Tyren Hornes may only be 18 years old, but UCF’s newest wide receiver has the temperament of a seasoned veteran.
“I don’t have any pressure on myself. I just come in and do what I gotta do to help the team,” the true freshman said.
Hornes became the highest-ranked wide receiver in program history when he signed as a four-star standout from Booker High School. The Bradenton product finished with nearly 2,500 total receiving yards and 35 total touchdowns in 32 games during his career with the Fighting Tornadoes.
He announced his decision to commit to UCF during the Under Armour All-America Game.
“I just wanted to be out there, to let it be known that I’ve come to UCF and it was my home,” Hornes said of the moment captured live on national television.
The 6-foot, 175-pound Hornes has emerged as one of the breakout performers in preseason camp. A naturally gifted athlete, he’s consistently impressed both his teammates and coaches, receiving abundant praise throughout the first two weeks of training camp.
“He’s just a really good athlete. He’s got the upside to be a really special player,” coach Scott Frost said. “It’s just about how quickly it clicks on and how fast they can be reliable and consistent. He’s certainly taking some huge strides and making good plays out there.”
“We see the progression of him and the development. Now I’ve got to do a good job of really keeping him and not letting him relax, keeping him ascending up,” added receivers coach Sean Beckton Sr.
Offensive coordinator Steve Cooper has already seen growth from the talented wide receiver since his arrival as an early enrollee in January. He believes Hornes can be an explosive playmaker for the Knights’ offense.
“I’m ecstatic that he’s here. I love Ty,” Cooper said. “He’s come a long, long way since he got here. He’s got great hands and he plays almost like a veteran. You’ve got to figure out a way to get off man (coverage) or press (coverage) and get great separation. He’s got a real good natural knack of doing that.”
Hornes isn’t letting himself get too high or too low throughout the process.
“I just came (into camp) wanting to work,” Hornes said. “I keep my head down every day while taking stuff from the older guys, helping me to get better.”
The true freshman finds himself surrounded by a diverse group of receivers, with senior Duane Thomas Jr. taking the lead. However, it’s another former freshman who most coaches believe he resembles the most.
“He reminds me a lot of Waden (Charles),” Beckton said. “Waden was more of a natural leader when he first got here. Hornes is quiet and you never really hear from him, but he’s very physically gifted.”
Charles broke onto the scene late last season, emerging alongside Thomas as one of the go-to options in the offense. He was third on the team in receptions (26) and receiving yards (290) and put together one of the best seasons by a freshman since Gabe Davis in 2017.
UCF freshman receiver Tyren Hornes signed with the Knights as the highest-rated receiver in program history. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)
“Waden played last year partly because he was doing really well and partly because I don’t think our receiver room was what it needed to be,” Frost explained. “Tyren walks into a little bit of a different receiver room where we’ve got guys coming back. It’s a deeper group, so the competition’s been good at that position.”
Hornes has learned to lean on Charles, especially when it comes to the playbook and watching film. One thing he didn’t learn in a classroom was his explosive speed.
When asked his top 40-yard dash speed, he preferred to defer.
“I don’t know right now, but I’m fast,” Hornes said with a smile.
Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.