If you’re a Knights fan, you can’t ask for a much better recruiting success story than Eriq Gilyard.
The incoming freshman, ranked as the 32nd-best outside linebacker in the class, committed to Scott Frost last October and never wavered during the coaching change, signing with the Knights in December and arriving on campus in January. It wasn’t for lack of options, either; Gilyard had offers on the table from big-name programs like Alabama, Clemson, LSU, and Michigan.
But he’s in Orlando now, and he’s already garnering comparisons to the departed Shaquem Griffin (which, if you’re a UCF player, is genuinely the highest of honors).
Next: Way-too-early 2019 NFL Mock Draft
Expectations are soaring for the high three-star ‘backer, and with Griffin and fellow standout Chequan Burkett both on to the next stage of their careers, Gilyard is one of a handful of young defenders with a chance to make an impact right away. Knights fans and coaching staff are hoping that they have another future NFL player here.