Three UCF Knights Who Could Enter NFL Draft Conversation

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With the college football season right around the corner, various publications, analysts, and committees have begun making predictions for which players and teams will excel this year.

For UCF, multiple players have been named to preseason watch lists, including Alonza Barnett III and Dylan Wade.

Jayden Bellamy and Horace Lockett are two players who could make the jump to the NFL with big years, as NFL Draft Researcher Chad Reuter marked the pair as potential day two or three picks.

Three additional Knights were listed as "potential risers," who could work their way into draft consideration.

Wide receiver Josh Derry is the lone offensive representative, gearing up for a big first year at the Power 4 level.

With Monmouth, Derry recorded 1,123 yards (14.78 yards per catch) and 13 touchdowns on 76 receptions, while earning All-CAA First Team honors.

Derry was No. 1 on Pro Football Focus' list of the highest-graded returning Big 12 wide receivers, grading in at an 89.9.

Alongside talented returners like Waden Charles and Duane Thomas Jr., UCF's offense should have a lot of weapons to utilize.

RJ Jackson Jr. is another player who could catch NFL teams' attention, coming off of a breakout season with the Knights.

Following the year, Jackson was named an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention, recording 33 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks.

In all 12 of his appearances, Jackson recorded multiple tackles, while anchoring the interior of the defensive line.

With talented edge rushers like Malachi Lawrence and Nyjalik Kelly moving onto the NFL, Jackson will be tasked with helping the next era of exterior linemen to get up to speed.

Senior linebacker Lewis Carter rounds out the trio of potential risers, coming off a breakout campaign in his first year in Orlando.

After two limited seasons at Oklahoma, Carter recorded 92 total tackles, two sacks, and two forced fumbles, while serving as a vocal presence on the field.

In three of the final four games of the season, Carter recorded 12 or more tackles, doing so against top teams in the conference like Texas Tech, Houston, and BYU.

Entering this season, he has been hailed as the vocal leader of the defense by head coach Scott Frost.

"Like Lew Carter is the clear leader on defense for us," Frost said. "We didn't really have that a year ago either. The vocal guy out in front. I think guys like that are going to give us a a little bit easier path to hopefully some success."

Earlier this week Carter received a big honor, appearing as an early candidate for the Chuck Bednarik Award, which is given to the top defensive player in the country.

All three of these players will be key contributors to UCF's success this upcoming season, and possess traits that could get them looks at the next level.

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