ORLANDO - Following the end of the 2022 NFL Draft on Saturday, which saw UCF's Kalia Davis get selected in the sixth round by the San Francisco 49ers, four additional Knights signed free agent contracts with NFL teams.
Offensive lineman Cole Schneider was picked up by the Green Bay Packers, wide receiver Brandon Johnson inked a deal with the Denver Broncos, edge rusher Big Kat Bryant hooked up with the Dallas Cowboys, and offensive lineman Marcus Tatum got a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Cole Schneider
After redshirting the 2017 season with the Knights, Schneider played in all 49 games for UCF from 2018-21, starting 47 times on the offensive line. Primarily a guard, Schneider also played center for the Knights in 2021.
A native of Fort Meyers, Florida, Schneider earned all-conference honors all four seasons he played, receiving first-team accolades in 2018 and 2020. Schneider, a 2021 graduate of UCF, also received Freshman All-America honors from USA Today, was named to the Outland Trophy watch list multiple times and played in the Hula Bowl.
WATCH COLE SCHNEIDER'S UCF HIGHLIGHTS
Brandon Johnson
In his only season at UCF, Johnson played in 13 games and caught 11 touchdown passes, ranking 16th in the nation and finishing eighth in the UCF record books for touchdown receptions in a single season.
Johnson totaled 38 receptions for 565 yards, averaging 14.9 yards per catch and 43.5 yards per game in 2021, catching a touchdown in 10 of 13 games played. The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native earned second-team all-conference honors from the Pro Football Network.
A 2020 graduate of the University of Tennessee, Johnson played four seasons for the Volunteers, hauling in 79 catches for 969 yards and one touchdown in 46 games in Knoxville.
WATCH BRANDON JOHNSON'S UCF HIGHLIGHTS
Big Kat Bryant
Bryant made an impact in just one season in Orlando, earning first-team all-conference honors in 2021 after leading UCF with 14.0 tackles for loss and six sacks. He ranked second in the AAC in TFLs per game and third in sacks per game.
A native of Cordele, Georgia, Bryant was named AAC Defensive Linemen of the Year and Newcomer of the Year by the Pro Football Network, totaling 52 tackles, 10 quarterback hurries and three pass breakups.
Bryant, a 2020 graduate of Auburn University, played three seasons for the Tigers and earned second-team All-SEC accolades following the 2020 season. Bryant was a two-year starter at Auburn and was named team captain for both the Tigers and the Knights.
WATCH BIG KAT BRYANT'S UCF HIGHLIGHTS
Marcus Tatum
Tatum played two seasons with the Knights after three at Tennessee, appearing in all 23 UCF games in 2020 and 2021, starting 18 times on the offensive line. He was named second-team all-conference by Phil Steele and earned honorable mention all-conference accolades from the AAC coaches and Pro Football Focus in 2021.
After earning his bachelor's degree at the University of Tennessee in 2019, Tatum received his master's degree from UCF in 2021. He has earned academic all-conference honors from both the Southeastern Conference and the American Athletic Conference during his career.
WATCH MARCUS TATUM'S UCF HIGHLIGHTS
Notes
- Big Kat Bryant joins former UCF defensive tackle Trysten Hill on the Cowboys
- Marcus Tatum joins former UCF cornerback Shaquill Griffin and placekicker Matthew Wright on the Jaguars
- UCF Hall of Fame offensive linemam Josh Sitton began his career in Green Bay, just like Cole Schneider