This is part two of my profiles of known participants in the UFL Showcase in Los Angeles. Part one can be found here.
This list is compiled from those who have made their participation in this Showcase public or who were identified by the UFL as top performers on social media (identified by the link attached to their name and school), or those who reached out to me through any one of a number of channels.
If you are a player or you know a player who attended a previous Showcase but was not profiled in that article, DM me on social media @gregmparks (Twitter/X), @gregmparks.bsky.social (Bluesky) or @g_man9784 (Instagram) to be profiled in a future article.
*DE Matt McClellan, Missouri State: An edge player who has played linebacker and defensive end, McClellan’s size (6’4″, 214 per Missouri State’s website) could put him in the conversation as a safety as well. He was Second Team All-Conference at Kilgore College in Texas as an OLB before moving to DE with the Bears. In two seasons there, McClellan combined to make 18.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks among 75 total tackles. He was a part of the 2020 NFL Draft class and at the L.A. Showcase, led his position group in broad jump at 10’1.
*S Irekefe Oweh, Monmouth: The brother of Los Angeles Chargers DE and former NFL first-round pick Odafe Oweh, Irekefe followed his brother at Penn State in 2021 and 2022…but as a basketball player. He played at St. Thomas Aquinas and with the Nittany Lions on the hardcourt before moving to the turf at Clarion University, and finally at Monmouth. His football time was limited in college, but he showed enough potential to be ranked as the 155th safety by Dane Brugler in his acclaimed draft guide in The Athletic. He also earned a rookie minicamp tryout with the Carolina Panthers post-draft. At the UFL L.A. Showcase, he ran the fastest 40 among defensive backs at 4.47.
*DL Eric Padilla, Saddleback College: According to a Saddleback release, Padilla was to continue his football career this fall at Cornell College in Iowa, a D-III school. However, he does not appear on the team’s 2025 roster and his attendance at this Showcase indicates he’s no longer with the program. Before arriving at Saddleback, Padilla went to Palomar College, where he did not participate in the football program. In high school, he excelled at both football and wrestling, qualifying as a state finalist on the mat.
*RB Zach Patterson, Central Missouri: One season at Central Missouri was preceded by two years at East Mississippi Community College and two years at Northwestern State. A receiver in college, Patterson also returned kicks. As a Demon, Patterson had an 83-catch season in 2022, the second-most receptions in school history. They went for just 710 yards, an average of 8.6 yards per catch. He improved that average by almost 10 yards at Central Missouri, catching 56 passes for 955 yards (17.1 avg.) and four touchdowns, enough to put him on the Second Team All-Super Region III team. Wid receiver #147 as ranked by Brugler, Patterson attended the local pro day of the Kansas City Chiefs, and rookie minicamps as a tryout player with the Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns. He ran the fastest 40 time among running backs (4.37) at the L.A. Showcase.
*RB Jalen Poinson, Graceland: A local player from the Los Angeles area, Poinson had limited opportunities at Graceland (unaffiliated with Elvis Presley, by the way). According to the NAIA website, Poinson had just five carries across 13 games in two seasons. Unfortunately, he also lost two fumbles during that time. After his final season in 2024, Poinson’s profile has appeared on the EuroPlayers.com website, indicating a willingness to play overseas.
*CB Makai Self, Millersville: Like Oweh, Self started his college journey at Penn State, in 2019 and 2020. From there, he moved to Towson for two seasons but played in just one game during that time. Self found a home at Millersville, playing in 18 games in 2023 and 2024, spending his final year as a starter. Though he didn’t intercept any passes, he did have seven passes defensed in those two years. In 2024, Self was named to the Academic All-District team.
*DE Jyaire Stevens, Buffalo: Returning to his home state of New York after four years at Lafayette (located in Pennsylvania), Stevens’s senior year with the Leopards saw him record 40 tackles, seven for loss, and 2.5 sacks. At UB, Stevens played in all 12 games in 2023 with 25 tackles, four for a loss, and one sack. Despite modest stats, nice measurables and post-season workouts vaulted him up to the 71st edge rusher ranked by Brugler ahead of that year’s draft. He earned a rookie minicamp tryout with the Buffalo Bills after the draft. He ran the fastest 40-time of any defensive lineman at the L.A. Showcase (4.77).
*RB Yoshiaki Toma: A second player at this Showcase listed at running back while most other information out there has him as a receiver, Toma is from Japan and plays for the Panasonic Impulse, an American football team in that country. Earlier this year, he was signed by the Ohio Valley Ironmen of the International Football Alliance, though it’s unclear if he ever played for them. Toma paced all running backs in the 3-cone drill (6.90).
*LB George Udo, Ball State: A safety/linebacker hybrid, Udo’s position in college was strong safety, playing close to the line of scrimmage. However, he was ranked with the linebackers (59th) by Brugler ahead of this year’s draft, and he also worked out at that position at the L.A. Showcase, leading linebackers in 40-yard dash time (4.47). Udo committed to BYU out of high school and played there for four years as a reserve. He moved to Cincinnati for 2023, playing in just three games. Ball State was Udo’s final stop, in 2024. He put up his best numbers there, accumulating 78 tackles in 12 games, with an interception and 1.5 tackles for loss. Udo suffered a pectoral injury prior to his pro day, but still ran a 4.47 40, backing that up at the UFL Showcase.
*RB Edward Vander, Southern Utah: Playing at colleges all over the western United States, Vander, a RB/WR hybrid, has attended Saddleback College (18 TDs, over 1,000 rushing yards in 2016), as well as Montana State (5.7 yards per carry on 47 rushes), Utah (walking on in 2018) and Southern Utah (finishing up his career with seven carries in 2019). He attended an XFL Showcase in 2022, blazing a 4.34 40. Over the past three seasons, Vander has been a part of several IFL squads, including the Tulsa Oilers, San Diego Strikeforce, Quad City Steamwheelers and Jacksonville Sharks. In the most recent season, Vander had 110 carries, averaging 4.0 yards per, with 17 touchdowns, to go along with 26 receptions and four receiving TDs.
*LB Dylan Williams, Peru State: As interesting a story as there might be out of this year’s UFL Showcases, Williams played at Peru State college from 2014-2018. After moving on, he recently discovered he had athletic eligibility remaining. At 30 years old, he returned to the football field collegiately with Thomas University in the NAIA. Throughout camp, Williams was positioned as the team’s starting middle linebacker. However, before the season began, he was deemed academically ineligible. Spotlighted by the National Scouting Combine, Williams expects to play in other post-season all-star games this winter in addition to his UFL Showcase workout.
