It’s no secret that the Detroit Lions monitor the United Football League as a genuine source to acquire NFL-level talent. Last season saw the club sign more players from the UFL than any other franchise at 8, of which CB Nick Whiteside, RB Jacob Saylors, and TE Thomas Gordon are still with the team. The season before the Lions signed 4 UFL players, of which kicker Jake Bates is still with the team, who has become a fan favorite.
Jacob Saylors has played well in the return game and has a lot of talent as a running back. Nick Whiteside played well in coverage for the Lions when called upon and frankly should have been used more last season amid the plethora of injuries among the backfield personnel.
With the rise in salary cap issues for the Detroit Lions and departures of key players at offensive line and defensive end, it has never been more important for the Lions to find some discount talent.
DE Kenney Willekes, Columbus Aviators - Michigan State (6’3, 263 lbs, 28 y/o)
Willekes is set to suit up with the Columbus Aviators this season. The Michigan State alumni frankly should be on an NFL squad right now. He had the highest defensive grade from Pro Football Focus last season at 86, with a strong gap between him and the 2nd highest rated at 82.9. He also had the 5th highest pressure rate across the league by count (cross-referenced with PFF snap counts). For how I track QB hits, he had the most in the league at 9 last season.
Willekes showed great ability to beat blockers around the edge or gain inside leverage to create pressure. He was also an effective run stopper and was involved in a run stop on 14.4% of his run defense snaps by my count (cross-referenced with PFF data).
Willekes was born in Rockford, Michigan, and is the all-time leader in tackles for a loss at MSU. He has been exceptional at the UFL level and is a no-brainer for the Detroit Lions to bring in and make an impact opposite Aiden Hutchinson.
It’s worth noting that Willekes did play 15 snaps for Pittsburgh last NFL preseason and had high pass-rushing grades.
LT Ryan Nelson, Columbus Aviators - Virginia (6’6, 338 lbs, 26 y/o)
Ryan Nelson has been a 3-year starter for the Michigan Panthers and is coming off his best season yet, which was also his first starting at left tackle at the pro level. The talent pool of edge rushers in the UFL is very strong, so if he can continue to improve upon his success last season, he will be primed for a transition tot he NFL
Nelson had the 2nd highest pass blocking grades from Pro Football Focus among tackles in the UFL last season, which led to him playing the preseason with the Los Angeles Chargers. He’s so close to being a legitimate NFL left tackle and is a player to keep a close eye on to see if he advances his game. He has a couple of things that can be improved on, but I think he is a prospect who is really close and has a very high ceiling.
LB Marvin Moody, Houston Gamblers - Tulane (6’2, 239, 27 y/o)
Moody started all 10 games last season for Houston and recorded 74 total tackles and an interception. For how I tally run stops, he had 7 solo run stops and 16 shared run stops. He also showed improvement in coverage throughout the season.
Each of the last 2 seasons saw Moody sign with the Cleveland Browns and be released in final cuts. A second full season as a starting linebacker could help improve his game to help him make a real impact at the NFL level.
A couple of other linebackers to keep an eye on are 2 UFL newcomers. Abraham Beauplan, who played for the Lions in the 2024 preseason and appeared in some games on special teams in the regular season, and Jailin Walker, who had strong play with Indiana in 2024 and will now get his first shot at playing games at the pro level.