While the spotlight has naturally settled on UCF’s new starting quarterback, Alonza Barnett III, the Knights may be building something just as important on the outside: a wide receiver room that looks loaded with speed, size and upside.
Scott Frost likes what he has, but he’s not ready to call it finished. On Monday, he made it clear the group is still grinding through camp, still learning the demands of his system, and still being pushed hard.
"It hasn't been good enough yet through camp, but I know it's going to be and we keep pushing those guys. We ask a lot of them," Frost said.
"We ask them to run a lot, know a lot, motion a lot, be ready to play tempo a lot. You know, they're in really good shape right now."
That workload is built into Frost’s offense. His system leans on pre-snap movement and receivers who can line up in different spots, creating stress for defenses before the ball is even snapped. UCF appears to have the personnel to make it work, with a mix of proven production and young talent that could keep defenses guessing.
Waden Charles is one of the names at the center of it. Entering his second season under Frost, the sophomore already showed flashes last year as a true freshman, finishing with 26 catches for 290 yards.
His best stretch came late in the season. On senior night, he posted a career-high six receptions for 78 yards, then followed that up the next week against BYU with 50 yards on four catches.
He averaged 11.2 yards per reception, a strong number for a young player still carving out his role.
Now Charles is taking on more than just a bigger share of the offense. He’s also embracing the leadership side of the job.
"Probably from the end of last season, people started looking at me as more of a leader because of the role I was taking as a young guy and just the trust that my team had in me coming into this year, I knew that I had to step up and just make them plays that they want me to make and just lead by example as well," Charles said.
That mindset matters for a room that includes younger breakout candidates who will need guidance as they learn the system. Frost singled out Tyren Hornes as one of the players drawing attention in practice, and it’s easy to see why.
Hornes, who came out of Booker High School in Sarasota, FL, first made a name for himself at the Under Armour All-American game as a junior. A year later, he committed to UCF at that same event and eventually became the highest-ranked recruit in program history, coming in as the No.
12 WR in 2026.
Hornes is already turning heads on the field. Frost called his upside “special” and said the freshman has made major progress in practice.
"He's just a really good athlete. I think he's got the upside to be a really special player and typical with guys like that, it's just how quick it clicks on and how fast they can be reliable and consistent," Frost said.
"And he's certainly taken some huge strides. He's making some really good plays out there."
The Knights also have other speed options in Duane Thomas Jr. and Josh Derry, giving the room a different kind of flexibility. Between the burners, the emerging playmakers and the players who already know Frost’s offense, UCF’s receiver group has the ingredients to be dangerous.
The challenge now is making it all click.
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 🡒]