Redemption and rebirth are two of the UFL’s most incredible selling points.
Much is made about the hundreds of players who have received NFL opportunities after showcasing their talents in spring pro football. However, not enough attention is paid to the number of former NFL players who have played and are currently slated to play in the United Football League.
Thanks to many admitted football nerds like myself, Greg Parks, Nicholas Thorn, Patrick Rifino, James Larsen, Avion Plummer, Michael DelNegro (better known as UFLAnalyst), and many others, diehard supporters can track roster activity of players who switch between the UFL and NFL, with even CFL and Indoor league movement added into the mix.
Pro Football Leagues like the UFL are designed for players looking to launch their careers and those looking to relaunch.
The ladder is where the number of former NFL Draft picks on UFL 2025 rosters comes into play.
UFL 2025: Former NFL Draft Picks
As of press time, 82 former NFL Draft picks are on UFL rosters, a little over 20 percent of the league’s projected opening-day lineups (50 players per roster on eight teams).
If you put stock into NFL draft pedigree, perhaps it should be no surprise that the two teams that clashed in the 2024 UFL Championship Game, San Antonio and Birmingham, have the most former NFL Draft picks on their rosters. The Stallions, winners of three straight league championships, have a league-leading 22, while the Brahmas are riding firm with 14.
The two UFL teams with the fewest NFL draft picks in 2024 were Memphis and Houston, four apiece. They combined for only three wins last season, two of which occurred when the Showboats swept the Roughnecks.
Perhaps it’s a coincidence; maybe it’s a correlation. Nevertheless, the number of former NFL draft picks on UFL rosters is a testament to the league’s validity and the astute acumen of coaching, scouting, and recruitment conducted by the UFL’s collective football brain trust.
Former NFL Draft Picks On UFL 2025 Rosters By Team (year, round selected, team in parentheses)
Birmingham Stallions (22):
Quarterbacks: Matt Corral (2022 3rd round, Carolina Panthers), Alex McGough (2018 7th round, Seattle Seahawks)
Running Back: Larry Rountree (2021 6th round, Los Angeles Chargers)
Wide Receivers: Deon Cain (2018 6th round, Indianapolis Colts), Amari Rodgers (2021 3rd round, Green Bay Packers), Jalen Camp (2021 6th round, Jacksonville Jaguars), Shi Smith (2021 6th round, Carolina Panthers)
Tight Ends: Jace Sternberger (2019 3rd round, Green Bay Packers), Jordan Thomas (2018 6th round, Houston Texans)
Offensive Linemen: Lachavious Simmons (2020 7th round, Chicago Bears), Deonte Brown (2021 6th round, Carolina Panthers), Matt Farniok (2021 7th round, Dallas Cowboys)
Defensive Linemen/Edge Rushers: Perrion Winfrey (2022 4th round, Cleveland Browns), Ronnie Perkins (2021 3rd round, New England Patriots), Myjai Sanders (2022 3rd round, Arizona Cardinals), Bradlee Annae (2020 5th round, Dallas Cowboys), Carlos Davis (2020 7th round, Pittsburgh Steelers)
Linebackers: Tae Crowder (2020 7th round pick, New York Giants), Chapelle Russell (2020 7th round, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Defensive Backs: Rachad Wildgoose (2021 6th round, Buffalo Bills), Kenny Robinson (2020 5th round, Carolina Panthers, drafted after playing in XFL 2020), Tre Norwood (2021 7th round, Pittsburgh Steelers)
Sidenote: It’s almost as if the Birmingham Stallions were the 33rd team to select players in the 2020, 2021, and 2022 NFL Drafts. The defending UFL champs have 18 players from those three draft classes, and Birmingham has eight draft picks from the 2021 NFL Draft class alone.
San Antonio Brahmas (14)
Quarterbacks: Kellen Mond (2021 3rd round, Minnesota Vikings), Kevin Hogan (2016 5th round, Kansas City Chiefs)
Running Back: Anthony McFarland (2020 4th round, Pittsburgh Steelers)
Wide Receivers: Racey McMath (2021 6th round, Tennessee Titans), Marquez Stevenson (2019 6th round, Buffalo Bills),
Tight Ends: Jacob Harris (2021 4th round, Los Angeles Rams), Alize Mack (2019 7th round, New Orleans Saints)
Offensive Linemen: Justin Shaffer (2022 6th round, Atlanta Falcons)
Defensive Linemen: Rashard Lawrence (2020 4th round, Arizona Cardinals)
Linebacker: Tariq Carpenter (2022 7th round, Green Bay Packers)
Defensive Backs: Greedy Williams (2019 2nd round, Cleveland Browns), Kalon Barnes (2022 7th round, Carolina Panthers), Darius Phillips (2018 5th round, Cincinati Bengals), BoPete Keyes (2020 7th round, Kansas City Chiefs)
Quarterback: Max Duggan (2023 7th round, Los Angeles Chargers)
Wide Receivers: Andy Isabella (2019 2nd round, Arizona Cardinals), Denzel Mims (2020 2nd round, New York Jets), Hakeem Butler (2019 4th round pick, Arizona Cardinals), Gary Jennings (2019 4th round, Seattle Seahawks), Frank Darby (2021 6th round, Atlanta Falcons)
Defensive Linemen/Edge Rushers: Kemeko Turay (2019 2nd round, Indianapolis Colts), Pita Taumoepenu (2017 6th round, San Fransisco 49ers) Phil Hoskins (2021 7th round, Carolina Panthers), Curtis Brooks (2022 6th round, Indianapolis Colts), Travis Feeney (2016 6th round, Pittsburgh Steelers), Chris Garrett (2021 7th round, Los Angeles Rams)
Punter: Sterling Hofrichter (2020 7th round, Atlanta Falcons)
D.C. Defenders (11)
Running Back/Wide Receiver: Lynn Bowden Jr. (2020 3rd round, Las Vegas Raiders)
Wide Receiver: Cornell Powell (2021 5h round, Kansas City Chiefs)
Tight End: Devin Asiasi (2020 3rd round, New England Patriots)
Offensive Linemen: D.J. Fluker (2013 1st round, San Diego Chargers), Lamont Gaillard (2019 6th round, Arizona Cardinals)
Edge Rusher: Quincy Roche (2021 6th round, Pittsburgh Steelers)
Defensive Backs: DeAndre Baker (2019 1st round, New York Giants), Kelvin Joseph (2021 2nd round, Dallas Cowboys), Michael Ojemudia (2020 3rd round, Denver Broncos), Isaiah Johnson (2019 4th round, Las Vegas Raiders), Monte Nicholson (2017 4th round, Washington Redskins)
Running Back: Kalen Ballage (2018 4th round, Miami Dolphins)
Defensive Linemen/Ede Rushers: Daviyon Nixon (2021 5th round, Carolina Panthers), Will Clarke (2014 3rd round, Cincinnati Bengals), Darryl Johnson (2019 7th round, Buffalo Bills)
Linebacker: Jabril Cox (2021 4th round, Dallas Cowboys)
Defensive Backs: Brady Breeze (2021 6th round, Tennessee Titans), Chris Claybrooks (2020 7th round, Jacksonville Jaguars)
Quarterback: Danny Etling (2018 7th round, New England Patriots)
Wide Receiver: John Hightower (2020 5th round, Philadelphia Eagles)
Defensive Linemen/Edge Rushers: Breeland Speaks (2018 2nd round, Kansas City Chiefs), Kenny Willekes (2020 7th round, Minnesota Vikings)
Defensive Back: Adonis Alexander (2018 6th round, Washington Redskins)
Running Back: DeWayne McBride (2023 7th round, Minnesota Vikings)
Tight End: Larry Izzo (2018 7th round, New England Patriots)
Defensive Linemen: P.J. Hall (2018 second round, Oakland Raiders)
Defensive Backs: Cameron Dantzler (2020 3rd round, Minnesota Vikings), Obi Melifonwu (2016 second round, Oakland Raiders)
Offensive Linemen: Zach Banner (2017 4th round, Indianapolis Colts), Isaiah Battle (2015 5th round, Los Angeles Rams)
Defensive Linemen: Kristjan Sokoli (2015 6th round, Seattle Seahawks)
Defensive Backs: Damon Arnette (2020 1st round, Las Vegas Raiders), Corn Elder (2017 7th round, Carolina Panthers)
Final Summary: Having players with name recognition and draft pedigrees in your league is a plus. However, as has always been the case in pro football, draft status doesn’t ultimately determine success. To that end, UDFA’s in the NFL statistically match or outnumber drafted players on rosters, particularly those selected in later rounds.
So it’s unsurprising that 20 players on the 2024 All-UFL team were undrafted out of college. They have taken the more challenging path to playing time, one that the new arrivals of formerly drafted NFL players into the UFL will share as they look to find a way back.
