This is part two of my profiles of notable players from the Columbus UFL Showcase, focusing on the defensive side of the ball. Part one can be found here. These are names from a roster provided to me by a UFL source, though the league did not publicly release the list of participants. The UFL, as it has done for past Showcases, did select their own players to profile in a press release prior to the event.
With the full roster at my disposal, I wanted to pick a few players at each position to spotlight. I attempted to include at least one player from a Power 5 school, when applicable, and one from a smaller school, since finding those undiscovered gems is a big part of what these Showcases are all about.
Once again, I'm using Dane Brugler's rankings in his yearly "The Beast" draft guide in The Athletic, one of the most in-depth and respected lists out there, to give perspective on how these players were viewed by the draft community coming out of college.
*DT Bralen Henderson, Missouri: Prior to his time at Missouri, Henderson competed at Ohio University, where he started 16 of 33 games, with 51 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. In his one season at Mizzou, Henderson compiled just five tackles and two quarterback hurries in seeing limited action along the defensive line, mostly in non-conference affairs. Down the list as Brugler's 213th-ranked defensive tackle coming out of college, Henderson notably ran a quick 5.01 40-yard dash at the team's pro day.
*DT Najee Story, Northwestern: Hoping his pro football story is not over, Najee Story was a five-year contributor with the Wildcats. After starting 20 games across his sophomore and junior seasons, Story settled for a backup role as a senior in 2025. His biggest game was against USC, where he snared his first career interception (rumbling 25 yards with it) and also made his lone sack of the year. Unfortunately, the interception made Story into a punchline as he was moments from scoring a touchdown on the return when the ball was knocked away by a USC player, through the back of the end zone for a touchback. Story finished his career with 89 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Brugler had him ranked as the 119th defensive tackle in the class. He got to stay close to home for rookie minicamp, earning a tryout with the Chicago Bears.
*DE Reggie Grimes II, Memphis: The son of a former University of Alabama defensive tackle, Grimes the second held an offer from the Crimson Tide but instead chose Oklahoma when coming out of high school. Grimes got a COVID year and redshirt year, so he ended up playing six seasons in college, 57 games overall. Four of those years were spent with the Sooners where he had 11.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. His 2023 was cut short due to injury, then he transferred to Memphis for the next two years. He did not start a game with the Tigers, only making six tackles across 19 games. The promise Grimes showed at Oklahoma nevertheless resulted in him landing in Brugler's rankings, albeit down the list as the 217th edge rusher.
*DE Thad Thoman, Taylor University: An active tackler for a defensive lineman, making 40 in 11 games in his final year, Thoman was an effective pass rusher off the edge at the NAIA level. Thoman came on strong in particular in his final two seasons, where he combined for 11.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss. In his final season, Thoman made the First-Team All-MSFA squad, the first time he was recognized with a post-season award. He's sometimes listed as a linebacker because of his edge rushing qualities.
*LB Micah Cretsinger, Saginaw Valley State: A two-time Division II All-American, Cretsinger excelled at Saginaw Valley State. He made 271 tackles and had an eye-popping 10 interceptions. As a senior, he was a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award, given to the best small school defensive player. The 218th linebacker in the 2025 NFL Draft according to Brugler, Cretsinger was a tryout player with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at their rookie minicamp. From there, he headed to the CFL, signing with Ottawa in May. He was released a few weeks later, then signed by Winnipeg earlier this year, only to be let go again at the end of May.
*LB Nathan Rosario-Santos, IUP: From the very confusing Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Rosario-Santos was a standout linebacker in his final season. He made 93 tackles, eight for a loss, with 3.5 sacks. He blocked three kicks in two years at IUP as well. In 2025, he was an All-PSAC West First Team selection on defense. Rosario-Santos's ability to block kicks was on display at his previous school, Notre Dame College (not to be confused with the University of Notre Dame), where he blocked two punts in one game. He measured 6'0" and 197 pounds at the Duquesne pro day, leading some to project him to safety. Brugler curiously had him ranked with the corners as player number 222 at that spot. Post-college, Rosario-Santos has suited up for the Iowa Barnstormers of the Indoor Football League.
*CB Markel Linzer, Grambling State: After redshirting at Southeast Louisiana in 2021, Linzer started seven games for the team in 2022, making 33 tackles with an interception and three passes defensed. He had another strong year in 2023, with 34 tackles, another interception, and five more passes knocked down. Linzer transferred to Grambling for 2024 and 2025. As a senior, he intercepted a career-high four passes while starting just three games. For his efforts, he made the All-SWAC First Team at the conclusion of the year. His college career concluded with seven INTs to his name. Despite all this, he failed to make Brugler's The Beast draft rankings.
*CB Ricky Pearson II, Northwood: It was a start-and-stop beginning to Pearson's college career at Albion: He played in three games in 2020, followed by 11 in 2021, then just two in 2022. All 16 were starts, and he managed three interceptions and eight passes defensed during that timeframe. Moving on to Northwood, Pearson found similar success as a pass defender, intercepting another three passes and defensing 15 in two years. He was Brugler's 222nd CB in 2025 and signed with the Green Bay Blizzard of the IFL for 2026.
*CB Ibrahim Sesay, West Virginia State: The major claim to fame for Sesay is just how many passes he defensed in college: 34 in five years according to the school's website. Strangely, that translated into only two interceptions. Sesay started 36 of 46 games played at WVS, making 162 tackles, a high number for a corner. He also blocked two kicks. A Columbus native, Sesay's size (listed at 5'9") will likely make him a nickel only at the next level.
*S D.J. Harris, Youngstown State: Always seeming to be around the ball at Tiffin and then Youngstown State, Harris had 42 tackles in his final of three seasons with the Dragons, including three sacks and an interception. At Youngstown State, he had seasons of 56 and 72 tackles, to go along with three total interceptions and seven passes defensed. Running a 4.45 at his pro day opened some eyes and helped Harris earn a rookie minicamp tryout with the Chicago Bears this past May.
*S Chris Jefferson, Purdue: This is not Jefferson's first UFL Showcase: He was a participant in 2024 at the D.C. workout. Here's what I wrote at that time: "A two-time Associated Press D-II All-American at Findlay as a sophomore and junior, Jefferson leveled up to Purdue for his final two seasons. He worked his way into the defensive backfield rotation in 2021, playing in all 12 games, making 47 tackles. In 2022, Jefferson was on his way to a strong concluding campaign, starting the first five games of the season. However, at that point he left the team citing the need to work on his mental health. During that short stint (on the field), he still managed to intercept two passes and break up five others. Jefferson returned to work out at the team's pro day in March, indicating an interest in continuing his football journey."
*S Michael Gravely Jr., Ball State: An NJCAA Champion at the College of DuPage in 2023, Gravely sandwiched that season in between two years at Michigan State, where he did not play, and a year at Western Michigan. His final year was played at Ball State. In his championship-winning season of '23, Gravely had the most playing time of his first four years, with 36 tackles, 4.5 for a loss, and an interception. At Ball State in 2025, Gravely's performance rivaled that of 2023, and at a much higher level: He amassed 53 tackles, one interception, and two passes defensed in starting eight of 10 games.