Following the historic merger of the USFL and XFL to create the UFL and its exciting first season which culminated in a dominant 25 to 0 victory for the Birmingham Stallions over the San Antonio Brahms, the league’s 8 teams got together on July 17th for their first draft.
Fans will keep a keen eye on close season developments before placing their wagers on the new season next year. American sports betting options are gradually improving, making it easier for UFL fans to back their teams. However, sports betting expert Graziella Calleja still recommends the best Bitcoin sports betting sites for football betting.
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In the meantime, the first UFL draft recently took place as teams prepare their rosters for the league’s second season.
2024 UFL Draft
The UFL is a high-level, minor league that has eight teams from the southern and Midwest U.S. States. The eight teams that make up the league include:
- The Birmingham Stallions
- The Houston Roughnecks
- The Memphis Showboats
- The Michigan Panthers
- The Arlington Renegades
- The DC Defenders
- The San Antonia Brahmas
- The St. Louis Battlehawks
The league’s merger took place on December 31st, 2023 and its first season started on the 30th of March this year, ending with the Championship game in June.
The league’s first rookie draft saw all eight teams come together to select eligible players. The draft order was decided by the team’s 2024 season record but rules are also in place to prevent tanking, meaning that the Memphis Showboats victory against Houston saw them take the first pick and relegate the Roughnecks to second place.
In total, 80 selections were made with the Arlington Renegades taking third place, followed by the DC Defenders, St. Louis Battlehawks, Michigan Panthers, San Antonio Brahmas, and finally the championship winners, the Birmingham Stallions.
Drafted Mountain West Players
Followers of the Mountain West Conference will be familiar with some of the names that were drafted in the tournament, with four players coming from the league.
Two of these were first-round picks and should be ready to make an impact when the season kicks off next year.
Chevan Cordeiro
Chevan Cordeiro was the first-round fifth pick and will be playing ball next season for the St. Louis Battlehawks. In Cordeiro, the Battlehawks have a quarterback with a lot of potential.
He played at Hawai‘i and SJSU and holds three Conference records for the 113 touchdowns he was responsible for, his total of 2,138 offense plays, and his 13,811 yards gained.
Frank Crum
Joining Cordeiro as a first-round pick is Frank Crum who is headed to the current champions, the Birmingham Stallions as the final pick of the round. His 2023 season as an All-MW first-team starter saw him switch from right tackle to left for Wyoming.
Dallin Holker
Another player headed to the Birmingham Stallions is Colorado State’s former tight end and 40th overall pick, Dallin Holker. His 767 receiving yards and 64 catches saw him come second in the John Mackey Award, and he is highly regarded.
Bo Richter
The final former Mountain West player to be selected in the draft was linebacker Bo Richter who is joining the Arlington Renegades from the Air Force.
His 1.5 tackles for loss p/g saw him finish as the sixth-ranked FBS player and he was 11th nationally for his record of 0.77 sacks p/g.
Conclusion
Knowing the new players coming into the league will help fans better understand the team’s strengths and weaknesses. This will also be essential for teams trying to pinpoint what work and recruitment still need to be carried out before the season starts.
While it is still a bit early to predict what might go down next season, sports fans will have a selection of traditional and crypto gambling sportsbooks to check for the latest odds. You might even see one of these former Mountain West players picking up the Rookie of the Year title.