recognizable faces in the program, with the chance to add one more chapter to a career that already carries some meaning in Central Florida. The only real question now is how much more he can still give the Knights with one last year ahead. [Read more 🡒]