- Cooks and Taylor raise 2026 UFL to NFL player total to 35 players signed
ARLINGTON, TX (August 4, 2026) – The UFL announced today that wide receivers Elijah Cooks of the Birmingham Stallions and Roc Taylor of the Columbus Aviators have signed with the Carolina Panthers following tryouts with the team. These signings bring the total number of 2026 UFL players joining an NFL club to 35 since the conclusion of the UFL season. Additionally, former UFL linebacker Garrett Nelson who played with the San Antonio Brahmas in 2024 and 2025 also signed an NFL contract today, joining the Seattle Seahawks.
Cooks (6-4, 215, San Jose State) joined the Birmingham Stallions midway into the season but did not appear in game action. He originally signed as an undrafted free agent with Jacksonville in 2023, appearing in 11 games with the Jaguars and later spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints. Collegiately, Cooks played multiple seasons at the University of Nevada before joining San Jose State where he earned first-team All-Mountain West honors after posting 1,076 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.
Taylor (6-1, 212, Memphis) played in the first two games of the season for the Aviators, starting the second, and recorded a total of two receptions for 23 yards. He was later released by the team on April 7. A standout at Memphis, Taylor finished his collegiate career with more than 2,300 receiving yards before spending 2025 in training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Nelson (6-4, 245, Nebraska) played two seasons with the San Antonio Brahmas (2024-25), appearing in 17 games and recording 24 tackles. A former Nebraska team captain and All-Big Ten honoree, Nelson originally entered the NFL with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent before later spending time on the practice squads of the Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints.
With today's additions, there are now 67 UFL and spring football alumni under contract and in NFL training camps across the league.