On a cloudless fall day just outside of Orlando, Celebration High School played host to nearly 200 players trying out in the latest UFL Showcase, hoping to get noticed and continue their football careers at the professional level.
This Showcase was held in partnership with Special Olympics Florida and Lift Disability Network. Members of that group interacted with tryout players between sessions, got autographs from them, and participated in their own Showcase drills. The event was free to attend, with a deejay, members of the Orlando Storm cheerleading squad and the team mascot also present. There was a tent set up where fans could take home Storm swag.
American National Combine (ANC) ran the event in conjunction with UFL personnel. Prospective UFL players were split into defensive and offensive sessions, with defense taking the morning and offense the afternoon. Combine testing drills came first, such as the 40-yard dash, broad jump, three-cone drill, and more. Players were also weighed and measured to get the most up-to-date data for league decision makers.
Once players had rotated through, they were separated to run position-specific drills. Each drill was filmed, with players having to flash their number to the camera before taking part, so that coaches and scouts not present could still assess those in attendance after the fact.
Head coaches Shannon Harris (D.C. Defenders) and Ricky Proehl (St. Louis Battlehawks) were at the workout, as were league scouts Rick Mueller and Patrick Austin. Harris was popular among players after the morning defensive session, where many came up and introduced themselves and got some facetime with the coach. Though Orlando Storm head coach Anthony Becht was unable to attend because of his duties as radio analyst for New York Jets games, two of his high school fellows were on hand to be his eyes and ears.
Harris and Proehl have different philosophies when scouting players at Showcases. "I want to see guys run good times in the 40s," said Harris. "Once I see their 40 time, I can kind of make a gauge off of all the other drills...so that's first and foremost to see these guys come out here and work hard. Give a lot of energy and create value for themselves."
For Proehl, athleticism that he can see trumps the numbers. "A lot of guys get caught up in the 40s and what they're running in the shuttles," he said. "And I’m not saying that’s not important, because it is. But what I’m looking for is athleticism. Are they stiff? Are they running relaxed? Are they changing direction? Just looking for athleticism. Then I’ll go back and look at the 40s and the shuttles and different stuff." Proehl cited Jerry Rice and Isaac Bruce as two successful NFL players who did not blaze a hot 40 time.
The Indoor Football League also had a presence at the Showcase. Tulsa Oilers head coach and former NFL linebacker Marvin Jones was scouting for talent, as was Savannah Leprechauns assistant general manager Anthony Tanza. Some players who may not receive that call from the UFL could see their path to continue playing extend through the IFL.
One of the players to receive some buzz amongst those in attendance after the defensive session was DT Desmond Watson. Watson, whose rights are held by the D.C. Defenders, was reportedly "down" to 450 pounds. He weighed in at 464 pounds at the University of Florida's pro day in 2025 and was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the draft that year, though he did not make the team. He did spend some time on the practice squad that season.
Many of the players in attendance at the UFL Orlando Showcase will be eligible for the 2026 UFL Draft, which will be held on Wednesday, November 18. However, participating in the Showcase allows teams to invite these players to training camp prior to the draft. The Showcase season continues next Sunday in Louisville.