Each UFL team’s most competitive position groups before final cuts

With a maximum of 58 players on training camp rosters until March 23, just eight players will need to be cut from each team before the regular season begins. Many positions on rosters across the UFL are already set. But every franchise has a position or two (or three) where competition is still fierce, and may be right up until cuts are made. Here are my observations on where competition is tightest on each team with less than three weeks until opening weekend.

Arlington Renegades

Linebackers: Shocker that a Bob Stoops-coached team would be deep at linebacker, right? Under defensive coordinator Jay Hayes, the Renegades run a 3-4 base defense, requiring more bodies at the position. They currently have 11 on the roster and the team kept nine on their initial roster in 2023. Five return from last season’s squad, including three starters. They’ve brought in some strong reinforcements from outside including former NFL first-round draft pick Vic Beasley, Tuzar Skipper, who played for the Seattle Sea Dragons last year, and rookie Noah Taylor. This is a place where special teams may decide the final few spots, giving Colin Schooler a leg up in the battle, as he led the team in special teams tackles a year ago. In an interview with media on Tuesday, Head Coach Bob Stoops indicated the depth chart was still in flux and that jobs were still very much up for grabs.

Birmingham Stallions

Offensive Tackle: Birmingham returns C Cohl Cabral and runs four-deep at guard. Right now, they’re carrying six tackles, which they won’t do for their 50-man roster. A couple of players, like O’Shea Dugas, are listed as a tackle but may end up at guard as they were last year. Derwin Gray and Darius Harper, who started a combined 16 games for the Stallions in 2023, also return. Matt Kaskey, listed as guard, can play tackle. And the team added OT Christian DiLauro, who has been a part of eight NFL teams across six seasons, in the fall. They brought in an interesting project in 6’8″ Alex Taylor-Prioleau to compete as well. They’re so deep at tackle they sent a five-game starter last year, Jahmir Ross-Johnson, to the D.C. Defenders in a recent trade. Perhaps they can get some trade value out of another tackle instead of having to waive him outright.

D.C. Defenders

Running Back: Returning are the top three backs that ended last season on the active roster: Abram Smith, Pooka Williams, and Cam’Ron Harris. While Smith was clearly the best back in the XFL last season, neither Williams nor Harris distinguished themselves until the playoffs, where Harris scored two rushing touchdowns in the semi-finals after not carrying the ball during the regular season. Williams got into legal trouble in December. The fourth running back currently on the roster is Darius Hagans, who was a rookie free agent signing of the Pittsburgh Steelers last year. He carried the ball 12 times for 30 yards in preseason action. More notably? He attended Virginia State, where he was recruited by and played for current Defenders Head Coach Reggie Barlow. Only three backs are likely to make it to kickoff weekend.

Houston Roughnecks

Wide Receiver: Houston is unique in that they carried four tight ends on the roster last season, whereas most teams have just three. That will likely take a bite out of the number of receivers they’ll keep; a lot of teams will keep seven, but Houston had six in 2023. Right now, they have nine. So whether they keep six or seven, more than one will need to be waived from this group. One holdover from last year, Teo Redding, has already been released. There are five that return among the nine remaining. Justin Hall, Keke Chism, Isaiah Zuber and Anthony Ratliff-Williams were among the top performing receivers as Gamblers. Emmanuel Butler, the fifth returnee, could be on the bubble. That leaves Philadelphia Stars transplant Cyril Grayson, CFL expat Steven Dunbar, former Miami Dolphin and New Orleans Saint Kirk Merritt, and last year’s leading receiver for the Pittsburgh Maulers, Isiah Hennie, jockeying for just one or two spots. (Note: Just prior to submitting this article, it was announced that WR Isaiah Zuber had been claimed off waivers by the Stallions).

Memphis Showboats

Tight End: While we can look at what the Showboats had at this position in terms of numbers last season, the more apt comparison would be to view it through the lens of the New Orleans Breakers, since Head Coach John DeFilippo as well as much of his offensive staff, has moved from the Big Easy to Grind City. Memphis has five tight ends on the roster and they figure to start the season with just three. Sage Surratt comes over with DeFilipoo et al., while Jay Jay Wilson is a holdover from the previous regime. Surratt is a good bet to start after leading all USFL tight ends in receiving last year. Wes Saxton was a dispersal draft pick from the New Jersey Generals, while Cam Sutton is a former Vegas Viper, one of the few NFLAA allocations that stuck in the XFL. Dominique Dafney is in his first year of spring football after playing for the Green Bay Packers last summer. Even if DeFilippo decides to go heavy and keep four tight ends, someone will be out of a job in a few weeks.

Michigan Panthers

Safety: When asked on Wednesday what positions groups may be toughest to cut from 58 to 50, Panthers Head Coach Mike Nolan mentioned “the back end” as one of those positions, alluding to the defensive backfield. Michigan actually brought back all four safeties that ended 2023 on the roster. One, Warren Saba, was among the first 17 waived. The team still retains six at the position. Back for another year is Sean Mahone, who tied for second on the team in tackles last year; Kai Nacua, who contributed 31 tackles; and Corrion Ballard, who had 48 tackles and an interception. All received meaningful playing time last season. Looking to crack the rotation is Adonis Alexander, a dispersal draft pick from the New Orleans Breakers; Brycen Torenden, third in tackles with the Pittsburgh Maulers in ’23; and Kedrick Whitehead, Jr., who went to training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last summer. There are no slouches here.

San Antonio Brahmas

Inside Linebacker: Brahmas Head Coach Wade Phillips has been called “The Godfather of the 3-4” defense and that’s likely what he’ll run in San Antonio. That scheme requires more inside linebackers than a 4-3 alignment; even so, the Brahmas are home to six ILBs right now. Some of them might have enough position flexibility to stick as a backup outside linebacker if there’s no room on the inside. Last year’s XFL leading tackler Jordan Williams is the most likely to start, alongside former Roughneck Tavante Beckett. There’s an interesting mix of youth and experience in reserve: Robert Barnes and Kelechi Anyalebechi are two players who only last year signed rookie free agent contracts with NFL teams, while Joel Iyiegbuniwe was a fourth-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears in 2018. Rounding out the group is Nate Wieland, another carry-over from the 2023 Roughnecks who was injured for much of the season.

St. Louis Battlehawks

Offensive Guard: Wide receiver and linebacker were other contenders for most competitive position groups in Battlehawks camp this year. St. Louis is in an interesting spot along its offensive line, as the team returns all five starters. Their right and left guards, Vadal Alexander and Steven Gonzalez, both started all 10 games last season. Gonzalez has become a leader on the team, one Head Coach Anthony Becht has a lot of trust in, as he mentioned in his media call with reporters on Monday. Behind them, Abdul Beecham comes over from the now-defunct Orlando Guardians to add depth. Dallas Warmack returns as a backup. The team also added Syracuse alum Koda Martin and Dohnovan West on the interior. West, a center, could be competing with Mike Panasiuk for the starting job there. Becht believes Panasiuk should be in the NFL right now, which likely means he’ll secure the job at the pivot. That could leave West vying for Alexander’s starting spot, as he did play guard in college. West’s positional destination could complicate the numbers game here.