Defensive end Breeland Speaks was the recipient of the UFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award the league announced on Friday. The defensive end led the league with 9.5 sacks over the 10 regular season games.
Speaks finished the season with 25 total tackles and 8 assisted tackles. In addition to his 9.5 sacks he also had 39 total pressures according to Pro Football Focus including 12 QB hits.
Speaks had 2 games in which he had 3 sacks. The first time was in week 5 on the road against the Memphis Showboats. He also had a hat trick of sacks in week 9 on the road against the Houston Roughnecks.
This past season was Speaks’ second with the Michigan Panthers. He led the USFL in sacks last season which saw him accumulate 25 solo tackles, 28 assisted tackles, and 9 sacks over 10 games.
After his performance last season with the Panthers he was signed by the San Francisco 49ers where he spent the 2023 NFL preseason until he was waived in late August.
Speaks was a 2nd round draft pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2018 NFL Draft 46th overall and played in 16 games for the Chiefs that season with 4 starts. He made 15 solo tackles, 9 assisted tackles, and 1.5 sacks with the Chiefs in 2018.
