It makes sense when fans hear that seniors like Duane Thomas Jr. and Josh Derry are leaders. But for Waden Charles to take that role as a sophomore within the UCF Knights’ wide receiver room is something impressive.
Wide Receiver/Associate Head Coach Sean Beckton also sees that same prowess in the young playmaker.
“His maturity has always been there since [he was] a freshman,” said Beckton. “. . . The maturity level at an early age — you could see that in Waden last year. And now, you can see how much he’s progressed and gotten better. . . he’s one of our leaders already.”
As a freshman, Charles hauled in 26 receptions for 290 receiving yards. This put him in the top three for catches on the roster behind Thomas and tight end Dylan Wade.
While the numbers aren’t stellar, there are plenty of factors for the young leader and cohost of the team’s UCFastCast podcast that show a breakout opportunity.
On top of his physical traits, Charles said this past Saturday that the game seems to be slowing down for him. “Last year, I think I used to move too fast,” he said. “We used to move too fast and be so jittery and not think about the game. The game’s not that hard — you can just go out there, read the defense, and see what they’re doing, and that allows us to be more smooth. . .everything is moving a bit slower for us [now], and we know everything that’s happening; it feels way better.”
As Charles and the UCF Knights receiver corps continue to work to get better. They do this with leaders who enter the building before some coaches during spring practice to set an example for teammates.
If the quarterback situation becomes more solid with James Madison transfer Alonza Barnett III at the helm, Charles and the entire receiver room may be able to make the offense far more explosive in 2026.
