Gus Malzahn and the UCF Knights are losing one of their commits in the Class of 2025 with three-star defensive back Demarcus Gardner flipping to Kentucky.
Gardner, a 6-foot safety from Georgia, originally chose the Knights over offers from nine different programs, including Kentucky, Minnesota, SMU, USF, and more.
Coming out of Cedartown High School in the Class of 2025, Gardner was listed as a three-star prospect by the 247Sports index and the nation’s 745th-ranked player. He also checks in as the 65th-ranked player at his position and the 84th-ranked player in the state of Georgia.
“I would like to thank God for this talent that he has given me, without him, I am nothing,” Gardner wrote in a post. “I would like to thank Coach Addison, Coach Reed, and last but not least, Coach Ruth through this whole recruiting process. I’m thankful that y’all and the staff saw talent in me, but after a hard, well thought about my decision with my family, I have decided to flip my commitment to THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY.”
Despite the loss of Gardner, UCF currently holds an elite 2025 recruiting class that’s headlined by three top 500, four-star prospects.
