Tag: UFL

49ers could lose rookies to another league

Four rookies were selected in the 2024 edition of the UFL draft.

On Wednesday, the Memphis Showboats kicked off the 2024 USFL draft by selecting quarterback Jason Bean with the No. 1 overall pick. While no members of the San Francisco 49ers were selected in the first round of the UFL draft, four rookies came off the board in the spring football league draft.

Undrafted rookie free agents Cody Schrader, Evan Anderson, Briason Mays and Tanner Mordecai were all selected in the first nine rounds of the UFL draft.

Schrader’s was drafted in the second round by the St. Louis Battlehawks. After a decorated season at Missouri that included All-American honors, Schrader signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent. Schrader ran for 1627 yards to go along with 14 touchdowns last season for the Tigers.

Schrader will have the chance to compete for a place on the roster or a spot on the practice squad at training camp.

Via @XFLBattlehawks on Twitter:

Undrafted rookie free agent quarterback Tanner Mordecai came off the board in the ninth round to the D.C. Defenders. Mordecai played three seasons at Oklahoma before transferring to SMU. Mordecai then spent his final season of college football at Wisconsin.

Via @XFLDefenders on Twitter:

The Memphis Showboats drafted defensive tackle Evan Anderson in the fourth round, Reigning XFL champions, the Arlington Rengades selected center Briason Mays in the ninth round.

Via @USFLShowboats on Twitter:

Via @XFLRenegades on Twitter:

The UFL could be a potential option for the undrafted rookies if they don’t stick with the 49ers or make a practice squad in the NFL.

The UFL season is slated to kick off after the NFL season has come to a close. The 2024 season began in late March and came to an end in mid-June.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Former Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman gets selected in UFL draft

Congrats Sam!

It’s a pipe dream for the [autotag]Birmingham Stallions[/autotag] of the UFL and quarterback [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag].

The former Notre Dame star is currently rostered by the Washington Commanders, but that didn’t stop the back-to-back-to-back champions from selecting him in the 9th round of their draft.

It may seem a bit low considering the talent in the league, and that’s Hartman is currently with an NFL team. However, taking a shot at a player of his caliber in that round makes perfect sense. Most likely players taken that late won’t even make a roster, so drafting a potential big-time prospect is a solid move.

Hartman now has options if it doesn’t work out with the Commanders, he knows he’ll continue to play football.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on X: @MikeFChen

Commanders QB Sam Hartman selected in the UFL draft

Commanders QB Sam Hartman selected in the UFL draft.

If quarterback Sam Hartman doesn’t make the Washington Commanders’ 53-man roster this summer, he could have a fallback option. The United Football League held its draft on Wednesday, and Hartman’s name was included.

The defending UFL champion Birmingham Stallions selected Hartman in the ninth round. All 10 UFL teams made 10 picks each.

The Stallions went 9-1 last season and defeated the San Antonio Brahmas in the UFL championship game. Quarterback Adrian Martinez completed almost 59% of his passes last season for 1,749 yards, with 15 touchdowns and three interceptions.

In addition to Martinez, the Brahmas also have former NFL third-round pick Matt Corral. The Panthers selected Corral in the 2022 NFL draft and released him ahead of the 2023 season.

While Hartman went undrafted in the 2024 NFL draft, the Commanders gave him a significant signing bonus to sign as an undrafted free agent. Washington selected LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels at No. 2 overall and viewed Hartman as a potential long-term backup.

Hartman spent the first five seasons of his college career at Wake Forest, where he started 45 games before transferring to Notre Dame for his final season. Hartman started all 12 games for the Fighting Irish last season.

Whether Hartman ends up on the Commanders’ roster or not, he should find work in the NFL, even if it’s on a practice squad. However, if he did choose to play in the UFL, Birmingham would hold his rights.

Could Bucs lose rookie LB to UFL draft?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had one of their undrafted rookie signings picked in this year’s UFL draft

The United Football League held their rookie draft this week, and the list of picks was filled with undrafted rookie free agents from this year’s NFL draft class.

Among them was Florida State linebacker Kalen DeLoach, who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent back in April.

DeLoach was selected in the third round of the UFL draft by the Arlington Renegades.

A star for the Seminoles in college, DeLoach will now get to choose whether or not he wants to sign a contract to play for the Renegades, or remain with the Bucs heading into training camp later this month.

[lawrence-related id=87846]

Former Penn State linebacker drafted to the UFL’s DC Defenders

Former Penn State starting linebacker drafted to the UFL D.C. Defenders in the UFL College Draft.

On Tuesday, the United Football League held its college player draft, where players were selected to play in the eight-team league that began play earlier this year. Former Penn State football linebacker [autotag]Curtis Jacobs[/autotag] was drafted into the UFL by the D.C. Defenders in the eighth round and the No. 60 overall selection.

Some players, like Jacobs, were signed to NFL teams as undrafted free agents after the NFL draft, making their status for the next UFL season a bit murky. Jacobs signed with the Kansas City Chiefs after the draft and is expected to report to training camp as an undrafted rookie in the coming days.

It remains to be seen what exact course of action Jacobs will take, but expect him to exhaust all NFL possibilities this summer before opting to join the Defenders in the UFL. If the linebacker does stick with the Chiefs or any other NFL team, the Defenders own his UFL rights should he ever choose to jump leagues.

Jacobs played four seasons at Penn State, racking up 171 tackles, 9.5 sacks and 24 tackles for a loss in 45 games. He started in 36 games throughout his career in Happy Valley and became a key piece of Penn State’s top-3 defense last year.

Follow Charlie Strella on X, Threads, and Instagram.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads.

Drake Stoops selected 10th in UFL draft

Stoops squared: Bob and Drake could be together again in the United Football League.

The Stoops name is a legendary one around Oklahoma Sooners athletics. [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag] is the all-time winningest coach in OU football history.

His son [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] had a long career as a wide receiver for the Sooners, spanning from 2018 to 2023. Bob’s younger brother, [autotag]Mike Stoops[/autotag], helped Oklahoma win a national championship in 2000, and was a longtime defensive coordinator in Norman.

Now, there’s a chance father and son could be reunited in professional football. The United Football League ([autotag]UFL[/autotag]) held its 2024 draft on Wednesday, as teams acquired rights to players.

Bob Stoops is the head coach of the Arlington Renegades, who won the XFL championship in 2023, before a tough year in the UFL’s inaugural season. The league looks for another successful year in 2025, after combining the XFL and the USFL.

Drake Stoops wasn’t selected in the [autotag]2024 NFL draft[/autotag], but he signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent. He was OU’s leading receiver last season, putting his stamp on the 2023 team and ending his time as a Sooner on a high note.

The Renegades selected Drake with the 10th pick in the 2024 UFL draft, reuniting him with his father. The franchise took to social media to announce the move.

Though seeing Bob and Drake on the same sideline would be a cool moment for Sooner fans everywhere, the elder Stoops posted on social media to clarify a couple of things. He said the goal is for the players who were undrafted [autotag]NFL[/autotag] free agents that got selected in the UFL draft to stick with the NFL teams that signed them after the draft. Wednesday’s picks were just to acquire future rights to the players that could wind up in the UFL one day.

So, Drake Stoops absolutely could still catch on with the Rams, but if he doesn’t, he’ll have the chance join his father in Arlington with the Renegades to show what he can do in the UFL.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

3 Panthers rookies selected in UFL’s 2024 college draft

A trio of Panthers rookies had their UFL rights drafted on Wednesday.

A trio of undrafted Carolina Panthers rookies are (technically) undrafted no more.

The UFL held its college draft on Wednesday, giving some fresh faces a second chance at hearing their names called this offseason. Three of Carolina’s undrafted free-agent signees from the spring got that experience this morning, and they are as follows:

Round Pick (Overall) Team College
WR Jalen Coker 4th No. 25 Memphis Showboats Holy Cross
DT Popo Aumavae 4th No. 27 Arlington Renegades Oregon
C Andrew Raym 6th No. 41 Memphis Showboats Oklahoma

Coker, who many experts pegged as a solid Day 3 prospect in the 2024 NFL draft, is a name that should jump out to many. He certainly jumped out to Panthers head coach Dave Canales, who provided quite the breakdown of the intriguing 6-foot-1, 208-pound receiver during rookie minicamp in early May.

“Size, instincts, top-of-route ability to separate,” Canales said of Coker’s strengths. “He’s really crafty in zones. He knows how to find the open spaces. Has a little cool run-after-catch, too. He can break some tackles because of the size that he brings. Attacks the ball at the high point. I mean, the guy really does have a cool skill set that he brings to us. So I’m excited to see him kinda get introduced as we start to develop out football, especially in Phase Three OTAs. Let’s see what he looks like against NFL talent. But I’m really excited about him.”

Players taken in the UFL’s draft can opt to join the league if they do not make an NFL roster for this upcoming season.

[lawrence-related id=699735,699600,699412]

3 Panthers rookies selected in UFL’s 2024 college draft

A trio of Panthers rookies had their UFL rights drafted on Wednesday.

A trio of undrafted Carolina Panthers rookies are (technically) undrafted no more.

The UFL held its college draft on Wednesday, giving some fresh faces a second chance at hearing their names called this offseason. Three of Carolina’s undrafted free-agent signees from the spring got that experience this morning, and they are as follows:

Round Pick (Overall) Team College
WR Jalen Coker 4th No. 25 Memphis Showboats Holy Cross
DT Popo Aumavae 4th No. 27 Arlington Renegades Oregon
C Andrew Raym 6th No. 41 Memphis Showboats Oklahoma

Coker, who many experts pegged as a solid Day 3 prospect in the 2024 NFL draft, is a name that should jump out to many. He certainly jumped out to Panthers head coach Dave Canales, who provided quite the breakdown of the intriguing 6-foot-1, 208-pound receiver during rookie minicamp in early May.

“Size, instincts, top-of-route ability to separate,” Canales said of Coker’s strengths. “He’s really crafty in zones. He knows how to find the open spaces. Has a little cool run-after-catch, too. He can break some tackles because of the size that he brings. Attacks the ball at the high point. I mean, the guy really does have a cool skill set that he brings to us. So I’m excited to see him kinda get introduced as we start to develop out football, especially in Phase Three OTAs. Let’s see what he looks like against NFL talent. But I’m really excited about him.”

Players taken in the UFL’s draft can opt to join the league if they do not make an NFL roster for this upcoming season.

[lawrence-related id=699735,699600,699412]

Former MSU Football OL J.D. Duplain drafted by Michigan Panthers in UFL draft

J.D. Duplain drafted by Michigan Panthers in UFL draft

The Michigan Panthers are becoming the unofficial home of Spartans in the UFL, with names like Brian Lewerke, Jarrett Horst, Rocky Lombardi, and now, J.D. Duplain all suiting up in Ford Field for some UFL action.

The former Michigan State football offensive lineman was selected with the Panthers’ ninth pick of the 2024 UFL College Draft.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

Browns UDFA WR Ahmarean Brown drafted by UFL’s Birmingham Stallions

At least he has a backup plan if he can’t make the practice squad in Cleveland!

Signing with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 NFL draft, wide receiver Ahmarean Brown now has a fallback option with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions as well.

The Browns have an established roster, so the chances of Brown making their roster are slim to none. However, landing on the practice squad is always an option for the former South Carolina Gamecock as well.

If the Browns opt not to give him a slot on their practice squad though, Brown could be UFL-bound after the Stallions selected him with the last pick in the eighth round.

He’s undersized at 5-foot-9 and 165 pounds and was relatively unproductive throughout his college career with both Georgia Tech and South Carolina. He racked up just over 1,100 yards and nine touchdowns in five seasons at the collegiate level.

Even practice squad players make more than UFL players, so if he’s given the chance to stay in Berea, he will take it.