Categories: College University Athletics

University of Central Florida Welcomes Top Recruit Jayvian Tanelus

Prospective athletes explore the UCF campus during recruitment weekend.

News Summary

Jayvian Tanelus, a standout running back from the Community School of Naples, recently completed his visit to the University of Central Florida. His experience included campus tours, dinners with coaches, and thrills at Universal Studios. Tanelus, a three-star recruit with 16 scholarship offers, emphasized the valuable insights shared during his interaction with UCF staff and players. This visit marks a significant step in his recruitment process as UCF aims to enhance its roster with top talent.

Orlando, FL – Jayvian Tanelus, a standout running back from the Community School of Naples, recently completed his first official visit to the University of Central Florida (UCF) during a weekend dedicated to prospective student-athletes. Tanelus, a highly sought-after recruit, expressed that the visit was an impressive experience, highlighting the warm hospitality shown by the UCF coaching staff.

The official visit marked the inaugural summer recruiting weekend under UCF’s newly appointed head coach, Scott Frost. Tanelus participated in a packed itinerary that included campus tours, a photo shoot, dinners with the coaching staff, and a trip to Universal Studios, which provided an exciting backdrop to his visit.

Alongside his visit, Tanelus was matched with senior running back Myles Montgomery, who served as his player host. Montgomery took the opportunity to share valuable insights with Tanelus regarding life as a college athlete, emphasizing the need to listen to coaching and adapt to the differences between high school and college football.

Additionally, Tanelus spent considerable time with UCF’s running backs coach, Jimmy Beal, who has targeted him as a key recruit for the upcoming class. Tanelus remarked on Beal’s genuine enthusiasm for coaching, noting that their previous interactions helped build a rapport before the official visit.

During this first summer recruitment event, nine other prospects were also welcomed onto the UCF campus. Notably, UCF’s head coach Scott Frost and men’s basketball coach Johnny Dawkins were attending the Big 12 spring meetings at the same time in Orlando, indicating the program’s ongoing commitment to expanding its visibility in collegiate athletics.

Tanelus has quickly gained attention as one of the most highly recruited players in Florida, holding a total of 16 scholarship offers from prominent programs, including Louisville, Iowa, and Boston College. His junior season performance underscores his potential; he amassed 1,525 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns over just 10 games, averaging an impressive 152.5 yards per game. In a noteworthy playoff game, he showcased his capabilities with a standout performance, rushing for 228 yards and scoring five touchdowns on merely 12 carries.

Currently rated as a three-star prospect, Tanelus holds a ranking of No. 50 among running backs according to On3. Following his visit to UCF, Tanelus has also arranged official visits with other institutions, including Georgia Tech and University of South Florida (USF) in the upcoming weeks, signaling that his recruitment process is still very active.

This visit to UCF stands as a pivotal moment in Tanelus’s recruitment journey, further solidifying the program’s efforts to attract top talent as they look to enhance their roster. With Tanelus’s combination of skill and potential, he remains a player to watch as college football programs continue to evaluate and pursue their recruiting strategies for the next season.