This article is a look at select defensive players who worked out at the UFL Showcase in Washington, D.C. on August 7. My profile of offensive players was published last week and can be found here.
Unlike in past years, media attending the event were able to get a roster of player participants. A big thanks to the folks at Just Win Bets Baby! for covering the event and publishing the rosters online.
Rather than post profiles of those who are known to have attended based on their social media posts (because we have full rosters), 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.
The UFL also sent out press releases with profiles, similar to ones I've written in past years, of key players scheduled to attend. As best I can, I'll try to avoid double-dipping and writing about players the UFL has already chronicled, though I also realize a small number of people have access to or have seen those lists. 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 available, to give perspective on how these players were viewed by the draft community coming out of college.
For future Showcases, if you are a player attending or know of a player attending, DM me on social media @gregmparks (Twitter/X), @gregmparks.bsky.social (Bluesky) or @g_man9784 (Instagram) to be profiled on the occasion the list of player participants is not available.
*DL Tre'Mon Morris-Brash, UCF: An anomaly in this day and age, Morris-Brash spent the entirety of his college career at Central Florida. During his time there, he provided pass-rush punch off the edge. A part of a UCF team that moved from the AAC to the Big 12, Morris-Brash earned First Team honors from both conferences in his final two years. Known for his work behind the line of scrimmage, Morris-Brash had 20.5 tackles for loss in his final season of 2023, totaling 58.5 for his career. He was the 67th edge rusher ranked by Brugler and ended up signing with the Los Angeles Chargers after the 2024 NFL Draft. He spent all of that year on the practice squad and went to camp with them again in 2025 before getting cut. He was briefly in Canada with the Calgary Stampeders earlier this year.
*DL Luquay Washington, Central Connecticut State: At 232 pounds, Washington isn't a traditional defensive lineman, but rather the new breed of pass-rusher. With 4.58 speed, Washington was an intriguing prospect coming out despite playing at a lower level. That speed and athleticism never fully translated to big stats in college; he never had more than 2.5 sacks in a season. Nevertheless, he was ranked as the 43rd edge rusher in the NFL Draft in 2024 by Brugler and was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent. He later spent some time that summer with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Washington's defensive line coach in college was a coaching intern in camp with Pittsburgh, hence the connection.
*DL Caiden Woullard, Oklahoma: Hailing from the cultural hotbed of football, Massillon, Ohio, Woullard initially chose to stay close to home, committing to the Miami University Redhawks. For two years, he terrorized offenses in the MAC, culminating in a First Team All-MAC selection following a 2023 season in which he notched 12 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. He moved on to Oklahoma for his final year in '24, finding the rotation a bit tougher to crack. Though he played in 11 games, he started just one, and his stats suffered for it. Still, Brugler had him as the 80th ranked edge rusher in the draft class, and Woullard tried out for the Indianapolis Colts at rookie minicamp before a short stint in the CFL.
*LB Geno Facchetti, Franklin Pierce University: A three-year starter, Facchetti's stats steadily increase each year, capped off by a 2025 season in which he had nine sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss. That earned Facchetti Northeast 10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year accolades. He also made several Division II all-star teams. It's a testament to his skills that he was able to rank 75th among linebackers by Brugler, above players from D-I schools like N.C. State and Michigan State. Facchetti worked out in front of scouts at the UMass pro day but was not invited to a rookie minicamp.
*LB Trent Hendrick, James Madison: Continuing the trend of players from colleges named after presidents, Hendrick starred at JMU, playing 49 games and starting 32 during his time there. He nearly doubled his tackle total on the season from 2024 to 2025 - 56 to 104. The First Team All-Sun Belt player added seven tackles for loss and three sacks. Brugler had him as the 66th-ranked linebacker in the draft this spring, and Hendrick tried out with both the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs in May. The final chapter of Hendrick's college career may yet to be written: With a recent court case granting players a fifth year of eligibility, including those who already turned pro, the University of Michigan has reportedly reached out to Hendrick to play for them in 2026.
*LB Terique Miles, Norfolk State: The team leader in tackles in 2025 after finishing second in 2024, Miles is the rare player that played in his true freshman season, then burned his redshirt as a sophomore. Though not a pass rusher, Miles saw plenty of action behind the line of scrimmage with 20.5 career tackles for loss. He showed some ability in coverage with eight pass break-ups as well. The inside linebacker came in at 133 from Brugler, though he was passed over for an NFL tryout after the draft.
*CB Keyshawn Dixon, Montclair State: A defensive back by trade, Dixon made his bones on special teams and, specifically, blocking kicks. In each of his final two seasons, he blocked three kicks, totaling six during his career. As a senior in 2024, his special teams prowess earned Dixon First Team All-NJAC honors and a place on the D3Football.com All-American Fourth Team. His defensive portfolio is much thinner, as he started just two games and made 39 total tackles. Dixon also starred on Montclair State's Outdoor Track & Field team. Among his events: The 4x100 relay, the long jump, and the 200-meter dash.
*CB James Nevels, William Paterson: If you come from a smaller school, the best way to get noticed is to get your hands on the football. And that's what Nevels did, intercepting 11 passes across four seasons with the Pioneers, running three back for touchdowns. Nevels started 23 games during that time, accumulating 156 tackles and adding 16 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries. After the 2025 season, he was named Second Team All-ECAC for his on-field work.
*CB Jordan Young, Arkansas: As defenses become more hybrid, coordinators like to throw around different terms for positions unique to their lineup. At Arkansas, for example, Young starred at the "Hog" position, which is a nickel defender who is expected to be strong against the run as well as be able to blitz. Young started 11 games for the Razorbacks in 2025, cleaning up with 29 tackles, six pass break-ups and an interception. He spent the two previous years as a starter in Cincinnati after two seasons coming off the bench with the Florida Gators. In scouting him in Arkansas' game against Tennessse last year, I had Young with two pass break-ups, though he seemed to get away with pass interference on one of them. Young was plugged into Brugler's database as the 185th corner in the 2026 Draft.
*S Inumidun Ayo-Durojaiye, Yale: A linebacker in college, the 5'11", 211-pound Ayo-Durojaiye tried out as a defensive back at the D.C. Showcase. In his All-Ivy League season of 2025, Ayo-Durojaiye led his team with 109 tackles in 12 games and had double-digit tackles in five of the team's first six games of the year. Though he didn't run the 40 during the pre-draft process, his other testing numbers (broad jump and short shuttle, specifically) were strong. Ayo-Durojaiye worked out for the Baltimore Ravens at rookie minicamp after the draft and was signed in May by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL.
*S Caleb Ham, Fordham: Likely to be one of if not the oldest players to try out at this Showcase, the 30-year-old Ham was part of the 2018 NFL Draft class. Ham started three seasons for the Rams, coming down with seven interceptions for his career. He knew what to do once he got the ball in his hands too, accumulating 120 return yards on those picks. A First Team All-Patriot League selection in his junior year, Ham played three games in the CFL in 2019 and hung around up north until 2021. In 2023, he resurfaced, signing with the USFL's Pittsburgh Maulers, though he was released before the regular season began.
*S Xavier Williams, Cincinnati: At a verified 6'2" and 217 pounds, Williams has a thick build - the look of a linebacker/safety mix that many defensive coordinators prefer these days. Williams began his college career at Charlotte, seeing the field for just seven games in two seasons. He moved on to Middle Tennessee in 2024 and got to spread his wings more, starting nine games and making 77 tackles, which led the team. He was back to being a reserve in his lone season with the Bearcats, though he played enough to make 39 tackles. Any UFL aspirations will have to be put on hold for now: Two days after the D.C. Showcase, Williams was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.