2025 QB EJ Colson commits to UCF: 'It felt like home'

UCF's July recruiting bonanza isn't limited to the 2024 class.

EJ Colson, a 2025 quarterback from Georgia's Cedar Grove High School, joined the party Thursday night. He chose the Knights over Cincinnati, Virginia Tech and UAB.

"Ever since I was on campus the first time it felt like home," Colson said during his announcement live stream. "Coach (Darin) Hinshaw and Coach (Gus) Malzahn have a plan for me. Going to the Big 12 is big."

Colson visited UCF multiple times over the last six months, including a recent visit in June that solidified his decision.

"It was amazing," Colson said in a recent interview with UCFSports.com. "My parents and I wanted to see the academic part of UCF. They broke it all down. We sat down for an hour and went over academics. They showed me the biology building, which is what I want to study. It was amazing."

As a sophomore, Colson led Cedar Grove to the state championship game while guiding his team to an 11-3 overall record. He completed 182-of-290 passes for 2,632 yards, 29 touchdowns and six interceptions. He rushed 127 times for 486 yards and 10 more scores.

Malzahn and Hinshaw told Colson he'd be a perfect fit in their offense.

"They were saying I'm everything they want in a QB," Colson said. "Coach Malzahn has done great with dual-threat quarterbacks like myself with the RPO game and the deep ball. Coach Hinshaw says everything I'm doing now (in high school) is what UCF is doing already. He loves how I play. Coach Hinshaw was able to see me in practice during May and he also liked how I'm a leader on the field."

Above all, Colson prides himself on his leadership qualities.

"I'm always being vocal and pushing and encouraging my teammates," Colson said. "My dad instilled that in me. If a player messes up, I'm always like, 'Get back, next play.' As a quarterback, I feel I make good decisions. I try my best not to turn the ball over. I have great pocket presence. A lot of people have to look down to move around in the pocket, but one thing I'm always working on with my trainer is being able to move around while still looking downfield."

At the Rivals Camp in April, Colson was among the standout players:

While he is young and still developing it could be argued that the Georgia native had as strong of an arm as any quarterback that attended the camp. Colson can really spin it and proved more than capable of making even the hardest throws look routine.

Asked about what he likes most about UCF, Colson didn't hesitate.

"Coach Malzahn and Coach Hinshaw, definitely," Colson said. "They're amazing. I was able to get coached by them in my private workout and how they coach you is just top notch."

Colson is UCF's second commitment in the Class of 2025, joining four-star running back Taevion Swint.