With NFL training camps opening at the end of this month, the 23 UFL talents who’ve been signed will be competing against experienced NFL veterans, newly drafted rookies, and UDFA hopefuls, all vying to make the final roster. Although the competition will be brutal, several former UFL players have proven it’s possible to make the roster out of training camp.
Two of the most successful spring talents to cross over to the NFL are Dallas Cowboys’ kicker, Brandon Aubrey, and return specialist, KaVontae Turpin. Both three-time Pro Bowl nominees, the pair set NFL records as the highest paid at their respective positions.
However, an even more impressive success story belongs to a former UFL star who parlayed a four-game appearance into a solid NFL career. Former (Arlington) Dallas Renegades DL Jalen Redmond is entering his third year with the Minnesota Vikings and turning heads as one of the most explosive playmakers in the league. But overcoming huge odds isn’t unusual for Redmond; he’s been doing that his entire career.
Jalen Redmond: A Story of Triumph In Overcoming The Odds
What makes Redmond’s story all the more impressive is that his entry into the NFL resulted from a four-game stint with Arlington. An ankle injury prematurely ended Redmond’s 2024 UFL season, but not before he racked up 18 tackles (10 solo), five tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks in those four games.
For the first four weeks of the 2024 UFL season, Redmond was on a tear. He finished that season as the team’s sack leader. That brief showing was just enough to get him noticed by NFL team scouts.
Jalen Redmond, The Early Years
Putting on a showcase in those four games wasn’t unusual for the five-star recruit out of Midwest City, Oklahoma, who was voted the nation’s 16th best prospect in 2018 after only two years of varsity football.
A high school basketball star for his first two years, Redmond’s size was a draw for the local football coach, who convinced him to try out for the team as a junior. Having the versatility to play both defensive end and linebacker for his team, Redmond made an immediate impact, recording 82 tackles and 14 sacks in his first year. Recruiters began to take notice. After a senior campaign when he posted 87 tackles, 34 TFLs, and 19.5 sacks, Redmond received multiple scholarship offers but ultimately chose to play football for Oklahoma.
College and the 2023 NFL Draft
However, during his first year, Redmond experienced the first of several career hurdles when he was diagnosed with a blood-clotting disorder. The issue cost him most of his freshman season, and he appeared in only three games, posting six tackles. He roared back the following season, appearing in 13 games and posting a team-high 6.5 sacks. Although he chose to sit out the 2020 Covid season out of an abundance of caution, over the next two years, Redmond posted 42 tackles, 18 TFLs, and 7.5 sacks.
In February of 2023, Sports Illustrated’s John Maakaron profiled Redmond ahead of the NFL Draft. Pointing out favorable pre-draft comparisons to Kansas City Chiefs’ Chris Jones, Maakaron stated that Redmond has “demonstrated an ability to clog up the middle, making it much more difficult for opponents to find rushing or passing lanes.”
NFL analyst Lance Zierlein noted Redmond’s “memorable performance at the NFL Scouting Combine.
“Testing was outstanding as he displayed quickness and explosiveness that doesn’t always show up on his college tape.”
Although Redmond had an outstanding showing at the Combine, earning an 88 Athleticism Score that was based on a 4.81 40-yard-dash that placed second among his position, as well as the second-best 10-yard split (1.71), and the best broad (9’8”) and vertical jumps (34.5”) in his class, he went undrafted.
That spring, Redmond signed as a UDFA with the Carolina Panthers but was waived in early August. After failing to make an NFL roster that season, Redmond turned to the new spring league. Signing with the Renegades for the inaugural season, it only took him four spring games to make a convincing case and prove that he was NFL material.
Redmond Earns A Place On The Vikings Roster
After a strong preseason performance where Redmond convinced head coach Kevin O’Connell and DC Brian Flores that he belongs on the team, Redmond became one of two UFL stars to make the roster out of training camp that season. The other was Detroit Lions kicker and former Michigan Panthers sensation, Jake Bates.
Despite fighting his way onto the roster, Redmond’s first NFL season was spent primarily as a reserve with the typical ups and downs. After scoring his first NFL sack in Week 3, he was waived two weeks later and placed on the practice squad to open a roster spot for a teammate returning from IR. However, once again, Redmond refused to buckle under adversity. Fighting his way back, he proved himself worthy of the 53-man roster. After filling in for injured players for three consecutive weeks, he was elevated and re-signed to the active roster in Week 10.
Appearing in 13 games with two starts that season, Redmond made his first career start in Week 14 against the Atlanta Falcons. He posted career highs in tackles (four), two TFLs, and two PBUs, and led the team in both tackles for loss and pass defenses in that game. Redmond finished the 2024 season with 18 tackles (10 solo), six TFLs, 1.0 sack, one QB hit, and two PBUs.
The 2025 NFL Vikings Season
Last year, Redmond had a breakout season for the Vikings' defense. According to published stats, Redmond recorded a total of 62 tackles (42 solo), 6.0 sacks, eight quarterback hits, 12 TFLs, 35 quarterback pressures, 26 hurries, 39 defensive stops, two fumble recoveries, five PBUs, and one forced fumble on 793 defensive snaps.
He was one of three players in the NFL in 2025 with at least 60 tackles, 6.0 sacks, and five passes defended (Maxx Crosby and Brian Burns were the other two). By the mid-point of the season, head coach O'Connell noted that Redmond had "clearly established himself" as a crucial piece of the Vikings' defense.
Just before the Thanksgiving holiday in 2025, NFL.com writer Kevin Patra singled out Redmond as one of the underappreciated players who should be considered for the Pro Bowl. Calling Redmond, "Minnesota's most consistent defender," he stated that at the season's mid-point,
Redmond is one of 38 defensive players overall this season and one of 18 who are positioned primarily along the line of scrimmage with 20 stops and 20 quarterback pressures, according to Next Gen Stats. Redmond's 10.0 pressure percentage (on 211 pass rushes) is the 11th best at his position among players who've handled a defensive playing time percentage of at least 70%.
Underscoring the importance of Redmond as the "unsung hero" of the Vikings' defense, the team extended him for the 2026 season on an Exclusive Rights Free Agent (ERFA) Tender valued at $1,075,000, giving the parties time to negotiate a longer-term deal.
Entering training camp, he will be the cornerstone of the Vikings' interior defense and poised for another breakout season. For the first time since their collegiate days, he will be reunited with his former Oklahoma quarterback in 2018, Kyler Murray.
After overcoming one obstacle after another, Redmond has finally earned the respect and appreciation he fought for throughout his career. Paving the way for other spring stars, he's showing that hard work and talent, coupled with the right opportunity, can overcome tremendous odds.