UCF DT John Walker plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal

One of UCF‘s top recruiting gets in recent years is headed to the transfer portal. According to On3’s Hayes Fawcett, defensive tackle John Walker has decided to leave the program after three years.

Walker initially chose UCF over the likes of Florida, Michigan and Ohio State, among others. A four-star prospect, he was heavily coveted by several top D1 programs.

He made an immediate impact at UCF, too. John Walker recorded 24 tackles, 5.0 tackles for a loss, 0.5 sacks, a pass breakup and a pass defended as a freshman in 2023. That led to Walker being named an On3 True Freshman All-American.

The following season was a bust for Walker, as he did not play and earned a redshirt instead. He returned this season and has had a sizeable impact on the interior of the defensive line.

John Walker has logged 40 tackles, 3.0 tackles for a loss, 1.0 sacks and a forced fumble while starting all 12 of UCF’s games. He has now made 13 starts in 25 appearances for the Knights.

Prior to enrolling at UCF, John Walker was ranked as a four-star recruit and the No. 99 overall player in the nation, according to the On3 Consensus. He was also ranked as the No. 13 defensive lineman in the class and the No. 24 overall player in the state of Florida, hailing from Kissimmee (FL) Osceola.

UCF loses a high-profile quarterback

John Walker’s anticipated departure isn’t the only one so far at UCF this offseason. Former Miami quarterback Jacurri Brown is also reportedly on the way out. On3’s Pete Nakos reported the news on Friday.

Brown just wrapped up his fourth season of college football, his second with UCF. The Valdosta, GA native’s career began at Miami before he transferred to Central Florida prior to the 2024 season. This year, Brown played in just three games.

Over his four-year career, Brown has played in 21 games (9-12 record). He has completed 57.4% of his passes for 906 yards and six touchdowns with nine interceptions. On the ground, he’s rushed for 823 yards and eight scores.

On3’s Daniel Hager also contributed to this report.