# UFL Week 1: UFLNH 1st and 2nd Team of the Week

- Author: Jonathan Clink
- Published: 2025-04-04T16:12:27Z
- Updated: 2026-07-09T17:07:26Z
- Categories: UFL (ufl)
- Canonical URL: https://uflnewshub.com/ufl/ufl-week-1-uflnh-1st-and-2nd-team-of-the-week

Naming a first and second team of the week following the first week of the UFL season. The purpose of this project is to shine a light on players who are standing out in their respective positions.

Offensive player of the week: QB Bryce Perkins (Michigan Panthers); Perkins was the most efficient passer in week 1 as he completed 16 of his 19 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 16 yards and a touchdown. While I dislike the frequent pattern of offensive awards simply going to the top quarterback in football, Perkins' ability to be unaffected by pressure from opposing pass rushers in week 1 helped him stand out to me as the top offensive player.

Defensive player of the week: Safety [Kai Nacua](https://uflnewshub.com/player/kai-nacua-30944) ([Michigan Panthers](https://uflnewshub.com/team/michigan-panthers/)); Nacua was in on 6 total tackles and was in on a run stop and a stop against a pass. The only target to come his way in week 1 resulted in an interception that he took 80 yards to the house in the 4th quarter. Nacua was also named [Week 1: UFL News Hub Player of the Week](https://uflnewshub.com/ufl/week-1-ufl-news-hub-player-of-the-week) in Sue Levine’s article.

**Week 1 1st Team**

**Offense**

- **QB: Bryce Perkins (Michigan Panthers)** Completed 16 of his 19 passes in Week 1 for 163 yards and a touchdown and had 14 rushing yards, including a 2-yard touchdown with 4 broken tackles.
- **RB: Kalen Ballage ([Arlington Renegades](https://uflnewshub.com/team/dallas-renegades))** Ballage rushed 9 times for 110 yards (12.2 average), including a 77-yard touchdown with 3 missed tackles forced. He had 5 missed tackles forced on the game by my count.
- **WR: Jonathan Adams Jr. ([Memphis Showboats](https://uflnewshub.com/team/memphis-showboats/))** Adams caught 6 of his 7 targets for 93 yards, 24 of which were YAC, and had a touchdown in Week 1.
- **WR: Jahcour Pearson ([St. Louis Battlehawks](https://uflnewshub.com/team/st-louis-battlehawks))** Pearson caught all 6 of his targets for 83 yards, including 54 YAC.
- **WR: Marcus Simms (Michigan Panthers)** Simms caught 4 of his 6 targets for 53 yards, 31 of which were YAC. He had 4 missed tackles in Week 1.
- **TE: Sal Cannella (Arlington Renegades)** Cannella led Arlington in receiving as he caught 5 of his 8 targets for 45 yards, 23 of which were YAC.
- **LT: Ryan Nelson (Michigan Panthers)** Nelson had nearly a perfect game in pass protection. By my count only had 1 pressure come past him, which was in the 4th quarter on a play in which the defender was the second Memphis pass rusher to apply pressure on the play.
- **LG: Marcus Minor (Arlington Renegades)** By my count, Minor had pressure generated that he was responsible for on only 2 plays.
- **C: Mike Panasiuk (St. Louis Battlehawks)** He was the only starting center this week to achieve the feat of not having a single pressure generated, which he was responsible for preventing.
- **RG: Abdul Beecham (St. Louis Battlehawks)** Beecham allowed only 1 pressure in Week 1 which occurred in the 2nd quarter to a pass rusher I attributed to be a secondary source of pressure on the play.
- **RT: Juwann Bushell-Beatty (St. Louis Battlehawks)** I did not attribute any pressure to him in Week 1.

**Defense**

- **DE: Pita Taumoepenu (St. Louis Battlehawks)** There were 11 total plays in which Taumoepenu generated pressure on the passer in Week 1 by my count, including sacks on back-to-back plays in the 4th quarter.
- **DT: Joseph Wallace ([D.C. Defenders](https://uflnewshub.com/team/dc-defenders))** Wallace generated pressure on 9 total plays, including a sack.
- **DT: Garrett Marino (Michigan Panthers)** Marino had 6 total tackles, which saw him involved in 4 run stops and a shared sack. He also generated pressure on 4 total plays.
- **DE: Breeland Speaks (Michigan Panthers)** Speaks generated pressure on 10 total plays, 7 of which were in the 4th quarter.
- **LB: J.T. Tyler ([Houston Roughnecks](https://uflnewshub.com/team/houston-gamblers))** Tyler had 5 tackles and was in on 3 solo run stops and 2 assisted stops.
- **LB: Frank Ginda (Michigan Panthers)** Ginda had 11 total tackles, including a solo run stop, and was in on 4 shared run stops and a shared pass stop.
- **LB: Kyahva Tezino ([Birmingham Stallions](https://uflnewshub.com/team/birmingham-stallions))** Tezino had 5 total tackles, including 4 shared run stops.
- **CB: Chris Payton-Jones (St. Louis Battlehawks)** Jones had 5 targets come his way and 0 resulted in a completion. He had 3 total tackles, including 2 run stops, and had a pass defended.
- **S: Kai Nacua (Michigan Panthers)** Kai Nacua recorded 6 total tackles, and the only target that came his way in Week 1 he returned 80 yards for a touchdown.
- **S: Kameron Kelly (St. Louis Battlehawks)** Kelly had 2 targets come his way, and neither resulted in a completion, and he broke one of them up.
- **CB: Bryce Thompson (D.C. Defenders)** By my count, Bryce Thompson had 3 targets downfield come his way, and none resulted in a completion. He had a pass breakup and a sack.

**Special Teams**

- **K: Matt McCrane (D.C. Defenders)** 4 for 4 on field goals, with the farthest being from 53.
- **P: Brad Wing ([San Antonio Brahmas](https://uflnewshub.com/team/san-antonio-brahmas/))** 3 punts for an average of 48.7 yards per punt, with the longest being 69 yards. 2 of them were beauties, with a 69-yarder to the 13 and a 61-yarder to the 4.
- **Returner: Deon Cain (Birmingham Stallions)** 5 kickoff returns for 157 yards, 31.4 average, long of 41.

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From UFL News Hub. Please link to https://uflnewshub.com/ufl/ufl-week-1-uflnh-1st-and-2nd-team-of-the-week when citing. More at https://uflnewshub.com/llms.txt