As the UFL completes its first week of training camp, the Battlehawks have had their fair share of roster shakeups already. Between retirements, new faces, and injuries Coach Anthony Becht and Dave Boller have been just as busy off the field as they have been off the field.
Retirements:
Kobe Smith and Mataeo Durant have both retired between the UFL Public Relations page, and league sources. Smith was set to go into 2nd season with the Battlehawks and 3rd season in spring football. Smith Retired March 1st, as players reported to camp. His pro career consisted of stints with the Brahmas, Battlehawks, Giants, Falcons, Eagles, Bucs, and Titans.
Durant retires after participating in the first couple days of training camp. After Two plus seasons with the team, Durant opts to call it a career after a season ending injury in 2024. Durant’s career began in 2022 with the Steelers as a UDFA, in addition to his Two seasons with the Battlehawks.
Released:
Battlehawks Draft Pick Isaiah Coe was released during player onboarding due to an injury. Coe was the Battlehawks 6th round pick in the 2024 UFL coming out of Oklahoma this past season. It is unclear to the extent of Coe’s injury, and what plans the Battlehawks have for Coe once healthy.
Signings:
Since camp began the Battlehawks have added Four players as teams get in the “swing of things”, Two Defensive Lineman Curtis Brooks and Albert Huggins to replace Coe and Smith, while also adding Ryan Coll, and welcoming back 2023 WR Gary Jennings.
Brooks joins the Battlehawks after spending 2024 out of football. A 2022 6th round pick out of Cincinnati, Brooks has bounced around the NFL spending time with the Colts, Titans, and Commanders before an injury in 2023 found him on injured reserve.
St. Louis also brings in a more established Defensive Lineman in Albert Huggins as well. A Two-time College Football National Champion from Clemson, Huggins came to the NFL as a UDFA in 2019 with the Houston Texans. A journeyman, Huggins has had stints with the Texans, Eagles, Patriots, Lions, Vikings, Saints, Falcons, and Cowboys. Most recently Huggins spent training camp in 2024 with the Cowboys, spending 20 days with the team before being released. Huggins has appeared in 27 NFL games and recording 41 tackles in his NFL career.
Ryan Coll joins the Battlehawks after being granted his release from the Toronto Argonauts. Coll played his college ball at the University of Richmond earning all-conference honors. After going unselected in the 2024 Draft, Coll would spend time with the Falcons and Colts, before landing on Injured Reserve. Ironically Coll’s injury led to Panasiuk’s signing who he’ll battle with for playing time in St. Louis.
Jennings returns to St. Louis after spending the past season in Birmingham. Jennings has buried on the Stallions depth chart, however served as Birmingham’s primary Kick Returner. Jennings totaled 531 All-Purpose Yards in 2024, including a strong post-season showing that included a Touchdown in the UFL Championship. The former West Virginia Receiver will have to utilize his skillset in the return game once again as the Battlehawks continue to stack talent in the Wide Receiver room.
With the Battlehawks under three weeks from their first game of the season, it is inevitable that more roster shuffling will be coming down the pipeline as expectations for this season remain extremely high. Currently, the Battlehawks roster sits at 65 players as the 1st wave of cuts are set to take place soon.
