UCF’s countdown to kickoff has reached jersey No. 7, and this entry brings a familiar pair into focus: wide receiver Duane Thomas Jr. and defensive back Antione Jackson.
Thomas is coming off a productive 2025 season that earned him All-Big 12 Honorable Mention recognition. He led the Knights in catches with 53 receptions for 528 yards, though he did not find the end zone. His workload stretched beyond the passing game, too, with 14 rushing attempts for 45 yards, an interception on a throw, and six kickoff returns that went for an average of 17.2 yards per return.
Even with that production, Thomas’ role in 2026 could look different. UCF’s receiver room has added more options, and the Knights return tight end Dylan Wade, who finished just five yards shy of his season total.
Waden Charles is back for a full season, DayDay Farmer has recovered from injury, Josh Derry and Jonathan Bibbs arrived through the transfer portal, and true freshman Tyren Hornes has already turned heads in fall camp. That depth gives Thomas competition he didn’t face in quite the same way a year ago.
Still, Thomas should remain in the mix. During an April 18 practice session, wide receivers coach Sean Beckton said Thomas did not "win the route at the top," a point tied to the fact that he has to separate despite being smaller than many of the receivers around him. If he sharpens that part of his game, Thomas has a real path back to the top of the stat sheet and another shot at All-Big 12 recognition.
There’s also a special-teams angle here. Thomas is a strong candidate to handle kickoff returns again after sharing those duties last season with former UCF running back Jaden Nixon.
Thomas’ story in Orlando has also taken on a mentorship layer. He said during the Knights’ local media day that back in 2023, when he was a freshman at Charlotte, he was guided by fellow wide receiver Andrew Jacobs. Now at UCF, Thomas has become the older player helping freshman Waden Charles, and the two enter their second and final season together in 2026 while also serving as hosts of the UCFast Cast on the Knights’ official YouTube channel.
"That's what's the full circle moment about this college football thing," Thomas said. "Like, just grew up, and I always think about that. Like, I was always the young guy at one point, but now I'm the older guy, and just hanging around with Waden, he definitely likes reminding me that I'm the older guy."
Jackson brings a different profile, but he is just as important to UCF’s outlook. Though he is listed as a senior, he is only 20 because he reclassified and skipped 12th grade, something he explained at local media day on Aug.
- The player who was once a 16-year-old freshman has grown into a veteran presence, and he described that growth this way:
"My body still feels young, so that's a blessing, and I got a young body with an old mindset," Jackson said.
On the field, Jackson was a steady piece of the defense in 2025. He started all 12 games, finished with 39 tackles, including 27 solo stops, added 0.5 tackles for loss, recovered a fumble and broke up five passes. He also handled 16 punt returns and averaged 11.8 yards per return.
That production has him set up well for 2026. Phil Steele named Jackson to the All-Big 12 Preseason Fourth Team, and he appears ready to keep his starting cornerback spot alongside Jayden Bellamy. Together, they helped UCF finish 48th in the nation in team passing efficiency defense last season.
Jackson could also be back as the Knights’ punt returner.
In Other News...
UCFs Rebuilt Roster Already Faces A Chemistry Test Before Opening Night
UCFs exhibition stretch already offered Johnny Dawkins a quick read on how his rebuilt roster is coming together, and the early returns were mixed. The Knights played SEC foes LSU and Kentucky, using the games to sort through chemistry and rotations after a roster overhaul that brought several transfers into the mix. Against LSU, UCF showed it could stretch the floor and get going from deep, but the result still turned sour as the Knights couldnt hold the edge.
Those tune-ups were never just about the scoreboard, though. For Dawkins, the value was in seeing which combinations worked, how the new pieces fit and where the team still needs time before opening night. The challenge now is familiar for any revamped group: turning flashes in exhibition play into something more stable once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Suddenly Has A Real Shot To Bring Back Two Former Standouts
A Dallas courts temporary restraining order has suddenly reopened the door for a pair of former UCF standouts, giving the program a possible path to bring back players who had appeared headed elsewhere. Safety Phillip Dunnam and guard Riley Kugel were both notable performers last season, and the ruling has created a real possibility that each could regain college eligibility after disputes had clouded their next steps.
For UCF, the timing makes the situation especially intriguing because both athletes are positioned to return to college sports, and the Knights now have a chance to be part of that next chapter. Dunnam has already entered the transfer portal, while Kugel had been there since early August, so the legal development has changed the conversation around two familiar names whose futures had been uncertain only days ago. [Read more 🡒]
UCFs First Opponent Is Carrying More Momentum Than Usual
Bethune-Cookman is heading into its fourth season under Raymond Woodie Jr. with a bit more buzz than the Knights may be used to seeing from an opening opponent. After finishing 6-6 a year ago, the Wildcats have been trending upward, and the programs preseason recognition reflects it, with offensive lineman Christian Loving and linebacker Stephen Sparrow among the players drawing attention before the first snap.
The early schedule gives Bethune-Cookman a chance to show whether that momentum is real right away, with a Sept. 3 trip to UCF setting the tone before a later date with Florida A&M in the Florida Classic on Nov. 21. For the Knights, it is the kind of opener that can look routine on paper but comes with a little more substance than the average first-week tune-up. [Read more 🡒]