The Michigan Panthers continued adding to their roster ahead of training camp with Monday’s Super-Dispersal Draft, bringing back four players from last season and adding two newcomers.
With the draft, the Panthers now have 69 players on their roster. And with training camp rosters capped at 75 players per team, they’ll have room to add up to six more players during free agency – which opened yesterday.
The following is a player-by-player breakdown of each of the Panthers’ selections from Monday’s draft:
CB Nate Brooks
The Panthers selected Nate Brooks with their first-round pick in Monday’s draft. Brooks was a starter on the champion Birmingham Stallions as a newcomer last season – logging 43 tackles, six passes defended, and two interceptions. Following the 2023 USFL season, he joined the San Francisco 49ers as a late training camp addition but was released during final roster cuts. He has spent time with eight NFL teams in total since going undrafted out of the University of North Texas in 2019.
Brooks was a four-year starter at North Texas, where he was a Jim Thorpe award semifinalist (Top Defensive Back in FBS) and finished third nationwide in interceptions (six) during his senior campaign. He has excellent play-recognition ability and ball skills, while his 6-0 192 lbs frame is ideal for his position. He is one of the most talented corners on the Panthers’ secondary and is expected to continue being a productive starter in the new UFL.
S Will Adams
Will Adams was a defensive reserve on the Vegas Vipers last year – mainly seeing action on special teams. Adams, a four-year starter at Virginia State, ended his five-year collegiate career on a high note, earning 2021 first-team All-CIAA honors. He finished second on his team in tackles with 61.
Adams was one of the top performers at the 2022 HBCU Combine, which saw him post a 4.57 in the 40-yard dash, 10-foot-3 broad jump, 40.5-inch vertical leap, and 21 reps in the bench press. These figures were comparable to the top marks by defensive backs in the NFL Combine. His strong performance put him on the map for NFL teams like the Washington Commanders, who signed him as an undrafted free agent.
OT Eric Abojei
Eric Abojei joined the Panthers late during their last season and only saw action in one game. Abojei started 39 of 46 career games from 2018 to 2022 at the University of Wyoming, where he earned Third-Team All-Mountain West Conference honors for his senior-year performance. He was invited to Miami Dolphins rookie minicamp after going undrafted in the 2023 Draft.
Entering his first full season with the Panthers, Abojei, with his huge 6-4 338 lbs frame, will look to become a rotational piece on Michigan’s offensive line. His experience at both the tackle and guard positions from college should help him out.
K Cole Murphy
Cole Murphy has been the starting kicker for the Panthers since the 2022 season. But his job is threatened by recently acquired kicker Jake Bates out of Arkansas. Murphy and Bates will compete for the Michigan kicking job during training camp.
P Kyle Kramer
Kyle Kramer is another specialist with two years of experience with the Panthers. Kramer will face off against Brock Miller, formerly of the New Jersey Generals, for the punting job during training camp.
DE Vantrel McMillan
Vantrel McMillan represents another Panthers’ retention from Monday’s draft. McMillan recorded eight tackles and 1.5 sacks in a backup role with Michigan last year. It’s hard to envision his role growing with the Panthers this season with the influx of competition due to the merger. However, his experience with the team over the past two years could help him out.
