UCF’s presence on the 2027 East-West Shrine Bowl watch list runs deep, with 11 Knights earning spots as the program continues to put NFL-caliber talent on the national radar.
The list includes a mix of proven transfers, returning starters and defensive standouts, headlined by Alonza Barnett III, Malachi Lawrence and Nyjalik Kelly. The East-West Shrine Bowl is the oldest postseason All-Star college football game, and several UCF players are using the opportunity to build their draft cases.
Lawrence and Kelly were on the West roster last season, and Lawrence made the most of that stage. He stood out in practices and in the game, earning West All-Practice team honors.
John Blair, quarterbacks coach and author of NFL Draft Notebook, said Lawrence’s Shrine Bowl week helped raise his draft stock. The EDGE later became the highest-ranked defensive player in program history, coming in at 23rd by the Dallas Cowboys.
Barnett arrives as one of UCF’s most important transfer additions. Scott Frost brought in his starting quarterback for next season, and Barnett brings College Football Playoff experience with him.
He turned in a strong showing against No. 5 Oregon in James Madison’s 51-34 loss, throwing for 273 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for a score.
UCF’s defensive front and secondary are well represented, too. Thomas Collins transferred in from Oklahoma State after starting all 12 games for the Cowboys and finished with 30 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, six hurries and two pass breakups.
RJ Jackson Jr. remains an important piece of the interior pass rush after posting 33 tackles, including a career-high 13 solo stops, and earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention last season. Horace Lockett’s return to the program had its twists, but before a torn pectoral muscle ended his season early, he was trending toward a career year after recording his first career sack against Jacksonville State.
In the secondary, Jayden Bellamy has already shown he can stack up with the best in the Big 12. Pro Football and Sports Network graded him as one of the conference’s top cornerbacks, ranking him first in most forced incompletions with 11 and sixth among Big 12 corners with an 85.1 rating. Demari Henderson is part of a veteran defensive back group and was UCF’s third-leading tackler with a career-high 61 stops, including 42 solo tackles.
The watch list also reflects UCF’s depth on offense. Ty Bartrum brings Ivy League production from Harvard after helping lead the Crimson to the FCS playoffs in the league’s first eligible season.
He finished last season with 83 tackles, 27 solo, along with two forced fumbles, an interception and three pass breakups. Preston Cushman was the most available offensive lineman for UCF last season, logging 751 snaps and finishing with a 63.1 Pro Football Focus grade, fourth-best on the team in his position group.
Derry, meanwhile, arrives with the kind of résumé that turns heads. He topped the highest-graded returning Big 12 wide receivers list with an 89.9 rating and gives UCF its first proven 1,000-yard receiver since Javon Baker in 2023. The Monmouth transfer posted 1,123 yards, 14.78 yards per catch and 13 touchdowns on 76 receptions, earning All-CAA First Team honors.
Dylan Wade rounds out the group after a record-setting season for a UCF tight end. The Orlando native set a program mark at the position with 43 catches for 523 yards and five touchdowns, all career highs.
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The immediate path to snaps, though, is not especially clear. Bennett is one of four true freshmen at linebacker, and he will be trying to work his way past more experienced options already in the program, including Matthew Occhipinti and Preston Hall, who were active in spring practice. Even with the roster spot secured, his first season could be more about learning and waiting for an opening than jumping straight into the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Former UCF Guard George Beale Jr. Just Made His Next Move
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Now Beale has landed his next stop with Enosis Neon Paralimni in Cyprus, a move that also makes him the first player from last seasons UCF roster to turn pro. He will step into a locker room with Brandon McKissic, Aaron Cook Jr. and Stephen Ugochukwu, giving him an immediate American presence as he begins the adjustment to his first season in the professional game. [Read more 🡒]