Players gather at the UFL Houston Showcase held on Sunday, July 28 (@TheUFL)
The final UFL Showcase until late September was held on Sunday, July 28 in Houston. Roughnecks head coach Curtis Johnson as well as the team’s new general manager, Will Lewis, were there to take a look at 275 UFL hopefuls. It was the largest group for a Showcase yet. Several players confirmed their invitations and attendance on social media platforms. Some of those players are highlighted below with pertinent information about their football careers.
*RB Bryce Alleyne (Delaware State): The most recognizable name on this list for spring football fans, Alleyne attended the D.C. Showcase back in 2022, which led to him getting drafted by the Houston Roughnecks. He played in nine games, averaging 4.5 yards per carry on 43 rushes, operating as the team’s backup running back. He followed Houston’s coaching staff to San Antonio in the Dispersal Draft this year, but was released in May after getting just seven carries. He also led the team in kick return yardage. A veteran of Fan Controlled Football in addition to the XFL and UFL, Alleyne’s speed is his main attraction as he ran a 4.41 40 at Delaware State’s pro day in 2019.
*DB Tra’Jen Anderson-Watts (Mississippi College): Not to be confused with Ole Miss, Mississippi College is located in Clinton, whereas the University of Mississippi, at least its football stadium, is in Oxford. Anderson-Watts played eight games in two seasons at Mississippi (College) after transferring in from the JUCO ranks where he played at Coahoma Community College. He participated in the 2024 Dream Bowl post-season all-star game and won the Defensive MVP Award. He worked out at a National Scouting Combine event earlier this year, giving him preparation for drills he’d likely see at a UFL Showcase. Anderson-Watts has been written up by The Gridiron Crew and NFL Draft Diamonds.
*QB Justin Arth (Texas Wesleyan): Currently the owner of A11 Performance, Arth is also continuing to pursue pro football opportunities wherever he can, working with QB gurus such as Tom House and Quincy Avery. Since turning pro in 2021, Arth has had a number of workouts with NFL, CFL, and XFL teams. He has seen game action in various arena leagues, including the UAL, CIFL, NAL and the rebooted AFL. Arth is also active on social media. In college, Arth passed for 2,869 yards, 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his career. He showed good mobility, running for nearly 500 yards during that time as well.
*ED Sekai Asoau-Afoa (Washington): A runner-up for the College Football National Championship this past year with the Huskies, Asoau-Afoa was an iron man, playing in all 15 games, mostly as a reserve lineman. He arrived at Washington via Central Washington and the College of San Mateo respectively. He played sparingly his first year at Washington but earned more time in 2023, where he had 16 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. He was the 104th-ranked edge rusher in 2024’s NFL Draft according to Dane Brugler’s draft preview in The Athletic. Asoau-Afoa played tight end in high school, highlighting his athleticism.
*CB Cody Coleman (Southern Utah): The 174th-ranked safety in the 2024 NFL Draft class per Brugler, Coleman was listed as a cornerback on Southern Utah’s website. He weighed in at just 176 pounds and measured 5’9″ at his pro day in March, which will limit his prospects somewhat. In 2023, he intercepted a pass and had six passes defensed along with 24 tackles. Before Southern Utah, Coleman played at Northern Arizona University and excelled at Cerritos College, where he had 74 tackles and an interception in 2021.
*RB Tyquan Cox (Northern Michigan): An All-State track star in high school, Cox showed that speed as a freshman in 2019, returning a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown against Wayne State. He earned GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week for that performance. This past season, he was the leading rusher on a team that went winless (0-11), carrying the ball 100 times for 397 yards and no touchdowns. He did find the end zone through the air, scoring two touchdowns on 22 receptions. That marked his only year as a starter for the Wildcats.
*LB Tre’Vion Green (Prairie View A&M): A linebacker that wears the number “0” is sacrilege to some football fans, but Green made it work. He played extensively the last three seasons, seeing action in 45 games over his career. His best statistical season came in 2021 when he set personal highs in tackles (57), tackles for loss (7.5), and sacks (3). For all the playing time he received, Green didn’t make a lot of splash plays – he had just 5.5 sacks in five seasons, and no turnovers (just one pass defensed and one forced fumble). On the plus side, Green made a statement with his 40 time at the HBCU Combine to the point that those at the NFL Network took notice.
*TE Javontey Harper (Waldorf University): Listed at just 6’0″ on the school’s website, Harper would likely have to move to receiver in the pros. He has a history there, having played the position at Southwest Assemblies of God University prior to Waldorf. He has also run the ball over 100 times combined at both of his stops. He had just four receptions across two seasons at Waldorf. Harper lists his position as “athlete’ on his Instagram page, and being position-less has both its benefits and its drawbacks.
*QB Mike Hohensee (NW Missouri State): When you think of two-way players in college football these days, you’re likely to conjure images of someone akin to Travis Hunter of Colorado, who plays wide receiver and defensive back. Hohensee was a two-way player at Northwest Missouri State, but as a quarterback and punter. He punted full-time for two seasons, though he never averaged as much as 40 yards per punt. He was much more accomplished as a QB, starting for three years with the Bearcats. He threw for over 6,000 yards in that span, good for 63 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. Hohensee’s father is a former pro QB, and after the younger was invited to Dallas Cowboys rookie minicamp this May, people took notice when head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters that “I do not recall a young quarterback coming in here on a tryout and commanding the huddle” like Hohensee.
*RB Malik Jackson (Jacksonville State): Jackson made his one year at Jacksonville State count, rushing for 896 yards and seven touchdowns en route to being named First Team All-Conference USA. Jackson would’ve put up bigger names had the team not focused on sharing the load at the RB position. He was part of a rushing offense that was fifth-best in FBS in that category. Jackson’s previous stop was at Louisiana-Monroe under head coach Rich Rodriguez, whom he followed to Jax State. Rodriguez operates a spread offense that is more run-based, working to Jackson’s strengths. At ULM, Jackson started as a wide receiver before transitioning to running back. He came in at number 69 on Brugler’s rankings of 2024 draft-eligible backs.
*LB Tyler Jackson (Northern Illinois): A grad transfer from Lamar, Jackson took a while to get acclimated to his new surroundings. Once he did, he was inserted into the starting lineup for the final four games of the season. Even though those were his only starts out of 13 games, he still managed to finish third on the Huskies in tackles. Before attending Lamar, he spent one year as a true freshman at Incarnate Word, playing in 10 games. When he moved to Lamar, he used his redshirt in 2019. He did his most damage in 2021 and 2022, making 44 and 98 tackles respectively. In ’22, he led the team with 9.5 tackles for loss and was voted second-team All-Southland Conference. Brugler ranked him the 125th linebacker prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft.
*WR Brandon Lombana (Marist): In two years with the Red Foxes, Lombana caught 36 passes for 465 yards and three touchdowns. In 2022, he collected the team’s longest pass play of the season at 65 yards. At 5’9″, Lombana works out of the slot. He ran a 4.53 40-yard dash at the TEST Football Academy in April. Though his lack of height is a concern, perhaps more so is his lack of mass, tipping the scales at 180 pounds. If he could add some weight, preferably muscle, he might have something here. Also of worth is his special teams experience, which will attract teams.
*DT Darius Long, Jr. (California): Listed as 310 pounds on the school’s website, Long got down to 298 pounds for the school’s pro day. For interior defensive linemen, Brugler had him the 66th player entering the NFL Draft. He played three years at Cal after coming from the College of San Mateo. During those three seasons, he was a reserve along the defensive line, playing 27 games and starting just one. In 2022, he had nine tackles, the highest he’d accumulate at the FBS level. His 2023 season saw him make two tackles for loss, one pass break-up, one forced fumble, and a QB hurry.
*DE Myles McHaney IV (Prairie View A&M): In 2018, McHaney redshirted as a freshman at Youngstown State. He did not play the following year though he was on the roster, leading to a transfer to Upper Iowa. There, in 2021, he logged four tackles for loss, four sacks and two forced fumbles. His last two collegiate seasons were spent at Prairie View A&M, where he played in a total of 21 games. As a senior, he had four tackles for loss and two sacks. At 6’2″ and 224 pounds, he’s probably going to be an outside linebacker at the next level. He had a positive Relative Athletic Score of a 7.74 (out of 10).
*WR Deion McShane (Northern Iowa): The rare player these days to ply his trade at only one school, McShane was at UNI for five years and 52 games. Over that span, he compiled 149 receptions for 1,931 yards and seven touchdowns. The 5’8″ McShane also fielded punts (27 in his career), kickoffs (22) and ran the ball on offense (14 times). McShane parlayed his play into a minicamp tryout with the New York Giants in 2023. Last September, he signed on with the Iowa Barnstormers of the IFL, where in 2024, he played three games and caught one pass for 13 yards.
*QB Jalen Morton (Prairie View A&M): Morton is using the UFL Showcase as a way to try to get back into the world of spring football. After turning pro in 2020, Morton had NFL opportunities with the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts. In 2021, he turned to the CFL with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and saw limited regular season game action. In late 2022, the Birmingham Stallions signed him. He ended up making the 2023 roster, playing behind Alex McGough and J’Mar Smith. Morton did get into one game during Birmingham’s USFL Championship season. Birmingham brought him back this past year via the Super Dispersal Draft; however, he was released in training camp.
*DE Philip Ossai (North Alabama): Splitting his time between Houston Baptist (now Houston Christian) and North Alabama, Ossai was a terror at the FCS level. He wasted little time in making an impact, playing as a true freshman in 2019 and collecting 36 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. Ossai transferred to North Alabama for the 2022 season, but 2023 was when he really shined: He ranked third on the team with 63 tackles, leading the team with 9.5 tackles for loss. He performed well in the post-season, too, using his invitation to the FCS Bowl (2.5 tackles for loss and sacks) and FBS Trillions Bowl to garner a minicamp invite with the Atlanta Falcons in May.
*QB Hunter Raquet (Colorado State Pueblo): Touring the country during his college career, Raquet made stops at Fresno State, Jacksonville State and Cal-Poly before ending up at Colorado State Pueblo. In his final season, Raquet threw 27 touchdowns compared to just four interceptions. He won’t beat you with his legs, but his size is prototypical of the QB position. After attending the College Gridiron Showcase in 2022 to work out in front of scouts, Raquet earned a tryout with the Denver Broncos. He also participated in the XFL Combine last year, standing out in several categories. Raquet also had a brief stay in Canada this spring with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts.
*LB Kenyatta Richardson, Jr. (Southern Nazarene): A member of the Oklahoma Baptist University football team before joining Southern Nazarene for his final season in 2023, Richardson accumulated just 14 tackles in 12 games this past fall, with two tackles for loss, two sacks and two passes defensed from his outside linebacker position. A Texas native, Richardson was a part-time player at Oklahoma Baptist as well, though it appeared he sat out the 2022 season completely. At 6’1″ and 218 pounds, Richardson’s gift is his versatility, having played multiple positions during his career.
*TE Jared Scott (Idaho State): Another recognizable name on this list for spring football fans, Scott started three games for the New Orleans Breakers in the USFL in 2023. With the Breakers going extinct in the transition to the UFL, Scott became a first round Super Dispersal Draft pick of the Arlington Renegades. However, once Sal Cannella returned at TE and Arlington managed to stockpile others at the position, there was no room for Scott and he was released during training camp. He has spent time in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers, though Scott has yet to enter a regular season game at that level.
*RB Nolan Susel (Black Hills State): One of at least two Yellow Jackets represented at the UFL Houston Showcase, Susel played in 46 games over five seasons for the South Dakota-based college. He had over 100 carries in each of his last three years there, totaling over 500 in his career. He scored 31 touchdowns and averaged 4.8 yards per carry. He added another seven touchdowns via reception, averaging 11.9 yards per catch on 70 total receptions, a solid per-catch gain for a back. The Arizona native was also a team captain and member of numerous All-Academic teams.
*DL Tyler Tate (Millersville): A two-time captain for the Marauders, Tate made the All-PSAC East First Team in 2021 and 2022, the first Millersville player to do so back-to-back in almost three decades. For a defensive lineman, Tate put up big tackle numbers each season, topping out with 70 in ’21. He had two 15.5 tackles for loss seasons in a row and registered 11 sacks in his penultimate college year. Those numbers earned him a tryout at Pittsburgh Steelers minicamp in 2023. After playing high school, college, and trying out for the NFL all within Pennsylvania’s borders, Tate ventured outside the Keystone State to sign with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Indoor Football League in February of this year. Among his highlights: Returning a fumble for a touchdown.
*WR Tristen Wallace (Prairie View A&M): Allegations of sexual assault while at Oregon have dogged Wallace in his post-college career: In 2021, after not getting any NFL offers following graduation, he put out a statement disputing the allegations and noting that, following investigations into the alleged incident, he had not been charged. After redshirting his one year at Oregon, Wallace played at Trinity Valley Community College before leveling up to Prairie View A&M where he had some big 2018 and 2019 seasons. Mexico has been Wallace’s pro refuge, as he has continued his football career in the LFA.
*WR Quintavius Workman (Sam Houston State): Workman’s path to pro football has taken him all over the map. He started at UTEP in 2019, playing five games in two seasons. He didn’t record any stats. For his 2022 season, he went down to East Los Angeles junior college and had a nice season with 21 catches for 342 yards and five touchdowns. In 2023, he moved back up to Sam Houston State, playing in just one game. He put his name in the transfer portal in November and on Twitter/X, noted offers from Northern Arizona and UTSA. This spring, however, he ended up in American Indoor Football with the Corpus Christi Tritons. No matter how he got here, he’s now trying to get on the UFL radar.
*WR Jamin Wurtz (Black Hills State): Success is sweet when shared with a friend, and Wurtz joined his college teammate Susel in working out in Houston. Wurtz spent one year at Sioux Falls before moving on to Black Hills State, which is a Division II school in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Catching over 20 passes in three consecutive seasons, Wurtz ended his college campaign with 78 receptions for 910 yards and four touchdowns. He dabbled in returning kicks and punts, but that was never his focus. Wurtz finished a distant third on the team in receiving yardage in 2023 and his 5’9″ stature suggests a slot receiver.
