UCF head coach Gus Malzahn and his staff have been anything but idle following the Knights’ 29-17 victory over Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Just a week into the 2021-22 offseason, UCF has already lost a few significant pieces of its roster to the NCAA transfer portal.
However, the Knights have also been on the receiving end of the transfer portal, picking up some of its notable members.
Let’s take a look at who will be departing the team and who will be joining the force.
Departures
Junior QB, Dillon Gabriel
Gabriel, who missed all but three games of the 2021 season (fractured clavicle), announced his intentions of leaving UCF just one day following the Knights’ regular season finale victory of the USF Bulls.
Three weeks later, Gabriel announced on Twitter that he was committed to continue his collegiate career at UCLA.
That commitment did not last long, as the junior flipped his commitment to Oklahoma University just two weeks later.
During his two-year tenure with the Knights, Gabriel made a significant impact, ranking fourth all-time in UCF history with 8,041 total passing yards.
Junior LB, Tatum Bethune
UCF learned on Tuesday that the leader of its defensive unit will be headed to Tallahassee to reunite with Knights’ former defensive coordinator Randy Shannon at Florida State.
Bethune led UCF in total tackles (108), as well as solo tackles (60) this past season.
In addition, Bethune recorded two sacks netting for 11 lost yards, in addition, intercepted two passes during the 2021-22 season.
Freshman WR, Titus Mokiao-Atimalala
Atimalala, a former four-star recruit from Hawaii, announced that he would be entering the transfer portal on Tuesday.
As a freshman, Atimalala primarily made an impact on special teams, returning 13 punts for a team-high 95 yards.
Atimalala also returned three kickoffs for 68 yards, ranking third on the team.
Newcomers
2022 recruit class
The Knights’ 2022 recruit class consists of 16 players, which includes one four-star recruit and 15 three-star recruits.
Nikai Martinez, a four-star cornerback from Apopka, FL, headlines this group, being ranked as the Knights’ highest rated recruit, according to 247sports.
Martinez is ranked the No. 38 cornerback in the nation and the No. 47 player in the state of Florida.
Sophomore LB, KD McDaniel
McDaniel, a former three-star recruit from Tifton, GA, announced on Twitter that he would be transferring to UCF.
McDaniel played his first three collegiate seasons at Kentucky, where he totaled 15 tackles, 11 of those coming from this past season.
The sophomore also recorded three quarterback hurries during the 2021-22 season.
Freshman LB, Terrence Lewis
Lewis, a former five-star recruit from Opa Locka, FL, is the Knights’ highest rated newcomer.
Coming out of high school, Lewis was ranked as the No. 1 linebacker in the nation and the No. 5 player in the state of Florida.
The freshman started his collegiate career at Maryland – where he tore his ACL and was granted a medical redshirt – leaving him with four more years of college eligibility.
In addition to the Knights’ arrivals and departures, senior running back Isaiah Bowser announced that he will be returning to UCF for one final season.
