UCF CB Chasen Johnson withdraws from the transfer portal, confirms return for the 2025 season

UCF Knights cornerback Chasen Johnson has withdrawn from the transfer portal. Johnson made the announcement via Instagram on Monday.

"Knight Nation, I’m Home. Once a Knight, Always a Knight. Let’s run it back!" Johnson captioned the post.

Johnson, one of UCF’s biggest expected losses in the transfer portal, made a surprising U-turn and returned to the Knights for the 2025 season. He initially entered the transfer portal on Dec. 2, committed to the USC Trojans on Dec. 11 after a visit, then suddenly announced he had decommitted from the Trojans and a few days later, said he would be signing for the SMU Mustangs.

Speaking to reporters on the campus Monday, Johnson discussed how the last month felt for him.

"This last month has been pretty chaotic," he said. "It's been a lot going on, all these schools coming at you, giving you their best shot. It's just a hard decision for a young 19-year-old kid trying to change his family’s life. It's been a roller coaster. But we’re at the top now. We’re done."

What made Johnson return to the Knights, he said, was the hiring of Scott Frost as the new coach. Frost was officially announced as coach on Dec. 8 after former coach Gus Malzahn resigned after their final regular-season game against Utah on Nov. 30. This will be Frost’s second stint in Orlando after being with the Knights in 2016-2017.

Freshman Chasen Johnson played a big role on defense with the Knights this past season, playing in 12 games and starting their final four against Arizona, Arizona State, West Virginia and Utah. He put up 18 total tackles, two passes defended and blocked a kick. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed 15 catches on 25 targets for 161 yards.

Chasen Johnson joins a long list of UCF defensive players withdrawing from the portal

Chasen Johnson will be the eighth UCF Knights defensive player to withdraw from the transfer portal, with safety Demari Henderson, cornerbacks Ja’Cari Henderson and Antione Jackson, linebacker Kam Moore, defensive tackle Derrick LeBlanc and defensive edges Nyjalik Kelly and Jamaal Johnson all withdrawing before him.

The secondary also welcomes a lot of newcomers through the transfer portal, namely cornerbacks Jyaire Brown, Jayden Bellamy and Isaiah Reed, and safeties Jaeden Gould, Phillip Dunnam, DJ Bell and Brandon Jacob.