Several UCF players signed with NFL teams as undrafted free agents following Saturday’s completion of the NFL draft.
Running back Jaden Nixon and edge rusher Nyjalik Kelly signed with the Green Bay Packers, while Myles Montgomery signed with the New England Patriots and linebacker Keli Lawson inked a deal with the Minnesota Vikings
Montgomery (5-foot-11, 205 pounds) led the Knights in rushing with 705 yards on 143 carries with four touchdowns in his second season with the program. He was one of the team captains this past season, appearing in 11 games with 10 starts.
The Jacksonville native finished with 1,546 career rushing yards with 11 touchdowns in his five seasons, three with Cincinnati (2021-23) and two at UCF (2024-25).
“The dream is to make it to the NFL, make some money and change my family’s life,” Montgomery said during UCF’s Pro Day on March 25.
The 5-10, 199-pound Nixon signed with the Packers on Saturday, following a season in which the Texas native led the Knights in rushing touchdowns (seven) and was second in rushing yards (554) and carries (71).
UCF running back Myles Montgomery signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
He was also an All-Big 12 honorable mention as a kick returner after finishing fifth in the conference with 438 return yards on 19 returns. Nixon’s 96-yard touchdown return against North Carolina A&T on Sept. 6, 2025, was the first touchdown return by a Knight since Mike Hughes in 2017.
Nixon believes he offers an NFL team a player with plenty of talents.
“If you look at the film, you’ll see that I’m explosive and that I can run,” Nixon said during UCF’s Pro Day in late March. “I can catch (the football) and I’ve had a lot of great touchdown passes throughout my career. I’m a kick returner as well. I can hit the hole and go.
Nixon has recently been spending time helping out during UCF’s spring camp, drawing praise from running backs coach Jimmy Beal.
“It’s one of the coolest things to have a former player come back,” said Beal. “I told him I’ve got a spot for him whenever he’s ready. I hope that he’s playing on Sundays.”
Beal praised the work ethic of both Nixon and Montgomery.
“With his abilities, if he tells me he has to do something, he’s going to do it,” he said.
Kelly (6-5, 265) spent the past two seasons at UCF after starting his college career at the University of Miami. He finished with 99 total tackles, including 17 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He also had an interception, 4 passes defended and 5 forced fumbles with the Knights.
“He’s a great guy to have in the room,” said UCF edges coach Mike Dawson. “He was awesome with me coming in as another new position coach. He ended up having a great summer last year and he’s a guy who I think has his best football ahead of him. He’s going to get better and better and he’s got tremendous upside.
“Nyjalik has a tremendous upside. He’s got suddenness, he’s got power and as he continues to build his body and get stronger, he’s going to get more and more physical that way. There were times where he might not necessarily be in the right spot, but he finds the ball.”
Lawson totaled 34 tackles, including two for loss, with two sacks, a pass breakup, two quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick in his only season at UCF.
He blocked a field goal at the end of the first half in the season-opener against Jacksonville State on Aug. 28, 2025.
The Virginia native also scored the first touchdown of his career when he scooped up a fumble and returned it 32 yards for a score in UCF’s 45-13 win over West Virginia on Oct. 18, 2025.
Lawson (6-4, 230) previously spent four seasons at Virginia Tech, appearing in 36 games.
“When you’re a kid, moments like this are what you dream about,” Lawson said at Pro Day. “I’m one step closer. I’m making a good mark and the ultimate dream is to end up on a good team and then do what I do from there.”
Edge rusher Malachi Lawrence became the fifth UCF player to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft when he was picked 23rd overall by the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday. He was the only Knight selected in this year’s draft.
Other Knights seeking deals are offensive lineman Paul Rubelt and defensive back Phil Dunnam.
Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com