ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Fifteen players signed national letters of intent Wednesday to join UCF’s football team starting in 2022, the school announced.

What You Need To Know

  • UCF signed 15 players on Early Signing Day

  • Ten of the signees are from Florida

  • The class is the first at UCF for coach Gus Malzahn's staff

  • Malzahn said UCF focused on recruiting players from Florida

The early-signing class is made up of 14 high school students, including four from Central Florida of the 10 total Floridians, and a transfer from Jacksonville State.

Knights Coach Gus Malzahn called the class the foundation of the UCF football program going forward, especially as it looks to join the Big 12 soon.

"I'm very excited about our first class (that his staff recruited at UCF)," Malzahn said. "They're big-time players, and I think most of them have a chance to play in the NFL."

Malzahn said it was a priority to recruit the state of Florida and to keep top players from the Orlando area at home. Five of UCF's signees played for championships, he added.

Wednesday is recognized nationwide as Early Signing Day for college programs. National Signing Day also is scheduled in February.

Here is an alphabetical list of the athletes who signed with UCF:

  • T.J. Bullard, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound linebacker out of Tampa Berkeley Prep 
  • Thomas Castellanos, a 6-foot, 190-pound quarterback out of Ware County High School in Waycross, Ga.
  • Tyler Grable, a 6-foot-7, 290-pound offensive lineman who transferred from Jacksonville State
  • Tyler Griffin, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound  wide receiver out of New Southeast Bulloch in Brooklet Ga.
  • Demari Henderson, a 6-foot, 160-pound safety out of Sanford Seminole
  • Ja’Cari Henderson, a 6-foot, 160-pound cornerback out of Sanford Seminole
  • Jamaal Johnson, a 6-foot-2, 250-pound defensive end out of Chaminade-Madonna in Miramar
  • Caden Kitler, a 6-foot-3, 295-pound offensive lineman out of John Paul II in Plano, Texas
  • Quan Lee, a 6-foot, 175-pound wide receiver out of Gainesville Buchholz
  • Jordan McDonald, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound running back out of Milton High School in Alpharetta, Ga.  
  • Nikai Martinez, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound cornerback out of Apopka High School
  • Kam Moore, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound linebacker out of Sanford Seminole
  • Grant Stevens, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound tight end out of Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach
  • Keahnist “K.T.” Thompson, a 6-foot-3, 255-pound defensive end out of Lakeland
  • Xavier Townsend, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound wide receiver out of Tampa Berkeley Prep