Dylan Wade gives UCF a clear top tight end heading into fall camp. The question now is who steps in behind him.
Wade put together a record-setting season and enters as the lone upperclassman with real starting experience. He started 11 of UCF’s 12 games, missing only Week 2 against North Carolina A&T, and finished second on the team in receptions with 43 and yards with 523. He also led the Knights in touchdowns with five, setting career highs across the board and posting the most productive season by a UCF tight end since the program joined the FBS in 1996.
His biggest moment came in the comeback win over Oklahoma State on Nov. 22.
Wade caught four passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns, both in the second half. On the first play after halftime, with UCF down 14-0, Tayven Jackson hit him for an 83-yard score.
Later, in the fourth quarter, the Orlando native hauled in his second touchdown on 4th-and-goal to tie the game.
Behind Wade, the depth chart is wide open. UCF will sort through a four-man battle involving Caden Piening, Grayson Brousseau, Brooks Hall and Dylan Burk.
Piening is the only returner in that group. He redshirted after four games and is the most familiar with Scott Frost’s offense, though injuries kept him from getting on the field consistently.
Former teammate Kylan Fox praised his progress during the year, saying, “He’s very, very physical,” Fox told reporters after UCF defeated UNC 34-9. “He’s very good in the passing game as well.
He’s coming along and getting out there and getting his feet wet. He’s definitely ready.”
That combination of system knowledge and health could give Piening an edge.
Brousseau comes in as an Oklahoma State transfer and appeared in all 12 games, starting two. He finished with seven catches for 45 yards.
Burk also brings game experience. The true freshman was an immediate contributor at Sam Houston State, playing in all 12 games and catching six passes for 55 yards.
Hall adds another layer to the competition. He flipped from South Dakota to UCF and followed his high school teammate Rocco Marriott. The former three-star recruit helped Platte County High School win back-to-back state titles, and last season he posted 26 catches for 374 yards and seven touchdowns on the way to his second championship.
In Other News...
Jahda Swann Is Forcing A Real UCF Backcourt Debate
Jahda Swann has already started to look like the kind of freshman who can change the shape of a rotation before the games even count. The New York guard brought the size and scoring touch that made him a highly ranked recruit, and his preseason work has given UCF a legitimate reason to think about how quickly he can factor into the mix as the Knights rebuild their backcourt.
The timing matters, too, because UCF is trying to stay competitive in its fourth Big 12 season while replacing key pieces from last years guard group. With roster turnover opening the door, Swanns early push has created a real conversation in practice about playing time and roles, and it is one the Knights may have to answer sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Could Get A Late Defensive Return That Changes Camp Plans
A late roster wrinkle has emerged for UCF as a court injunction opened the door for athletes who used up their fourth year of eligibility to return for a fifth season. For the Knights, that keeps the possibility alive for a pair of familiar defensive names from recent seasons, even as camp is already taking shape and the depth chart looks mostly settled.
Cole Kozlowski had previously pushed for another season before being denied, only to see a later ruling revive the chance of coming back. Phillip Dunnam has also hinted at a return after moving on to the NFL side of things, but the timing makes any comeback complicated at this stage. With UCFs roster largely set, any late addition would have to fit into a camp plan that was already built without them. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Just Got A New Roster Twist Johnny Dawkins Must Navigate
A court ruling that could reshape the NCAA eligibility landscape has landed right in Johnny Dawkins lap, and UCF suddenly has reason to monitor the ripple effects closely. Judge Charlotte Sweeney approved an injunction that gives 2022 high school graduates an extra year under a new five-year plan, opening the door for players who were on the cusp of eligibility decisions to potentially revisit their plans.
For the Knights, the development could matter in a real way because multiple players may now have another option in front of them. Jamichael Stillwell had once seemed headed back to UCF before moving on, while Riley Kugel, last seasons leading scorer for the Knights, stands out as another name whose future may now be affected by the ruling as Dawkins sorts through a roster situation that just got a lot more complicated. [Read more 🡒]