For UFL players seeking NFL success, getting signed by an NFL team is only the first step towards making the roster. However, being signed to a team ahead of training camp doesn’t guarantee a spot on the roster. It’s merely an opportunity to train with that team and compete against talented NFL veterans, newly drafted rookies, and UDFA players.
NFL teams invite a maximum of 90 players to training camp in their quest to finalize the team's 53-man roster. With roster cutdowns mandating virtually half of the camp attendees will be eliminated, every aspect of what a player offers is under intense scrutiny. A player will be judged on how well he measures up in terms of skill set and performance, but he’ll also be graded on other factors.
The coaching staff evaluates how quickly a player learns the playbook and adapts to unfamiliar routes and schematics. They’ll watch for how well a player takes direction and determine if their personality meshes with the team culture. Does a young talent with raw, untapped potential have the ability to contribute immediately? Or, is he a promising, but long-range developmental project?
UFL Star Defenders The NFL Should Sign
Following the 2026 UFL season, a total of 23 UFL players were signed by NFL teams. Recently, the UFL News Hub published an article showcasing standout special teams players who should be given an NFL opportunity. Now, here are several 2026 UFL defense stars that the NFL should consider signing.
The UFL’s Top-Ranked Linebackers
1) Tae Crowder, Birmingham Stallions LB
Tae Crowder has the distinction of being the last player selected in the 2020 NFL Draft. The 255th overall selection by the New York Giants, “Mr. Irrelevant,” spent three seasons with the team, recording sacks against Russell Wilson, intercepting Jalen Hurts, and stopping Derrick Henry with a tremendous hit.
After his tenure with the Giants, he spent the 2022 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the following year with the Tennessee Titans. In 2025, he joined the Birmingham Stallions.
After a solid season in 2025, Crowder exploded in 2026, racking up 84 tackles (43 solo), two interceptions, four PBUs, and one fumble recovery. Named to the 2026 All-UFL Team, Crowder’s 84 tackles led the league. The Week 8 Defensive Player of the Week posted double-digit tackles with 11, plus two TFLs and an interception against the Columbus Aviators.
One of the advantages spring footballers offer is that instead of spending the winter “loafing on the couch,” they're in peak condition, from playing football for the past spring season. They’re already mentally and physically prepared to hit the ground running at training camp. Crowder’s previous NFL experience, plus his outstanding UFL season, make him an attractive linebacker candidate for an NFL team.
2)Jaheim Thomas, Louisville Kings LB
One of the UFL's top three leaders in tackling this season, Jaheim Thomas, finished the 2026 regular season with 64 tackles (42 solo), recorded a half-sack, and two PBUs. During the postseason, he added 15 more tackles (10 solo) and three PBUs.
The 23-year-old UFL rookie is originally from Cincinnati, OH, where he was a four-star recruit with 73 tackles (46 solo), 6.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one interception his senior year. Initially staying local and committing to the Bearcats, he transferred to Arkansas as a redshirt junior, where he ranked sixth in the SEC with 90 total tackles, 6.5 TFLs, and 3.5 sacks. At 6’3”, 223 lbs. with 33 1/2 inch arms and an 80-inch wingspan, Thomas has the desired physicality and tackling technique to make an impact in the NFL.
Top UFL Sack Specialists
3) Cam Gill, Louisville Kings OLB
No one scored more sacks this season than All-UFL Team standout Cam Gill. The Louisville Kings standout recorded 10.0 sacks during the regular season and scored an 11th during the Kings’ championship playoff run. The 2026 Defensive Player of the Year previously signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 as a UDFA. Gill impressed the coaching staff enough to earn a roster spot out of training camp. Recording a special teams tackle in his NFL debut against the Chicago Bears, he continued to make an impact. During Tampa Bay’s 31-9 Super Bowl LV victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, he combined with Ndamukong Suh for a sack on Patrick Mahomes. Gill was also credited with a forced fumble on the play.
Although several subsequent injuries, including a strained calf and Lis Franc surgery, landed him on injured reserve, Gill recorded 51 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble during his time in Tampa Bay. Following his tenure with the Bucs, he spent time on other NFL practice squads, including two stints with the Carolina Panthers. However, he wasn’t activated for any games. Having just come off his outstanding breakout season with the Kings, Gill proved he’s healthy and more than ready for another NFL opportunity.
4) Derick Roberson, DC Defenders EDGE
A two-time All-UFL Team talent with previous NFL experience is the D.C. Defenders' ferocious EDGE, Derick Roberson. Signed as a UDFA in 2019 by the Tennessee Titans, he spent time on the Tennessee practice squad that year before making an impact late in the season, sacking New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees twice in one game. Roberson finished his NFL rookie season with 3.0 sacks.
Although a knee injury landed him on injured reserve in September of 2021, Roberson recorded 26 tackles, 4.5 sacks, four PBUs, and a forced fumble in Tennessee. A short stint with the Houston Texans practice squad led to an introductory foray into spring football with the XFL Houston Roughnecks.
The Defenders' inaugural season followed in 2024. Roberson recorded 32 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles that year. In 2025, he appeared in nine regular-season games as part of the Defenders’ Championship Team, recording 27 tackles and 5.5 sacks. During the postseason, Roberson added another six solo tackles, 2.0 sacks, and two forced fumbles.
Roberson had his best season to date for the Defenders in 2026, recording 40 tackles (30 solo), 7.0 sacks, 1 PBU, and two forced fumbles in 9 regular-season games. In the postseason, he added seven tackles (five solo), one sack, and a PBU. During the regular season, Roberson memorably delivered a ferocious blindside hit on Louisville quarterback Chandler Rogers. Fortunately, the Kings’ leader wasn’t injured, and he returned to action, rallying his team to a 30-13 victory in that game.
5) D.J. Miller, Jr., Columbus Aviators CB
In addition to Corey Mayfield, Jr., the Aviators’ cornerback, D.J. Miller Jr. was one of the league’s most exciting defenders this season, recording numerous interceptions and changing the course of a game with huge plays. With 24 tackles (20 solo), three interceptions, nine PBUs, and a pick six, Miller Jr. made a big impact this season as a member of the All-UFL Team.
Before playing with the Aviators, Miller Jr. was a member of the 2025 Michigan Panthers team, where he recorded 29 tackles (17 solo), two interceptions, and eight PBUs. Although the team ultimately lost to the D.C. Defenders in the championship final, Miller Jr. added 9 more tackles (8 solo) and three PBUs.
Before joining the Panthers, Miller Jr. briefly spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad as a UDFA. After two solid seasons in the UFL, Miller Jr. is ready to make his return to the NFL and stir things up in the secondary.
Two Spring Standouts Who Paved the Way
Forging a pathway from the UFL to the NFL are two former UFL standouts. Minnesota Vikings DT Jalen Redmond (Arlington Renegades) and Denver Broncos LB (Birmingham Stallions) Dondrea Tillman. After struggling to make an NFL roster, both players turned to spring football, where they found success. In 2024, both players made the transition from the UFL back to the NFL, where they are now making an impact.
Redmond initially signed as a UDFA with the Carolina Panthers in April of 2023 but was waived during training camp. Later that year, he signed with the UFL Arlington Renegades, where he recorded 18 total tackles, 5 TFLs, and 4.5 sacks.
In June of 2024, Redmond signed with the Minnesota Vikings. In his two NFL seasons, he’s become one of the most dominant members of the Vikings defense, recording 80 tackles, 7.0 sacks, 7 PBU’s, 10 forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. Earlier this year, Redmond signed a one-year extension with the team worth $1,075,000.
Similarly, Tillman was signed by Denver in June of 2024. Despite not making the final 53-man roster out of training camp, he signed with the Broncos' practice squad that August. He made his NFL debut in Week 3 following an injury to Mike McGlinchey and recorded his first two NFL sacks. Last year, Tillman recorded his first career interception for the Broncos, returning it 36 yards.
In March of 2026, Tillman signed a one-year extension with the Broncos worth $1,075,000.
Who will be the next UFL defender to have a breakout NFL season? Will it be a player already signed to an NFL team or perhaps one of these five talented defenders?