ORLANDO, FLA — At first glance, Ryan O’Keefe is every bit of the 5-foot-10, 175-pound measurables listed next to his name on UCF’s roster.

Trust him, he’s heard it all before.

“I’m short but I don’t let that stop me from doing nothing,” O'Keefe said. “I’m fast and I’m really physical. A lot of people wouldn’t expect that but I’m trying to hit somebody for real.”

Instead defenses are concerned with his ability to hit the seam or the secondary. Once No. 4 gets a step on you, it’s hard to catch up.

In 2021, he hauled in a team-high 84 receptions for 812 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s one of the most explosive players in college football proving big things do in fact come in small packages.

He knows where he’s going.

“The ultimate goal is to make it to the NFL.”

The most important thing is he knows where he comes from.

“I think about it all the time,” O'Keefe said. “I’m blessed to be in the position I am today. This could have turned out in many different ways.”

Big things come in small packages. For Ryan O’Keefe, a blessed life comes from humble beginnings.

“Oh my gosh look at his little feet. He’s so cute,” Donna O’Keefe laughs while flipping through her son’s baby book.

The smile widens with each baby picture. It’s the same grin she had when a fateful phone call in 2000 changed everything.

“Our social worker called and said there’s a baby who needs a mom and dad. He’s at the NICU at Brackenridge? Would you like to come and meet him? And we’re like yeah we’ll come meet him.”

At just two days old, Ryan was surrendered at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin, Texas. Under Texas’s then newly passed safe haven laws, parents who were unable to care for their newborns could leave them in a designated place.

Ryan became the first adopted child in Travis County under the law. He made he made his presence known to his parents.

“I hear this loud scream,” said Michael O’Keefe. “Of the millions of kids in there, you wouldn’t believe how many, we walked in and I said man hopefully that’s not him. Well guess what? It was him.”

A big presence with an even greater appreciation.

“We felt like they were our parents like they gave birth to us literally because how much they loved us. They always taught us even though we didn’t give birth to y’all we love y’all the same.”

Yes, we.

“Why do I look so scared,” said James O’Keefe looking through his baby book.

The family of three grew to four just twenty months later. Michael and Donna adopted James, Ryan’s biological younger brother.

“It’s really great to have people who didn’t see color," James said. "They didn’t care about any of that. They were just like this is a child who needs us. We’re going to give him everything we can and hope for the best.”

A family of four who has given each other the best gifts in life. Parents who gave brothers a home together.

“It meant a lot to me that we didn’t get separated because I had such an idol to look up to growing up,” said James.

“I felt like it was us two versus the world,” said Ryan. “It’s been such a blessing to watch him grow as a person, too.” 

Brothers who made a family whole.

“It just makes me really, really happy because I can’t imagine them anywhere else,” Donna said. “I just can’t imagine.”

“It’s been like a rollercoaster,” said Michael.” I don’t like rollercoasters, but this has been fun and it’s not over yet.”

Next on the agenda is Ryan’s highly anticipated senior season. The goal of the NFL is well in his vision. Big things are in store for UCF’s star wide receiver. Whatever it may be, one thing is guaranteed.

This is a package deal.

“Nobody got left behind. Everybody is still together,” said James. “ Nobody left anybody. We’re tight. We love each other and that’s never going to change.”