The UFL Showcase season is up and running, and the first event of 2025 was held last weekend at Kell High School in Atlanta, Georgia. Though there are certainly differing opinions on the level of opportunity afforded players via these Showcases – as I wrote about last week – these tryouts are another avenue for UFL teams to discover talent.
Given that the league itself doesn’t publicize the roster of players attending these Showcases, I’ve made it my mission the last few years to search high and low on social media to find those who’ve made public their attendance and to profile them. You never know, we could look back on these lists and find someone who made themselves a star in the UFL.
When applicable, I’ve provided a link to where I discovered that the player attended the Showcase. If the player’s name is not hyperlinked, I received the name either from the player themselves or from a reliable third party. I’ve been able to profile over 40 players who attended the Atlanta Showcase, the highest number in the time I’ve been doing this, so I’ve broken this article up into two parts, alphabetically.
If you are a player or you know a player attending a future Showcase, DM me on social media @gregmparks (Twitter/X), @gregmparks.bsky.social (Bluesky) or @g_man9784 (Instagram) to be profiled in a future article.
RB Hope Adebayo, St. Thomas: Highly decorated out of the FCS-level Pioneer League, Adebayo scored 32 rushing touchdowns in four years at St. Thomas. He has shown tremendous breakaway ability and averaged 6.4 yards per carry in his career, never averaging less than 6.0 yards per tote in a season. In his final season, Adebayo was first team All-Conference and a Walter Payton Award finalist, given to the most outstanding offensive player in FCS. Something to work on: pass-catching, as Adebayo caught just 18 balls in four seasons. He made Dane Brugler’s “The Beast” draft guide this past spring, ranking as the 67th running back in the class. That earned Adebayo a spot in rookie minicamp with the Minnesota Vikings as a tryout player.
QB Justin Arth, Texas Wesleyan: No stranger to UFL Showcases, Arth worked out at the Atlanta one in 2024 as well. At Texas Wesleyan, Arth was part of the sport’s revival at the college. More so than his work in college, his odyssey in the pros has taken him to numerous leagues of all sizes and locations, including tryouts with NFL, CFL and UFL teams. Nowadays, he’s known as much for his entrepreneurial endeavors as much as his work on the field: He is active on social media and owns his own business, A11 Performance.
TE Joey Beljan, Cincinnati: The fact that Beljan ran the top 40-yard dash time of any tight end at the UFL Showcase (4.70) after missing all of 2023 at Cincinnati with a knee injury is incredibly impressive. Beljan was in college for seven years, in part because of that injury. He began at Western Kentucky, where he played five seasons, totaling only 29 receptions – but 10 went for touchdowns. In 2024, Beljan played in just two games, catching a single pass for the Bearcats. Beljan was the 120th ranked tight end coming out in 2025 by Brugler. Due to his injury and relative inactivity the last two years, the UFL Showcase is a great place for Beljan to get back on the pro football radar.
WR Carter Bell, South Dakota: Ever since he was a redshirt freshman in 2021, Bell at least made the honorable mention all-conference list for the Coyotes each year. Across six seasons, the 5’8″ (listed generously as 5’11” on the school website) Bell caught 193 passes for 2,970 yards and 20 touchdowns, good for over 15 yards per reception. A high school quarterback, Bell showed all-purpose abilities while at South Dakota, rushing 11 times and also returning two punts for touchdowns. He led receivers at the Atlanta UFL Showcase in 3-cone time (7.10).
DT Jeff Black Jr., University of Pikeville: Listed on the UPIKE website as 6’2″ and 395 pounds, Black transitioned to the defensive line as a senior after playing offensive line since arriving in Pikeville in 2019 as a 340-pound freshman. That ability to play both ways will help him in arena leagues if he doesn’t make it in the UFL. Because he made the move late in his college career, there aren’t many stats out there for Black. He’s obviously very raw as a defensive lineman, so he’ll need some developmental time wherever he ends up.
OT Bryson Broadway, Georgia Southern: A transfer from Eastern Illinois, Broadway played at GSU for his final two seasons. He started two years at EIU and one at Georgia Southern, though the year he transferred in he still saw significant time on offense. Most of his time has been spent at right tackle and as a senior, was a second team All-Sun Belt Conference selection. At 6’4″ and 294 pounds, he’s a little on the small side for offensive tackle so some teams may want him to play guard if he can add some weight to his frame. He was the 67th tackle in the draft this year, per Brugler.
DB Dylan Brown, Wisconsin-River Falls: The UFL has been pretty tight-lipped about the players that appear at their Showcases, but they put out a post on social media highlighting some of the top performers at the Atlanta workout. Brown was among them, registering the fastest 40 time (4.49) and the best broad jump (10’9) among defensive backs. Notable that he improved his 40 time from what the 4.55 he ran at his pro day. Brown gradually improved each season in college, going from an honorable mention all-conference to first team by the end of his time at Wisconsin-River Falls. Brown broke up double-digit passes in all four seasons and ranked as the 118th corner in the 2025 Draft according to Brugler. He played in the FCS Bowl, an all-star game for top FCS draft-eligible players. This spring, he attended Indianapolis Colts rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.
RB Marcus Carroll Jr., Missouri: Prior to transferring to the Tigers for his 2024 campaign, Carroll played 40 games at Georgia State, averaging 4.7 yards per carry on 451 rushes. At Mizzou, he started two games, including one against Alabama. His best game came against Arkansas, where he ran for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Overall in ’24, he ran 124 times for 595 yards (4.3 average). He has a 200-yard rushing game on his resume from a 2023 performance against Georgia Southern, where he ran for 208 yards. Carroll came in at number 76 on Brugler’s pre-draft rankings, hurt by a 4.81 40 time.
QB Quincy Casey, West Georgia: The Wolves were Casey’s third stop in college, following a two-year stint at Jackson State (including one season under head coach Deion Sanders) and three years at Alabama A&M. In all, Casey has never thrown more than 195 passes in a season and has only one year of completing more than 60% of his passes (and that was on just 67 attempts). Though some analysts list him as a dual threat quarterback, Casey averaged just 1.9 yards per carry in college (sacks are counted in rushing yardage); however, he was more successful on the ground at West Georgia. He showed enough flashes to rank 79th among draft-eligible QBs in 2025 per Brugler.
LB Micah Cretsinger, Saginaw Valley State: A tackling machine at Saginaw Valley State, Cretsinger made 271 tackles over four years including one year with 100 tackles. Perhaps most impressive of all stats is the eight interceptions he had in 2023 – not only did he pick of eight passes as a linebacker, he returned four for touchdowns. That effort helped land him on a number of Division II All-America lists at the end of the season. Cretsinger’s nose for the ball led to him forcing seven fumbles in his college career as well. Despite being far down the list as the 218th linebacker ranked by Brugler in this year’s draft, he was invited to try out at Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie minicamp in May.
WR Kevin Davis, Miami University: A running back in college, Davis posted the top 40 time among receivers at the Showcase at 4.37. That followed a 4.41 he ran at the Miami University pro day earlier this year. The rare player these days to have played at one school his entire career, Davis came to Miami in 2020 and played 56 games for the RedHawks in his career. Of those 56, 17 were starts. He ran for over 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns, good for a 5.3 yards per carry average during his career. Davis was a prolific receiver out of the backfield as well, with 91 career grabs for 809 yards and five TDs.
WR Solomon Davis, Central Michigan: Davis moved up a level in 2024, from FCS Valparaiso to the Chippewas in the MAC. His stats fell off, as in the previous two years he combined to catch 93 passes and score 10 touchdowns. He started just two games at CMU with 19 catches. He has shown a penchant for getting deep, as he has averaged over 17 yards per catch in two separate seasons. At 5’9″ and 174 pounds, Davis ran a 4.45 at Central Michigan’s pro day.
WR Christian Edgerson, Florida Memorial: If the phrase, “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” translates to football, Edgerson could find himself in a UFL camp next spring. He has been one of the most active players on social media in preparing for this Showcase, even going up to St. Louis Battlehawks head coach Anthony Becht at a Florida mall and introducing himself. For a high-powered Florida Memorial offense in 2024, Edgerson caught 17 passes for 360 yards, averaging over 20 yards per reception. His yardage ranked second on the team. For his career, he brought in 42 passes for 757 yards, good for 18 yards per catch. Edgerson also has experience returning punts and kickoffs.
DE Robert Fuentes, Central Oklahoma: Another player highlighted by the league as a top performer at the Showcase, Fuentes paced his fellow defensive linemen in 40 time (4.85) and broad jump (9’9). He began his college career way back in 2017 at UTSA. In three seasons, he played just eight games before moving to JUCO Snow College in 2020. Central Oklahoma was his next and final stop for 2021 and 2022, playing in 19 games there. In that time, he amassed 51 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. At 240 pounds, he was a threat off the edge in the pass game for UCO. Professionally, he’s played indoor football for various leagues since graduating from college.
WR Cameron Gardner, Mississippi Valley State: Previously of Mississippi State, Gardner stayed in-state when he transferred to MVSU. From his freshman season of 2018 through his sophomore season of 2020, Gardner had a minor role in Starkville, starting here and there but mostly playing a backup role on offense and special times. After transferring, the 6’4″, 220-pound Gardner transitioned to tight end at Mississippi Valley State. His best statistical season was his final one in 2024, where he caught 14 passes for 161 yards.
DT Jarius Gordon, UNC Pembroke: Erskine College in South Carolina, a Division II school for football, is where Gordon began playing football in college. After garnering limited playing time his first three seasons, he broke out in 2023, leading the school in tackles for loss and finishing second in sacks. He switched Carolinas for his final season in 2024, playing for the Braves of UNC-Pembroke. In six games, he made seven tackles, three of which went for a loss and two that were sacks. At 6’1″ and 310 pounds, he won’t fit the size threshold for every defensive scheme. But he showed he can be disruptive when he did play.
DT William Green Jr., Nevada: Starting at the JUCO level with Georgia Military College, he moved up to Liberty University, redshirting as a junior in 2019 and playing in just four games in 2020. He went cross-country to Nevada for 2022 and 2023 though again, his game time was limited. As a fifth-year senior in ’22, Green notched two sacks in his most extensive playing time at the FBS level. Though he was listed as being on the team in 2023, he did not play. In all, Green played only 19 games combined at Liberty and Nevada. That limited amount of tape makes workouts like the Showcase all the more important.
DE Cormontae Hamilton, Memphis: A highly ranked tight end in high school, Hamilton moved full-time to defense, first at Ohio State. He played two seasons as a Buckeye reserve before proceeding to Memphis for his last three years. It was a bit of a strange career arc with the Tigers, as he started in 2022 and 2023, but did not start in 2024 despite playing in every game. His counting stats (tackles, tackles for loss and sacks) dropped every year in Memphis. Of 282 edge rushers profiled by Brugler in his draft guide for 2025, Hamilton came in at number 268.
RB Rahjai Harris, East Carolina: An accomplished back at East Carolina, Harris was thrown right into the fire as a true freshman, starting five games in 2020, setting team highs in rushing. An injury cut short his 2022 campaign, but when he returned in 2023, he continued as the focal point of the run game. He capped his Pirate career by rushing for 220 yards and a touchdown against North Carolina State in the Go Bowling Military Bowl at the conclusion of the 2024 season, setting an AAC bowl game rushing record. Despite being listed as the 111th running back ranked by Brugler, Harris was invited to try out with the Buffalo Bills at their rookie minicamp.
LB Christian Hicks, Carson-Newman: Though he finished at Carson-Newman, Hicks’s journey began at Mars Hill. He didn’t make much of an impact until he joined the Eagles. After redshirting in 2022, Hicks became a force, leading the team in tackles in 2023 and 2024. He averaged nearly seven tackles per game in ’24, adding 12 tackles for loss and four pass break-ups. At 6’0″ and 227 pounds, Hicks profiles as a contributor on defense as well as on special teams.
QB Michael Hiers, Samford: The 17th ranked QB in the 2024 NFL Draft by Brugler and a community college transfer, Hiers’ greatest college success came at Samford, where he put up eye-popping numbers in 2022 and 2023. He was conference Offensive Player of the Year in ’22 when he set a school record with 36 touchdown passes, compared to just four interceptions. His 2023 wasn’t as strong, but he still managed to complete better than 70% of his passes in both seasons. Of Hiers, Brugler writes, “Hiers doesn’t have an A-plus physical trait, but he can deliver with touch up the field and put the ball where he wants, which might keep him on a roster.” He did get some pro experience last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL. He was released from the team in May.
2 Comments
by Adam Simon
Do you know how many guys participated in this showcase? I will say talent wise – I think this is an impressive group in just your first half. Many of these guys got NFL tryouts -in the past year or two. A reason I wish the UFL wouldn’t hide the names and results of these showcases. Thanks Greg for all that you do to pump up these showcase participants.
by Adam Simon
Does anyone know when the UFL Draft is? Is it possible to get a draft show on YouTube? My crazy idea is to have Reid Johnson of the mark cast host with a combined effort of the UFL newshub and pro football newsroom to be our contributors. (Mark, Greg, Patrick, Sue and James Larsen and others from the newsroom. Is my dream possible?