Meet The 2026 UCF Knights: Countdown To Kickoff - No. 34 Jahleel Culbreath

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Meet The 2026 UCF Knights: Countdown To Kickoff - No. 34 Jahleel Culbreath

Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones (1) runs the ball as Old Dominion linebacker Jahleel Culbreath (34) pursues. — Sep 13, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones (1) runs the ball as Old Dominion Monarchs linebacker Jahleel Culbreath (34) and defensive end Kris Trinidad (43) pursue during the first quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bryson Turner · UCF Knights On SI

Fri, Jul 31, 2026 ·

5 min read

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Welcome to UCF Knights on SI's countdown to kickoff!

In this series, we are going to introduce you to every single player on the 2026 UCF football roster so that you can know what to expect from them or even pinpoint the ones you want to follow throughout the coming season. We are going to go through the Knights' roster in reverse jersey-number order, with the day each player's entry is published corresponding to the number of days remaining until UCF's season-opener on Sep. 3 at 7 p.m. against Bethune-Cookman.

So, with 34 days to go, let's meet UCF linebacker Jahleel Culbreath :

1. Who is Jahleel Culbreath?

Position:Linebacker

Class:Redshirt Senior

Height/Weight:6-foot-4 / 222 pounds

Hometown: Virginia Beach, Virginia

High School:Ocean Lakes High School

Coming out of Ocean Lakes High School, Jahleel Culbreath did not earn a star as a high school prospect, according to 247Sports. However, that did not stop him from making it onto Old Dominion's team, located in nearby Norfolk, Virginia. He played for the Monarchs for four years while pursuing a degree in cybersecurity.

By the time Culbreath graduated with his degree and entered the transfer portal as a grad transfer, 247Sports rated him as a three-star transfer prospect. Following an April 28 practice session, Culbreath said that, during his visit, UCF linebacker coach Mark D'Onofrio was "very intuitive in what he was talking about," which got him to trust him with his final season.

"With it being my last year, I have to make the most of it," Culbreath said.

2. What did he do last season?

Culbreath started in all 13 of Old Dominion's games in 2025, recording 71 tackles, 26 of them solo, nine tackles for loss and three sacks.

3. What role is he going to have in 2026?

Culbreath said that coach Scott Frost and D'Onofrio told him there would be a "special role" for him if he joined the Knights. Given that, and how he started at the position for all of last season, something other linebackers like Rashad Henry and Teckett Curtis can't say, Culbreath looks like a favorite to earn UCF's second starting linebacker role alongside a returning Lewis Carter.

Curtis and Henry still do have starting experience, though, even if it was not a full season's worth, so they are still likely to push Culbreath for the spot if they stand out in fall camp.

Catch up on the rest of the list below:

No. 13 Caleb Rollerson

No. 14 Alonza Barnett III and Kahmel Johnson

No. 15 Will Stone and Preston Hall


No. 16 Dante Carr and TJ Branch	No. 17 Jailen Duffie	No. 18 Caleb Flagg and Caden Piening	No. 19 Rashad Henry	No. 20 Lewis Carter and Kaj Baker
No. 21 Ty Bartrum	No. 22 Amarion Queen	No. 23 Jordan Nunuha and Jayden Burnett	No. 24 Tackett Curtis and Arthur Lewis IV	No. 25 Rukeem Stroud
No. 26 Duke Watson and Elijah Keys	No. 27 Nicholas Antoine	No. 28 Matt Irwin	No. 29 Tyce Porcher	No. 30 Otis Hardy
No. 31 Noah McGough	No. 32 Matthew Occhipinti	No. 33 Phil Picciotti	No. 34 Jahleel Culbreath	No. 35 Agyeman Addae
No. 36 Dylan Bennett	No. 37 Rocklyn Kelley	No. 38 Jayden Jennings	No. 39 Andrea Parisi	No. 41 Bruno Dall
No. 42 Artavius Jones and Chance Nixon	No. 43 Cole Kozlowski	No. 44 Kyle Hicks	No. 45 Quentin Hatch	No. 47 Arthur Kingdom and Sam Powell
No. 49 Atticus Bertrams and Donnell Johnson III	No. 53 LaParka Langston	No. 54 Cooper Terpstra and Trenton Turner	No. 55 Jacob Maiava and Noah Mercer	No. 56 Patrick Ryan
No. 57 Camp Lott	No. 58 Connor Meadows	No. 61 Owen Spell	No. 66 Brady Wayburn	No. 67 Noah Senka
No. 68 Ethan Higgins	No. 70 RaiShaun McHaney	No. 71 Amahn Williams	No. 72 Dominick Campbell	No. 73 Henry Tabansi
No. 74 Matthew Prigmore	No. 75 Tyler Gibson	No. 76 Justin Royes	No. 77 Kasiyah Charlton	No. 78 Preston Cushman
No. 79 Daniel Marcellinus	No. 80 Elijah Hardy	No. 81 Zack Palmer	No. 82 Jordyn Bridgewater	No. 83 Dylan Burk
No. 84 Thomas Wadsworth	No. 85 Carson Hinshaw	No. 86 Chase Hinshaw	No. 87 Brooks Hall	No. 88 Grayson Brousseau
No. 90 Mujahid Jefferson	No. 91 Donteye Drew	No. 92 Jeffson Lafontant	No. 93 Brad Gurley	No. 94 L A Jesse Harrold
No. 95 RJ Jackson Jr.	No. 96 Anthony Coaxum	No. 97 Josh Schell and Mason Denaberg	No. 98 Alhassan Iddrissu	No. 99 Thomas Collins

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucf as Meet The 2026 UCF Knights: Countdown To Kickoff - No. 34 Jahleel Culbreath .

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