UCF landed five players on Pro Football Network’s 2026 Preseason All-Big 12 teams this week, a strong early nod for a roster that features impact players on both sides of the ball and in the return game.
Edge rusher Bruno Dall, cornerback Jayden Bellamy and punt returner Antione Jackson were all placed on the second team, while wide receiver Josh Derry and tight end Dylan Wade made the third-team offense.
Dall arrives in Orlando through the transfer portal this offseason as a redshirt junior after spending his first three college seasons at Akron. The Germany native, who played high school football in Mississippi, put together a productive 2025 campaign with 44 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and four sacks.
Bellamy also earned recognition after his first season with the Knights in 2025. The redshirt junior was UCF’s top-graded cornerback by Pro Football Focus at 77.8 and added an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. He finished with 24 tackles, an interception and eight passes defended.
Jackson’s value keeps showing up in two places. As a returner, he averaged 11.8 yards per return last season, which led the Big 12 and ranked 17th in FBS. He also contributed at cornerback, putting up a career-best 39 tackles along with five pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
Derry comes to UCF this offseason after earning FCS All-American honors at Monmouth University. He made 76 catches for 1,123 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, and his 89.9 PFF grade makes him the highest-graded returning wide receiver in the Big 12 this season.
Wade was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in 2025 after what the program called the best season by a tight end in school history. He caught 43 passes for 523 yards and five touchdowns, finishing the year as UCF’s second-leading receiver.
The Knights open the 2026 season on Thursday, September 3, when they host Bethune-Cookman at the Acrisure Bounce House. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
In Other News...
UCF Freshmen Bring Intriguing Depth To Two Key Position Groups
UCFs 2026 roster got a little deeper with the addition of two freshmen who arrive in very different ways but fill areas the Knights can always use more help. Wide receiver Jordan Nunuha comes in from Hawaii after choosing UCF over several other offers, bringing a productive senior season and a profile that suggests he can eventually add punch to the passing game. On the other side of the ball, Sarasota linebacker Jayden Burnett committed in May after landing his first Division I offer and backed it up with a strong high school season that helped push his team to a state championship.
For now, both players look like developmental pieces more than immediate fixes, which is often the case when freshmen step into crowded position groups. UCF has experienced teammates in place to help ease the transition, and that gives the Knights a chance to bring along Nunuha and Burnett at the right pace while they adjust to the college game. Even if their early snaps are limited, the appeal is clear: these are two prospects with enough upside to make the depth chart look a little more interesting down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Scott Frost And Alonza Barnett Have UCF Fans Dreaming Big Again
The first week of fall camp brought a different kind of buzz around UCF, the kind that usually builds only when a new season starts to feel real. Under Scott Frost, the Knights have leaned into daily improvement and a cleaner, more competitive tone on offense, with the coach leaving camp encouraged by both the progress and the atmosphere around the program. A group of promising receivers has also helped add to the sense that this offense could become more dangerous than it was a year ago.
At the center of it all is Alonza Barnett III, the transfer quarterback from James Madison who has quickly become one of the names to watch. UCF sees him as both a leader and a difference-maker, the type of player who can help steady the unit as the Knights prepare for another run through the Big 12. The excitement is still early, but after one week of camp, it is easy to see why fans are starting to dream a little bigger again. [Read more 🡒]
UCFs Receiver Room Is Becoming A Real Weapon For This Offense
Scott Frost is starting to see the kind of receiver room he wants take shape at UCF, and it could become a real strength for an offense built on pace and versatility. The group is being led by returning sophomore Waden Charles, who is expected to step into a leadership role, while highly ranked recruit Tyren Hornes has already begun turning heads in practice with the athleticism that made him such a coveted addition.
What stands out, Frost said, is how far along the receivers are in conditioning and in understanding the demands of his high-tempo system. That matters for a unit that needs to move quickly and stay sharp snap after snap, and Hornes early progress only adds another layer to the competition for playing time as the Knights keep building depth at the position. [Read more 🡒]