Top TE target Justin McGriff commits to UCF

UCF has added a dynamic offensive athlete to their 2018 recruiting class.

Justin McGriff, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound tight end/wide receiver hybrid, pledged on Saturday afternoon to become the Knights' third commitment. He had visited for both the Junior Day and spring game and left with a feeling UCF should be his future home.

"I visited the campus twice and felt really strongly about it both times I went," McGriff said. "I waited a little bit longer to make the decision, but I talked to my parents and we all agreed on it. We decided the time was right to commit today.

"I called my tight ends coach, Sean Beckton, and told him I was committing. He said, 'Congratulations, welcome to the family!' He told all the other coaches about it. I'm going to talk to Coach (Scott) Frost on Sunday or Monday."

McGriff says he loved everything about UCF. If he had to pick the top reason, it would be the coaches.

"I love the coaching staff," he said. "I just always felt at home when I talked to them. It was like talking to another family member."

He also feels the offense is a perfect fit.

"I really like how they use their tight ends in the offense," McGriff said. "The coaches told me they like how I can go deep. They really like my size. They can spread me out, tight end, inside or outside receiver. They plan to move me around."

McGriff added he was also a big fan of UCF's elite graduation rate and modern campus, plus the fact he'll only be an hour and a half from home.

Besides UCF, McGriff says he was also considering East Carolina, Toledo and Central Michigan. He considers his commitment to be "pretty solid."

He joins an early 2018 class that also includes Ocala-Vanguard safety Avonta Crim and Orlando-Bishop Moore offensive lineman Eric Seidelman.