UFL College Draft set for next Wednesday, July 17

[GregParks]

https://www.theufl.com/news/2024/july/1 ... ay-july-17

The draft order:

1. Memphis
2. Houston
3. Arlington
4. DC
5. St. Louis 
6. Michigan
7. San Antonio
8. Birmingham

Notably, they’re calling it the “College Draft” instead of the “Rookie Draft,” and numerically they’re referring to it as the 2024 Draft instead of 2025 as Moose initially did in his Memphis vs. Houston announcement.

[4th&long]

https://www.theufl.com/news/2024/july/1 ... ay-july-17

The draft order:

1. Memphis
2. Houston
3. Arlington
4. DC
5. St. Louis 
6. Michigan
7. San Antonio
8. Birmingham

Notably, they’re calling it the “College Draft” instead of the “Rookie Draft,” and numerically they’re referring to it as the 2024 Draft instead of 2025 as Moose initially did in his Memphis vs. Houston announcement.

 

Greg
- Do you or does anyone have a list of the top prospects available?

[GDAWG]

Hopefully its a situation where they draft players who want to play for the league, rather than what happened with Malik Cunningham, who was drafted by the USFL, but wanted to focus on an NFL career.  

[GregParks]

Hopefully its a situation where they draft players who want to play for the league, rather than what happened with Malik Cunningham, who was drafted by the USFL, but wanted to focus on an NFL career.  

The nice thing is UFL is doing their draft after the NFL Draft and undrafted free agency, meaning the players available now are more than likely to be available to UFL teams in 2025. The USFL held their draft before the NFL Draft, so they ended up drafting players like Cunningham, who turned out to be a hot FA addition after the draft, as well as players actually drafted into the NFL. 

[MGB01]

There are actually some fairly big names that didn't end up going to NFL camps, whether they end up going to the UFL and actually signing is largely another thing--see Derrick Locke, who rather loudly declared I AIN'T PLAYIN IN THAT **** after being taken in the 2011 UFL Draft, of course by 2012 he wasn't playing anywhere after being released by the Stampeders.

Brennan Armstrong
Garrett Shrader
Miyan Williams
Kavosiey Smoke
Malcolm Epps
Zyon Tupuola-Fetui

That said, I think the league will have a fair shot here.

ZTF is probably the biggest injury case here, as he mostly lost his soph year due to a torn ACL in springball, made an amazing comeback only to suffer a concussion and miss the last two games. But given how productive he's been since it'd be malpractice at least not to put him on the draft board.

Williams is in the same boat. We all remember the game vs Minnesota a few years ago where he alternated with Treveyon Henderson (which was the game where Mohamed Ibrahim suffered a career-wrecking achilles injury). But Williams had had knee issues ever since and missed the end of the season last year.

Smoke and Epps hurt themselves with ill-fated transfers. Armstrong was the only one of the four who prospered by switching schools.

[4th&long]

Here's a few more from UFL Board's Aldan Burke

https://uflboard.com/news/2024-ufl-coll ... prospects/

[johnnyangryfuzzball]

Hopefully its a situation where they draft players who want to play for the league, rather than what happened with Malik Cunningham, who was drafted by the USFL, but wanted to focus on an NFL career.  

The nice thing is UFL is doing their draft after the NFL Draft and undrafted free agency, meaning the players available now are more than likely to be available to UFL teams in 2025. The USFL held their draft before the NFL Draft, so they ended up drafting players like Cunningham, who turned out to be a hot FA addition after the draft, as well as players actually drafted into the NFL. 

OTOH, that also means you have much lower pedigrees available who, given the fact you have a lot of incumbent players returning, don't have a huge chance of making a roster. 

[GregParks]

Hopefully its a situation where they draft players who want to play for the league, rather than what happened with Malik Cunningham, who was drafted by the USFL, but wanted to focus on an NFL career.  

The nice thing is UFL is doing their draft after the NFL Draft and undrafted free agency, meaning the players available now are more than likely to be available to UFL teams in 2025. The USFL held their draft before the NFL Draft, so they ended up drafting players like Cunningham, who turned out to be a hot FA addition after the draft, as well as players actually drafted into the NFL. 

OTOH, that also means you have much lower pedigrees available who, given the fact you have a lot of incumbent players returning, don't have a huge chance of making a roster. 

Correct. But that's not something having a draft earlier would necessarily solve, as UFL drafted players would still choose NFL opportunities over the UFL. Yes, teams would have the rights of, say, a Malik Cunningham that they drafted, but it's highly unlikely he'd ever play in the UFL. 

I would say players drafted next week are more likely to be ones to attend UFL training camp next year than those if the UFL draft were held prior to the NFL's. In a draft that comes earlier in the year, you could have a team draft 10 guys, but what if eight of them end up being drafted into the NFL or signing as UDFAs/making practice squads? Sure, players drafted next week could still be signed into the NFL during training camp, but it would be fewer in number and they'd probably be less likely to stick. 

[4th&long]

I agree that a later draft here has more potential for hits (signings) on the 2025 roster.  But they can have as many as they can handle.

I would say that UDFA - even if signed and brought to NFL camp can be on the radar for the draft too, as many won't last on an NFL Roster/PS - but will gain some nice NFL camp and practice experience.

How about the St Louis showcase?  How did that go?

[GregParks]

With the draft underway, it's notable that players signing with NFL teams as UDFAs are eligible to be selected, even though they are currently under contract in another league.