The four-star phenom is dominating fall camp with elite ball skills and pro-ready traits, positioning himself to bolster the Knights' depth and ignite the Big 12.
Tyren Hornes is making a strong case for playing time as a true freshman.
The UCF Knights receiver has followed up an impressive spring with another strong showing throughout fall camp, holding his own against upperclassmen in one-on-one drills.
A fast release gave the freshman much-needed space to run down the sideline, track the ball and make a difficult catch over Jailen Duffie on Saturday.
It's a snapshot of what he can offer on Saturdays against other Big 12 teams. His teammates see that potential, too. Alonza Barnett III said he's a savvy player who has seen a lot of reps in camp and can be special.
"Really good ball skills," Barnett told local media on Monday. "You know, he'll go up, catch the ball. He can also run by you."
Hornes is part of a deep receiving core for UCF. Josh Derry, Waden Charles and Duane Thomas Jr. will likely headline the starters heading into next season.
Charles is an example Hornes can follow. Coach Scott Frost slowly gave the then-freshman receiver more reps throughout the season, eventually starting the final five games.
He finished with 290 yards on 26 receptions. The stats don't look impressive, but his growing role in the offense paves the way for the true freshman to follow.
Hornes became UCF's highest-ranked recruit in program history in early February. The former four-star dominated the Under Armour All-American game, winning the MVP award.
He shot up 11 spots in his class rankings, finishing as the 12th-ranked receiver before arriving at UCF. Even NFL analysts praised him as a league-ready receiver.
"Top NFL receivers are smart, tough, dynamic and ultra-competitive," ESPN's Tom Luginbill and Craig Haubert wrote. "Tyren Hornes meets the criteria. He arrives at UCF with plenty of physical intangibles like excellent ball skills as well as a professional attitude."
The Knights' receiving core struggled outside of Thomas Jr., who led the team in receptions (53) and yards (528). Hornes' addition could give the program the depth it needs to be successful in a Power Four conference.
Back at spring camp, Thomas Jr. said Hornes will make plays that will generate a lot of noise. The consistent praise from his upperclassmen highlights his skill set and how close he is to earning snaps as a true freshman.
Thomas Jr. and Derry will be gone after next season due to the expiration of their eligibility. An impressive debut season for Hornes could propel him into a program cornerstone heading into his sophomore year.
