UCF senior defensive end Big Kat Bryant (Cordele, Georgia) claimed a first-team spot on the 2021 All-American Athletic Conference football team named by vote of league head coaches.
Bryant finished as the UCF team leader in sacks (6 for 31 yards in losses), tackles for loss (14 for 59) and quarterback hurries (8). He started every game in 2021, had 50 tackles and finished third in the AAC in sacks.
The Knights also had three second-team picks in junior wide receiver Ryan O'Keefe (Austin, Texas), junior offensive guard Lokahi Pauole (Kapolei, Hawaii) and junior safety Divaad Wilson (Miami, Florida).
Earning honorable mention notice were offensive guard Cole Schneider (Fort Myers, Florida), junior linebacker Tatum Bethune (Miami, Florida) and senior offensive tackle Marcus Tatum (Daytona Beach, Florida).
O'Keefe led UCF in receiving in 2021 (77 for 727, 6 TDs—most catches by a UCF player since 2006).
Pauole opened in all 12 games at guard. Wilson started 11 games, finished fourth on the roster in tackles with 65 and shared the team lead with a pair of interceptions.
A four-year starter on the UCF offensive line, Schneider opened in all 12 games in 2021 and boasts 46 career starts for the Knights.
Bethune led the Knights in tackles in 2021 (with 101), ranking second in the AAC and 21st nationally with 9.2 tackles per game (including a career-high 18 in the regular-season finale versus South Florida).
Tatum started all 12 games at left offensive tackle in 2021.
The Knights finished the regular season 8-4 (5-3 good for a tie for third place in the AAC) in Gus Malzahn's first year as UCF head coach. They ended up 7-0 at home and now stand 30-2 in home games since the start of the 2017 season.
