With the 2024 UFL season winding down, the league has unveiled its first-ever All-UFL team.
The list features some recognizable names from NFL’s past, some of whom deserve a second chance at proving themselves in the league after dominating in the UFL this year.
We’ve gathered 15 names that we feel deserve extra attention from NFL teams as more than worthy of a roster spot this summer to contend for a spot on a 53-man roster. It’s not every UFL player deserving of a second (or first) chance, but we feel it’s a great starting point.
Some of these names are very familiar, while others might surprise you from where they started their NFL careers. Let’s break them down and detail while they’re all deserving of making professional comebacks in the league.
QB Luis Perez
The 2023 XFL championship MVP is really good at playing semi-pro football. He led the entire UFL this season in passing yards with 2,307 yards and touchdowns with 18. He’s made a few brief stops in the NFL, mainly with the Los Angeles Rams, but it feels like it’s time for a team to give him a meaningful chance to make his way in the big leagues. His season with the Arlington Renegades is over, so some team should give Perez a call.
WR Hakeem Butler
Butler never really got his NFL career going after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. However, he’s really come into his own this season in the UFL. He led all receivers with 652 yards and scored five touchdowns, good for a four-way tie at second overall. If there’s a team needing some veteran competition this summer in training camp, Butler is an intriguing option with very recent success. He’s still in postseason play right now with the St. Louis BattleHawks but should be a free agent soon enough.
WR/KR Chris Rowland
Rowland was a prolific college football player at Tennessee State, and he feels like the perfect candidate to help an NFL team with the new kickoff rules. He had brief stints with the Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans before making a name for himself in the semi-pro leagues. Rowland was the All-UFL return specialist this past season, totaling 1,216 yards on 45 kick return attempts. He also scored the only kick return for a touchdown so far in the UFL this past regular season. Rowland feels like an incredibly smart signing for a team that needs some extra help to prepare for the new kickoffs and wants a little more depth on offense.
CHRIS ROWLAND CLAIMED THE UFL'S FIRST KICKOFF RETURN TD OF THE SEASON 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/JnchsFOq1F
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 2, 2024
RB Jacob Saylors
Saylors was the sole All-UFL running back this season, leading the league in rushing yards with 460 yards and tied for second with rushing touchdowns with five. He’s played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Falcons during his career, and his 2024 UFL run shows he’s capable of being an NFL rotational running back at best and a practice squad candidate at worst.
OT Bobby Evans
The 2019 NFL Draft third-round pick bounced around a few league teams before latching on with the Renegades this past season in his first semi-pro season. He thrived, helping Perez rack up yards and being named one of the two All-UFL offensive tackles this past season. Particularly for a team needing a swing tackle or just general depth on the offensive line, Evans could be a really nice fit who has NFL experience under his belt.
TE Jace Sternberger
The former Green Bay Packers tight end and 2019 third-round pick has played for a number of NFL teams. However, it’s with the Birmingham Stallions this past season where he really shined. He was the All-UFL tight end for 2024, hauling in 454 yards and four touchdowns. Maybe he’s ready to compete for a roster spot at tight end for a team that needs depth?
OLB Breeland Speaks
A former second-round pick, Speaks has forged his NFL career as a true journeyman. He’s played for six franchises in his career, but he really found a home with the Michigan Panthers. Speaks led the UFL in sacks this past season with 9.5 and totaled 31 tackles. With that kind of production, it makes you wonder if he’s ready to firmly entrench himself in an NFL pass-rushing rotation. He’d be a tantalizing addition for a team needing depth there.
DT Carlos Davis
The All-UFL defensive tackle looks poised to make an NFL roster this summer, having totaled seven sacks on the interior for the Birmingham Stallions this past season. Davis spent last offseason with the Falcons and got close to making the roster. We think, particularly with that much of an impact on the quarterback at defensive tackle, he’s a good bet to be signed.
LB Willie Harvey Jr.
Harvey had a phenomenal season in the UFL with the BattleHawks, leading the UFL in tackles with 76 and totaling four sacks and nine tackles for loss. That kind of versatility at inside linebacker made him one of the All-UFL players at his position for 2024, and he might be the most intriguing player on this list outside of Rowland for an NFL roster right now with his production. He spent some time with the Cleveland Browns and should unquestionably get attention from another NFL team this summer once St. Louis’ season ends later this month.
LB Tavante Beckett
After spending about a season or so with the Detroit Lions in 2021, Beckett had his best season yet post-college with the San Antonio Brahmas in 2024. He totaled 67 tackles and was named one of the All-UFL inside linebackers. For any team needing help at linebacker, Beckett could provide solid depth and help out on special teams. Spending a year in the NFL can only help.
S Kai Nacua
An NFL journeyman and the older brother of Los Angeles Rams star receiver Puca Nacua, Kai Nacua hauled in three picks this season with the Panthers and made the All-UFL team at safety. It feels like the elder Nacua should at least get another chance at an NFL roster this season, maybe with the Rams?
S A.J. Thomas
The former Chicago Bears safety, like Kai Nacua, hauled in three picks this season and was named All-UFL at his position. The Birmingham Stallions safety deserves another chance at an NFL roster, particularly with his ability to snag the ball in the air and with his league honor.
CB Deandre Baker
The former New York Giants first-round cornerback and Georgia alum made his football comeback with the D.C. Defenders this season, and he played himself to one of three All-UFL honors at his position. His former draft status alone may intrigue some teams who have needs at cornerback as Baker tries to make his grand NFL return.
P Marquette King
King hasn’t punted in the NFL since 2018 with the Denver Broncos, but the football veteran is still playing quite well in the semi-pros. At 35, King is the oldest player on this list, but he was the All-UFL kicker with the Renegades this past season. He’s one of the most enjoyable personalities in all of football, too. We’re more than ready for King’s NFL comeback.
K Jake Bates
Bates spent the 2023 offseason with the Houston Texans, but it’s his viral 64-yard game-winning kick for the Michigan Panthers that stunned fans this past UFL season. He was the All-UFL kicker this past season, and we’re betting that he’s going to land in an NFL camp this summer to compete for a job.
