The Birmingham Stallions have begun to rebuild their offensive line through the 2024 rookie draft class. Both of their first two picks were dedicated to offensive tackle, they would select two more linemen later in the draft, adding a defensive lineman and a tight end, it’s clear they want to improve their blocking in a major way, and for a good reason.
Adrian Martinez was sacked 18 times during the regular season, while Corral was sacked 4 times. Birmingham allowed 4 sacks in the USFL conference championship game as well.
Averaging over 2 sacks allowed per game is tough to overcome but the Stallions managed to do it on their way to a third championship game. They’re hoping to improve on that statistic in 2025 and help their young quarterback continue to find success by staying upright more often. With a new and improved offensive line and one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the league, the Stallions could continue their reign over spring football in 2025 with a fourth championship season.
2024 Rookie Draft Recap
Round 1: OT Frank Crum, Wyoming
Round 2: OT Lorenzo Thompson, Rhode Island
Round 4: WR Isaiah Williams, Illinois
Round 5: TE Dallin Holker, CSU
Round 6: DE Trajan Jeffcoat, Arkansas
Round 8: WR Ahmarean Brown, South Carolina
Round 9: QB Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
Round 10: OT Ethan Driskell, Marshall
OT Frank Crum, Wyoming
Crum is a bit of a gamble, currently a member of the Denver Broncos the 6’8 315 pound offensive tackle was picked up as an undrafted free agent following the April NFL selection process. Originally a redshirt freshman he spent his entire career with Wyoming but didn’t take over a starting role until the 2020 season.
Playing in all 12 games as a depth piece in 2019, Crum proved he was ready to take over as a starter in 2020. He would start 6 games in the Covid-marred 2020 campaign.
In 2021 his first full season as a starter he was named honorable mention All-Mountain West. In 2022 Crum was awarded with Third Team All-Mountain West and followed it up with First Team All-Mountain West in 2023.
Wyoming would finish 2023 with respectable grades as a run-blocking unit but it was hit or miss in the passing game with sub-60 grades in half their games. Crum is not solely responsible but it is important to note his game may not be completely polished yet.
Crum participated in the combine and turned heads when he ran the second fastest 40-time at the draft. This lends itself to playing tackle with efficiency as he will often be asked to line up opposite some elite UFL edge rushers facing Michigan twice a year or more. He could also be used to pull as a lead blocker on some running plays. According to NFL.com, he ranked 3rd in overall athleticism score. Which is no surprise when you look at his numbers:
Crum is exactly the type of gamble you take in a college rights draft. He is an extremely high-upside player at the UFL level, and the only risk you face is that he never plays a down in the UFL due to his NFL status.
OT Lorenzo Thompson, Rhode Island
The Stallions have a type at tackle, long, and athletic. Thompson stands 6’7 295 lbs and has spent his entire collegiate career playing on the left side of the line. If you’re looking for experience this is your guy as he started 37 consecutive games.
Seizing a starting job following his redshirt freshman campaign that watched him play in 11 games on special teams and as a depth player. Even during his redshirt season, he saw action in 2 games.
Redshirting as a freshman was a necessity for the tall and lean offensive lineman. He entered college at 6’7 260 pounds, and over the next six years gained 35 pounds. Despite his size, he played left tackle in high school as well.
Along the way, Rhode Island’s offense put up some impressive numbers. In 2022 the offense was ranked 3rd in scoring, and 4th in rushing and passing offense. He was also named Third Team All-CAA.
In 2023 he was named First Team All-CAA, and Third Team All-American. He served as a team captain and helped lead his team to 28.91 points, 133 rushing yards, and 284 yards per game. Currently, he is with the Cleveland Browns, but the Stallions are holding out hope that the young tackle needs a bit more development before sticking in the NFL.
RB Emani Bailey, TCU
Bailey one of two TCU products selected by Birmingham this season, currently resides on the Chiefs roster as he prepares for training camp with the defending Super Bowl Champions. Now he is met with the news he has been selected by the defending UFL champions. Not a bad way to start a career.
While Skip Holtz was closing out his time with Louisiana Tech in 2021, Bailey was just beginning his career just around the way at Louisiana. Holtz would have undoubtedly heard about Bailey who impressed in 2021 in his second season.
Playing in 16 games over two years Bailey managed 112 carries for 702 yards and 8 touchdowns an average of 6.3 yards per carry. He proved to add value in the passing game, and on special teams as well with 15 receptions for 153 yards, 2 kick returns for 13 yards, and 1 tackle.
At TCU, he had a breakout season in his final year of college, however, he didn’t immediately start for the Horned Frogs. In his first year, he played in 14 games collecting 38 touches for 293 yards and 2 touchdowns or 7.7 yards per touch. TCU could not keep him out of the starting lineup in 2023 and he would prove he likely should have started from day one.
In 2023 Bailey put up career highs with 223 carries, 1,209 rushing yards, 25 receptions for 184 yards, and 1 touchdown. His 9 total touchdowns also was a career-high, and his 8 rushing touchdowns tied his career high. He would graduate having averaged 5.9 yards per carry, and 8.1 yards per reception with 19 touchdowns.
He would declare for the 2024 NFL Draft but didn’t test very well in the combine drills. His 4.61 40-yard dash (4.58 at Big12 pro day)left something to be desired, he also did not participate in the 3-cone, 20-yard shuttle, or bench press. He did however put up one number that might be a large indicator of future success, a 1.57 10-yard split. The average for NFL running backs is 1.58 so he is right on par at the NFL, and likely on the quicker side in the UFL. His vision and this burst are what made him so good in college.
He often hit the hole and accelerated into the second level of the defense before defenders could react, suddenly it was off to the races. When I watch him play I don’t see a 4.58-4.61 player, I see a much quicker back that likely could run faster time given the chance. At 5’7 201 pounds he is a stout back even if he isn’t prototypical height. He is also not like Ricky Person or CJ Marable and that could prove to be why he was selected to diversify the skill set in the backfield.
WR Isaiah Williams, Illinois
Isaiah Williams is a 23-year-old St. Louis, Missouri native who attended Trinity Catholic High School as a quarterback. In his final two seasons, he was named Gatorade Football Player of the Year. At 5’10 180 pounds, he was still recruited as a quarterback by the University of Illinois where he continued to make a name for himself wearing the same number he has always worn #1.
His first action did come at quarterback where he managed to play in 4 games while still being able to retain his redshirt season and gain that extra year of eligibility. In his four games, he managed to throw 10 passes completing 3, for 38 yards and 1 interception. He ran 9 times for 16 yards and in the Redbox Bowl he stepped in at wide receiver for the first time catching 3 passes for 9 yards.
In 2020 during the shortened season he played in 5 games, starting 4 as a quarterback once again. In his first start, he would set the Illinois single-game rushing record for a quarterback with 192 yards. He would finish the year with 26 completions on 63 attempts, throwing 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions while collecting 393 yards. He again matched his passing attempt number with his number of carries with 63 for 389 yards and 1 touchdown including a 64-yard run at one point.
Following the 2020 season, Williams was moved to wideout full-time. Williams was one of Illinois’s highest-ranked quarterback recruits in years, yet he would finish his career catching passes not throwing them. This move may have saved his career. Williams was an extremely athletic quarterback but lacked the prototypical size at 5’10 180 lbs on a roster that held five quarterbacks 6’2 or better.
The immediate thought was Williams likely would not be the starter at quarterback in 2021, after completing less than 40% of his college passing attempts, so why not see if he could maximize the value of his athletic abilities by moving to wide receiver? Williams immediately proved he was a natural. Completing his first season at the position with 47 receptions for 525 yards, and 4 touchdowns. He added 12 carries for 61 yards and 2 touchdowns. At that point, there was no going back. Williams was locked in at wideout.
Over the next two seasons, he continued to prove he should have been playing wide receiver since he entered college. Playing in 25 games he would put his 4.5 speed to use as he managed to catch 164 passes for 1,770 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Illini kept him involved in the run game and attempted a few gadget passes with him. They also began to use him as a punt returner. He completed 1 pass for 14 yards and 1 touchdown, 19 carries for 43 yards, and 27 punt returns for 247 yards. Throughout his highlight reel, you will see one trait that sticks out above all else and that’s his change of direction ability. This was reiterated by a 6.75 3-cone drill which isn’t that far off from the fastest times ever recorded at the combine with the top ten primarily in the 6.42-6.48 range.
Eric Galko was the Director of Player Personnel of the XFL in 2020. After the league shutdown, he stepped into a role with the East-West Shrine Game where he has been ever since. He would see Williams firsthand and comment on his athletic profile afterward on Twitter:
This certainly helped put Williams on the UFL map and ultimately may be directly related to how Williams wound up being drafted. After his strong pro day and his production for three years he somehow was passed over in the NFL Draft, only to sign an undrafted free agent contract with the Detroit Lions where he is competing at wide receiver and punt returner. I believe in the right offensive system, Williams could be better suited in a slash role. Use him as a wideout primarily, but also use him as a running back and use him as a gadget player on double passes, reverses, etc.
Williams has a bright future at the professional level, now it remains to be seen if it’s with the NFL or UFL.
TE Dallin Holker, BYU/CSU
Dallin Holker is a native of Lehi, Utah where he went on to play high school football. In his final season, he put up monster numbers with 97 receptions for 1,766 yards and 22 touchdowns. Ultimately he decided to stay home to attend college and went up the road to Provo when he committed to BYU.
He immediately found a role with the team as a freshman and never looked back. Due to the unique nature of the Mormon culture, he did not play football in 2019, or 2020 while he was focused on his Mormon Missionary. He returned in 2021 and picked up right where he left off with BYU. After three games in the 2022 season, he opted to enter the transfer portal. By the time he transferred to Colorado State University, he had played in 29 games with BYU collecting 42 receptions for 521 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also had a 15-yard carry, and on a fumble recovery, he added 22 yards to his totals.
Transferring to CSU wound up being the best move of his extended collegiate career when he had his best season yet closing out college on a high note. Holker seized the starting job with the Rams and went on to have a career year. He caught 64 passes for 767 yards and 6 touchdowns all of these were top ten numbers in the Mountain West. He also had 1 carry for 1 yard and 3 tackles.
This season led him to be a finalist for the Mackey Award which recognizes the top tight end. The 24-year-old majored in teaching K-12 children during college which truly could be a great thing to lean on in the offseason if he ends up pursuing the UFL. After college, he put up solid numbers in the combine. Running a 4.78 40-yard dash, with a 1.66 10-yard split, 6.83 3-cone drill, and put up 15 reps in the bench press. His most apt current UFL comparison?
Jace Sternberger, who stands 6’4 250 pounds ran a 4.75 40-yard dash but managed a better 10-yard split with 1.58. Holker has a much better 3-cone drill with Sternberger running a 7.19. He also put up 17 reps in the bench press. He is now 28 years old and heading into his sixth season. Holker could eventually be the future at the position, unless, of course, he sticks with the Saints who he signed with following the draft. The Saints reportedly guaranteed $250,000 of his UDFA salary, this is unheard of normally, and speaks to their belief that Holker’s draft status is not an indicator of future NFL success.
DE Trajan Jeffcoat, Missouri/Arkansas
In round six the Stallions grabbed another player currently on the Saints roster, Defensive end Trajan Jeffcoat. Jeffcoat found his way to the Saints after a college career that featured time at Missouri and Arkansas. At 6’3 266 lbs he is the ideal size for a 4-3 defensive end, or he could focus on playing linebacker in a 3-4 front.
While in college Jeffcoat showed he was an above-average athlete on the defensive line and proved he could make it in the professional ranks whether that is the NFL, UFL, or even the CFL(his skill set might translate well in the CFL).
Playing in 61 games he managed 103 total tackles including 28 for a loss with 15.5 sacks he also forced two fumbles recovering one and returning it for 6 points. During his first two seasons, he was coached by longtime college defensive line guru Brick Haley a former linebacker himself in the 80’s. His defensive coordinator was Ryan Walters now a head coach for Purdue. His first head coach, Barry Odom, didn’t make it to his second season, but managed to land at Arkansas where Jeffcoat would transfer the year he left for another Head Coaching job I feel it’s safe to assume Odom had some influence on his decision to finish with Arkansas.
His next head coach was an offensive mind coming over after one year as the Head Coach of Appalachian State. In 2021 Steve Wilks, former Arizona Cardinals head coach was hired as the defensive coordinator. Former NFL linebacker DJ Smith was brought in to coach linebackers before being named Co-Defensive Coordinator in 2022. His defensive line coach was Al Davis a former defensive lineman at Arkansas who had been coaching for nearly a decade. It wouldn’t shock me if he was another piece of the puzzle that helped influence Jeffcoat’s choice of Arkansas.
At Arkansas he would again have Co-Defensive Coordinators with Travis Williams a former Auburn and Atlanta Falcons linebacker, and Marcus Woodson a former collegiate safety. Deke Adams was the defensive line coach at the time, and he would help Jeffcoat find immediate success. If you want an indication of the type of leader Jeffcoat might be: he was named a team captain in his only season with Arkansas.
Running a 4.69 40-yard dash, with a 1.66 10-yard split, and putting up 21 reps in the bench press makes me wonder where and how Birmingham will use Jeffcoat IF he ever plays in the UFL. He was ranked 14th in athleticism score at the NFL Combine per NFL.com.
If you watch Jeffcoat play you will notice at times he did stand up and rush the passer which could help Birmingham project him as a hybrid linebacker/defensive end. He has at times shown he can defeat double teams, and shoot gaps quickly to disrupt plays before they even begin. He shows plenty of speed, quickness, and power in his game he could find his way to stick on the Saints roster in 2024.
OT Andrew Coker, TCU
Andrew Coker may one day block for his former TCU teammate Emani Bailey again if both play in the UFL. This is a unique tactic to draft several players that know each other. This speeds up the building of team chemistry and can aid in finding out exactly what you’re getting with a player when you can speak with his former teammate about him.
Coker spent his entire college career with TCU, redshirting as a freshman but still seeing action in 3 games. In 2020 he would slide in as a starter at right tackle, and cement himself as a starter for TCU. He would go on to start 46 games, missing just 3 total games once he took over the starting job.
This included 37 consecutive games from 2021 to 2023. Along the way, he was named honorable mention All-Big 12 in 2022. Did I mention the Stallions have a type at tackle? Coker is another player in that mold standing 6’7 315 pounds. Coker is not the athlete that the men drafted before him were but that’s likely what caused his slip into the 7th round.
He not only served as the starting right tackle, but he was their top backup at left tackle as well and started a handful of games there. He makes for an interesting candidate as a potential swing tackle to improve depth without needing to carry two linemen. He even managed to take some snaps at guard and played both sides of the line on special teams for the field goal unit. He didn’t stop there he was at times used as a 6th offensive lineman/tight end catching 1 pass along the way. He was credited with 1 snap as a slot receiver and even saw time on the punt unit. Not bad for an offensive lineman not known for his athletic ability.
It’s more likely that we see Coker in the UFL than Bailey who may have a solid chance of making it in Kansas City. Coker is another product of the East-West Shrine Bowl and that again didn’t hurt his chances of being noticed by the UFL given the inevitable ties to Eric Galko. Coker’s versatility may land him a spot on the Raiders roster during the season, but the Stallions could benefit greatly if he does not stick with Vegas.
WR Ahmarean Brown, South Carolina
This is one player I would love to see on the Stallions. He is an absolute weapon with his versatility. Brown lined up all over on offense and special teams for South Carolina, and it seemed everywhere he went, big plays followed.
By the time Brown had graduated, he had scored touchdowns in four separate ways. With 9 Receiving touchdowns, 1 passing touchdown, 1 rushing touchdown, and 1 punt block return for a touchdown. He was one of the most versatile, and consistent performers for South Carolina over the years. He may not have been the top player at any position, but he is the type of athlete who just has to get the ball early and often if possible.
The 5’8 170 pound wideout had a very solid pro-day which helped him garner immediate interest from NFL teams. Running a 4.31 40-yard dash certainly did not hurt, his 10-yard split at his pro-day is not far off the lowest mark EVER in NFL combine history. In 2008 Chris Johnson ran a 1.4 flat at the combine setting a record that stands to this day. Being able to run a sub 1.5 10-yard split puts him in a rare category of players whose first step can embarrass the average defender.
QB Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
Hartman is no stranger to seeing his name attached to big things. Before he ever graduated high school he set records, won several awards, attracted state-wide acclaim, and even starred in a documentary. Naturally, there were only two outcomes for the future of Sam Hartman. Either he was going to flounder as many former high school stars have before him, or he was going to follow a similar path to that of his days in high school wherever he committed to.
Hartman initially accepted a scholarship to Wake Forest and began another quest to set records. Hartman would go on to beat out Kendall Hinton, Jamie Newman, Tayvon Bowers, and Matthew Considine as a true freshman. After that, it wasn’t long until he began to collect a long list of accolades.
He would be playing alongside other future spring football players like Matt Colburn II, Sage Surratt, Nasir Greer, Willie Yarbary, Jaime Newman, or future NFL players in Boogie Basham, Justin Strnad, Essang Bailey, Kendall Hinton, and Greg Dortch to name a handful.
Over the next five seasons, he played in 48 games for the Demon Deacons setting many records and compiling a list of awards about as long as the Golden Gate Bridge. By the time he left Wake Forest, he had set an ACC record with 110 passing touchdowns and was second in All-Time ACC Passing Yards with 12,967 yards. Both numbers are also Top 20 in FBS history. He also finds himself in the top 3 of the ACC record books with completions, attempts, total touchdowns, and total yards, all of which set Wake Forest records.
Hartman passed for over 300 yards in nearly half his starts for Wake Forest with 21 total games. He also showed to be a fairly mobile quarterback as he ran for over 800 yards and 17 touchdowns. He had at least one 20+ yard carry in four of his five seasons. This included a long of 42. Despite his already decorated career he opted to do one more year of schooling with Notre Dame as a graduate student.
He would collect another long list of awards during his one season with the Fighting Irish. He would finally graduate with a total of 60 appearances over six seasons. He had added another 2689 yards, 24 touchdowns to 8 interceptions on the year.
At the NFL Combine, and Pro-Day Hartman put up decent numbers but nothing that helped him stand out from the pack. As we now know, the NFL tends to place a premium on combine performances. At times they tend to value someone who puts up impressive combine numbers over someone who produces in college but doesn’t set themselves apart.
He ran a 4.80 40-yard dash which was the second fastest time at the combine, it isn’t great, but it also isn’t terrible. His most intriguing number is likely his 1.63 10-yard split, although he also managed a top-five performance in the broad jump with a 9-foot 1-inch leap. However, only 14 quarterbacks participated so this may skew some of these rankings. Hartman will never be known for his athleticism, but he has an opportunity to make a career of it in the NFL if he can limit mistakes and work on his accuracy slightly as well.
OT Ethan Driskell, Marshall
Driskell is yet another towering lineman who stands 6’7 329 pounds. The Kentucky Native opted to attend Marshall University. The high school two-way player also played center on the basketball team at the time. Playing both offensive and defensive tackle for Holy Cross he would end up being recruited as an offensive lineman.
He would join the school in 2019, but redshirt that year. Returning in 2020 hoping to make an impact before the season was cut short. During that 2020 season playing primarily as a run blocker and on special teams. He logged a career-high 87.7 overall PFF grade. He played just 37 snaps that season but blocked a kick in the process, something that could be interesting for teams at the professional level.
In 2021 he took on the role of swing tackle seeing a total of 237 snaps on offense split between both tackle spots, he also played 78 special teams snaps on both field goal and field goal block units. Heading into 2022 Driskell stepped in as the starter at left tackle. Despite missing time he still played in over 1,000 snaps including 950 on offense, and 63 on special teams. His final season it was more of the same he started at left tackle playing 909 snaps on offense and 52 on special teams.
By the time he declared for the 2024 draft, he had played in 47 games, lining up on 2,115 snaps for the Herd. He steadily improved as a player from the time he stepped into a larger role in 2021, to graduation in 2023 improving his overall grade by 9.2 points in two years per PFF.com. He is a very consistent run blocker, but seemed to improve in the passing game going from a 46.3 grade in ‘21 to a 74.9 in 2023.
One concern might be the rate at which he was penalized. He collected 16 penalties over just 3 seasons. He also seemed to struggle at times and allowed a total of 49 pressures, 35 hurries, 6 hits, and 8 sacks. Despite this his pass-blocking efficiency rose year over year until his graduation, peaking at 97.7% in 2023.
If Driskell can continue on his pattern of development he could grow into a very solid offensive lineman at the professional level. He will get his first opportunity to prove he’s a high-upside prospect with the Kansas City Chiefs. Driskell could very well find a way on the practice squad with KC in 2024. The Stallions staff sure seems to value players the Chiefs have signed, targeting both Emani Bailey and Driskell.
Why Select Ten Current NFL Players?
It seems to be a common theme that free agents find themselves upset at the way the UFL looks to NFL experienced players first and foremost. Even if that experience amounts to one mini-camp or training camp. Why exactly would they value this so much? It’s simple financial math if we are being honest.
The fact is currently the UFL is not structured at the team level like an NFL franchise. None of these franchises have area scouts. Past a General Manager, Director of Player Personnel, and the coaching staff the UFL teams do not have much if any help sifting through the thousands of college graduates each offseason. With that being said, why wouldn’t you lean on NFL scouting departments that spend millions of dollars each season trying to project the NFL success of players declaring for the draft?
It’s the same reason why you find them signing free agents who have been on an NFL roster as well. Many teams understand that the trickle-down effect is what carved out a space in the talent pool for them. A lot of players that previously would have retired from football, traveled to Canada or turned to the IFL after being let go by the NFL. The UFL has quickly become their top option to stay home and play outdoor football while earning a living doing so.
