Before the offers began to roll in, before he became a top defensive line target for several programs, it was UCF defensive tackles coach Kenny Martin who first saw the potential in Jayden Curtis.

The Class of 2026 defensive tackle from St. Martin High School in Ocean Springs, Miss., only held one offer when Martin first initiated contact earlier this year.

"He texted me the day before and said he was coming to practice," Curtis said. "I was like, oh snap. And as soon as I got out of practice, he texted me and told me to call him. That’s when he offered me. I was very excited."

That moment set the tone for what's become one of the most important relationships in Curtis' recruitment.

"I did some research on him, and I was like, oh yeah, I definitely want to check out UCF," Curtis said. "They’ve been on me ever since. I love Coach Kenny Martin."