This is part two of a two-part look at Houston UFL Showcase participants. Part one can be found here.
This list is compiled from those who have made their participation in this Showcase public or who were identified by the UFL as top performers on social media (identified by the link attached to their name and school), or those who reached out to me through any one of a number of channels.
If you are a player or you know a player attending a future Showcase (or who attended a previous Showcase but was not profiled in that article), DM me on social media @gregmparks (Twitter/X), @gregmparks.bsky.social (Bluesky) or @g_man9784 (Instagram) to be profiled in a future article.
OL Kenyon Burney, Valley Forge Military College: One of the stranger bios I’ve written, many sources credit Burney with having played football at Valley Forge Military College (not to be confused with Valley Forge Military Academy, a prep school closing down after this year). However, Valley Forge’s own website claims not to have varsity athletics. It’s possible he played at the club level or perhaps they once had varsity football. Nevertheless, whatever his college experience looked like, his pro experience has taken him from Topeka, to Bismarck, to Omaha, to Huntsville, among other stops at the indoor levels of the game.
WR Anthony James Jr., Morgan State: Initially signing with Marshall as a running back out of high school, James quickly transferred to Morgan State and ended up as a receiver. In 20 games across three seasons, James hauled in 24 passes for 232 yards (less than 10 yards per reception) and a TD. Twenty of those receptions came in one season, in 2023. James is another player who attended multiple Showcases, also working out in Atlanta and D.C. He ranked as Dane Brugler’s 405th receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft class, per his draft guide in The Athletic.
DE Brandon Ross, Northwood: From NCAA Division II Northwood University, located in Midland, Michigan, Ross was a standout end, setting the edge at around 265 pounds. In three seasons, he made 79 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and five sacks. In 2024, his work was honored with a selection to the All G-MAC Second Team. Edge player #222 as ranked by Brugler, Ross stood out with the top three-cone time at the Houston Showcase at 7.27 seconds.
DL Denaz Ross, Texas Wesleyan: Another sizeable specimen, listed on the team’s website as standing 6’3″ and weighing 260 pounds, Ross was a Tusculum transfer, landing at Texas Wesleyan for his final season of 2021. There, he made 29 tackles with 7.5 of them coming for loss, 1.5 sacks, three passes defensed and two forced fumbles. Initially thought to be a part of the 2022 NFL Draft class, there’s conflicting information out there about whether he came out in ’22 or 2023, which could have to do with eligibility complications he faced at the college level.
DE Fred Stokes Jr., Prairie View A&M: The younger Stokes is trying to follow in the footsteps of his father, a 12th round draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 1987 who played a decade in the NFL. Fred Jr.’s experience in college was somewhat limited, first at Central Michigan then at Prairie View A&M. Most of his three years at CMU were spent on special teams units. He played more at Prairie View and produced to the tune of 23 tackles, eight for loss and 1.5 sacks in one season with the Panthers. He was listed as edge player number 104 by Brugler and earned a minicamp tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He led defensive linemen at the Houston Showcase in broad jump with a measurement of 10’4.
ED Brayden Utley, Baylor: A veteran of this style of workouts, Utley attended the San Diego Showcase for the UFL last year, as well as the XFL Combine in 2023. A multiple time First-Team Academic Big 12 honoree while at Baylor, Utley did the grunt work along the Bears’ defensive line, totaling 57 tackles, eight for loss and three sacks across four seasons and 47 games. When he came out of college, he was ranked 58th by Brugler in the interior defensive linemen section. As a pro, Utley has played for the Tucson Sugar Skulls in the IFL and in 2025 was an All-LFA selection playing in Mexico.
LB Mateo Vandamia, New Hampshire: For the first few years of his college career at Delaware, Vandamia was a combination fullback/tight end. Coaches realized he hit so hard that they ended up moving him to linebacker. The position switch stuck even when he transferred to New Hampshire for his final year in 2024. On offense, he carried the ball 14 times for 34 yards in total; in the throw game, he caught 10 passes for 140 yards and four touchdowns. His defensive transition took hold in 2023 and he contributed right away, making 36 tackles including seven for loss. Across New England to New Hampshire, he played only six games, notching 16 tackles.
WR Dariyan Wiley, Vanderbilt: A graduate transfer from Louisiana-Monroe, Wiley’s Vandy career was limited to six games and one reception in 2024. Wiley’s college journey was a winding one, taking him from UMass as a freshman (three receptions in four games) to ULM for three seasons, to Nevada for the spring of 2024 before he decided on Vanderbilt that fall. At ULM, Wiley’s best season was 2023, where he caught 24 passes for 400 yards (nearly 17 yards per reception) and two TDs. He was receiver number 306 ranked by Brugler and registered the top 40-yard dash time among receivers at the Houston Showcase with a 4.53.
RB KeShawn Williams, Arkansas-Pine Bluff: Like Utley, Williams was also an attendee of the UFL San Diego Showcase in 2024. He was a dual threat while at Arkansas Pine-Bluff, rushing for over 1,200 yards and adding 48 receptions in his time there. Far-and-away his best season was 2017, where he had 125 carries for 703 yards and seven touchdowns, with an additional 332 receiving yards. Williams played for the Sioux Falls Storm of the IFL in 2024 and led running backs at the Houston Showcase with a 40-time of 4.55.