Savannah (Ga.) Calvary Day linebacker Troy Ford Jr. visited UCF for a game last season and returned recently to attend Hometown Hero, UCF's mega junior day event.

"It was a great experience," Ford said. "The coaches treated me really good. I told Coach T-Will (Travis Williams), I know I've put South Carolina at the top of my list, but I'm changing that. UCF is my No. 1 school right now. They're showing me a lot of love. I feel I can really fit in down here."

What stands out about UCF?

"The fans," Ford said. "Every time I post something on Twitter they go crazy. The coaches. I feel I've bonded with all the coaches, especially Coach T-Will. Coach (William) Lee, I talk to him a lot. Orlando itself. The city is crazy. I know there's a lot of opportunities for me."

UCF is recruiting Ford as a middle linebacker. Other offers include Arkansas, Auburn, Cincinnati, Duke, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Iowa State, Mississippi State, Missouri, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and West Virginia. Most of those offers are for linebacker, though Iowa State likes him as an edge rusher.

"Coaches always talk about my explosiveness," Ford said. "When they watch my film, they say my first two steps are very violent which helps me get separation."

What areas of his game can improve?

"I would say my reads," Ford said. "I was playing defensive end a lot with my high school team, so I need to work on reads and pass coverage more. That's why I'm doing more 7-on-7."