Each week during the NFL season, I presented the key stats and contributions from former spring football players. For several years, I’ve also done a write-up at the close of the season, summarizing their performances, using data from Pro Football Focus (PFF), and previewing their next season’s role (with contract info from Over the Cap).
This is part three of my multi-part series breaking down those key components again, looking back on 2025 and ahead to 2026. This feature focuses on former UFL players that ended the season on active rosters or on I.R.
Part one, on former USFL players, can be found here.
Part two, on former XFL players, can be found here.
WR Kevin Austin Jr., New Orleans Saints (Birmingham Stallions)
2025 stats: 8 games, 1 game started, 13 receptions, 140 yards (10.8 avg.), 1 TD
In 2025: From the process to the stats, Austin’s 2025 season was eerily similar to his 2024. In both, he started on the practice squad only to work his way up to the 53-man roster as injuries struck, earning more and more playing time as the season progressed. He played eight games in both seasons, though his receptions were slightly higher in 2025 (by two), his yardage higher in 2024 (by 11). He did score the first touchdown of his NFL career this year.
What PFF tells us: Though he played in the same number of games as in 2024, Austin saw about 80 fewer offensive snaps this season than last. He graded out similarly, with a 57.9 that follows a 56.0 last year. Breaking that down, his run block grade was particularly strong, at a 70.9, no surprise given his size on the outside. He only played 18 snaps on special teams all season, mostly on the kick return squad (taking advantage of those blocking skills). Of his offensive snaps, 154 came out wide, 84 in the slot. Austin averaged 4.4 yards after catch per reception (the league leader was Jakobi Meyers with 19.3). He totaled three drops on 23 targets.
2026 outlook: Under contract for next year when his contract value crosses the $1 million mark, Austin becomes a restricted free agent in 2027. That’s assuming he makes the team again and plays the whole season, of which there is no guarantee given how he’s bounced on and off the roster the last two years. Nevertheless, he should be a contender for a back-end receiver position next summer.
K Jake Bates, Detroit Lions (Michigan Panthers)
2025 stats: 17 games, 54-56 extra points, 27-34 field goals (79.4%), 59 long, 135 points, 4 special teams tackles
In 2025: The NFL leader in extra points for the second year in a row, Bates failed to reach the 80% mark on field goals after hitting nearly 90% in 2024. He missed two from 40-49 yards and the rest from 50-plus. His leg remains a weapon even if his accuracy dipped a bit. He also stood out with four special teams tackles, an unusually high number for a kicker.
What PFF tells us: Bates’s special teams grade of 61.1 was nearly identical to last year’s 60.0 even with the percentage drop in field goals. He did miss one fewer extra point this year. Bates was penalized five times, likely for kickoff-related infractions.
2026 outlook: An exclusive rights free agent this off-season, Bates is a candidate for a contract extension, provided Detroit isn’t worried about his field goal percentage, which ranked fifth from the bottom this year among kickers with enough attempts to qualify. Whether he gets a long-term extension or simply an ERFA tender could tell us a lot about how the Lions see his long-term future in the Motor City.
G Kohl Levao, New York Jets (San Antonio Brahmas)
In 2025: A practice squadder all year after failing to make the 53-man roster out of training camp, Levao was promoted to the active roster for the final game of the season. He was active, but did not play in week 18 against the Buffalo Bills.
2026 outlook: Levao is under contract through 2027; only after two more seasons will he become an ERFA. It would be surprising to see him make the Jets next year and last through that time period, but stranger things have happened. He should compete for a backup interior role in 2026.
K Harrison Mevis, Los Angeles Rams (Birmingham Stallions)
2025 stats: 9 games, 39-39 extra points, 12-13 field goals (92.3%), 52 long, 75 points
In 2025: Mevis lost out in a battle with Nick Folk in training camp with the New York Jets. After taking a few workouts, Mevis ended up in Los Angeles, replacing the ineffective Joshua Karty. In nine games, he showed the potential to be the long-term answer at the position for which the Rams have been searching. Karty is now in Arizona, making Mevis the man in L.A.
What PFF tells us: Nothing if not consistent, Mevis’s special teams grade was a 60.8 and his field goal grade was an 85.4. He only kicked off in weeks 12 and 13, leaving that job to punter Ethan Evans.
2026 outlook: Mevis will certainly be back for the Rams in 2026. He’s an exclusive rights free agent who will receive a tender from the team.
RB Deneric Prince, New England Patriots (Memphis Showboats)
In 2025: A mere two days after signing with New England in August, Prince ended up waived/injured, a procedural move that led to him being placed on injured reserve the next day. The injury he suffered has not been disclosed.
2026 outlook: New England could’ve used Prince as they shuffled through a lot of running backs on the practice squad and 53-man roster during the year. An ERFA, Prince’s 2026 is dependent upon what the Patriots choose to do with him contract-wise.
DE Jalen Redmond, Minnesota Vikings (Arlington Renegades)
2025 stats: 17 games, 15 games started, 62 tackles (33 solo, 29 assists), 6 sacks 12 TFL, 8 QBH, 1 FF, 2 FR, 5 PD
In 2025: A find in 2024, Redmond flourished in Brian Flores’s defense in 2025, earning a starting role in camp and producing numbers few could’ve expected when Minnesota took a chance on him after a UFL stint with the Renegades. Redmond finished fourth on the team in sacks and played 74% of the snaps, a particularly high number for a player on the defensive interior.
What PFF tells us: A grade of 72.7 put Redmond in the upper echelon of defensive tackles league wide. He missed eight tackles and made 39 stops (defined by PFF as a failure by the offense). Flores had Redmond line up all over the front, with 285 snaps over the “B” gap, 257 over tackle and 224 outside the tackle. That made him more of an end than a tackle (only 23 snaps in the “A” gap). He was penalized just once all year. Of those with enough snaps to qualify, Redmond finished third among Vikings defenders in overall defensive grade.
2026 outlook: Redmond is merely an ERFA this off-season, a prime candidate for an extension. He’s one of the many beneficiaries of Flores returning to Minnesota for 2026 rather than taking a head coaching job. It’s a lot to expect Redmond to play as much as he did in 2025, but he’ll certainly be back in a starring role in purple next year.
RB Jacob Saylors, Detroit Lions (St. Louis Battlehawks)
2025 stats: 16 games, 2 rushes, 11 yards (5.5 avg.), 33 KR, 897 yards (27.2 avg.), 8 special teams tackles (4 solo, 4 assists)
In 2025: After a second successful season in the UFL, Saylors wasn’t signed into the NFL until after training camp began, when Detroit snagged him in late July. Working his way up the depth chart, Saylors was the beneficiary of a Lions team that kept several running backs on its roster – and that had a few running back injuries. While Saylors never broke into the rotation on offense, he was a key cog on special teams.
What PFF tells us: All season, Saylors played nine total snaps on offense, mostly in kneel-down situations before the end of a half or the end of a game. He did earn two garbage time carries. Special teams is where he made his bones, ranking third on the team in total special teams snaps and tying for second in tackles on that unit. He was a core-four player, meaning he played on punt return and punt coverage teams as well as kick return and kick coverage. Saylors’ overall ST grade was 60.7 and he was marked for six missed tackles in coverage.
2026 outlook: Special teams coach Dave Fipp, who spoke highly of Saylors during the season, returns for another year even in a time of transition for the Lions, who missed the playoffs in 2025. Saylors, who was an exclusive rights free agent, was one of several players immediately tendered following the end of the season. He’ll make a hair over $1 million next year if he makes the team. No other Detroit backs are free agents so unless one or two get cut, Saylors will once again have to prove himself on special teams and may have to beat out Sione Vaki, another special teams-only back, if Detroit decides to keep three rather than four at the position next year.
LS Rex Sunahara, Cleveland Browns (San Antonio Brahmas)
2025 stats: 17 games, 7 tackles (3 solo, 4 assists)
In 2025: In his first full season as Cleveland’s long snapper, Sunahara excelled, leading all players at his position in special teams tackles. Cleveland brought in rookie Brent Matiscik to challenge him in camp, a battle Sunahara won. Though a lot went wrong with the Browns in 2025, their special teams battery was nowhere near the top of that list.
What PFF tells us: The top-ranked long snapper in the league with an 84.2 grade, Sunahara earned first-team All Pro recognition from PFF for his performance. The site had him with three missed tackles.
2026 outlook: An ERFA this off-season, Sunahara will most likely be tendered and return to the Browns to continue snapping in 2026 and beyond.
K Andre Szmyt, Cleveland Browns (St. Louis Battlehawks)
2025 stats: 17 games, 25-26 extra points, 24-27 field goals (88.9%), 55 long, 97 points, 2 special teams tackles (one solo, one assist)
In 2025: Almost every roster projection up until cutdown day had Dustin Hopkins retaining the kicking job in Cleveland. The Browns chose Szmyt, however, and he paid off their confidence with a fine season. Though he had a shaky start where he missed an extra point and field goal in the opener, Szmyt finished strong, making his last 14 field goals in a row and not missing another extra point the rest of the season.
What PFF tells us: With a 60.8 overall special teams grade and a 77.5 on field goals, Szmyt was solidly in the middle of the pack at the position.
2026 outlook: Szmyt will come cheap next season as he’s only an ERFA. Even if Cleveland wanted to bring in competition (with a new coaching staff in place), expect Szmyt to be back.
LB Dondrea Tillman, Denver Broncos (Birmingham Stallions)
2025 stats: 17 games, 28 tackles (7 solo, 21 assists), 4 sacks, 2 TFL, 8 QBH, 2 PD, 2 INT, 59 yards; 10 ST tackles (5 solo, 5 assists)
In 2025: Though he came off the bench in every game, Tillman nevertheless played an important role as a sub-package edge rusher for the Broncos. He ended up playing 37% of the team’s defensive snaps while also playing almost 60% of the time on special teams. Though known for rushing the passer, Tillman impressed by picking off two passes as well.
What PFF tells us: Overall, Tillman finished with an above-average defensive grade of 68.0, in line with his score last year (69.1). Tillman actually graded out better as a run defender than a pass rusher. In coverage, he allowed just five receptions on nine targets. Tillman was used consistently as an edge rusher: His alignment for every snap was outside the tackle on the line of scrimmage. He played the third-most snaps on special teams of any Bronco. That encompassed five units (the core four and field goal block). He had a special teams grade of 70.6.
2026 outlook: Tillman will most certainly be tendered as an ERFA sometime between now and the start of the new league year in March. He should continue in his role as backup edge rusher next season, pretty secure in a roster spot unless something wild happens in Denver.
CB Nick Whiteside, Detroit Lions (St. Louis Battlehawks)
2025 stats: 9 games, 4 tackles (2 solo, 2 assists), 3 PD, 1 ST tackle
In 2025: An excellent season in spring football with the Battlehawks put Whiteside back on the NFL map. He signed with Detroit in late July and at times was the darling of training camp. His star waned as camp progressed but he still managed to snag a spot on the practice squad. Around mid-season, he spent a month-and-a-half on the active roster before moving back to the practice squad. In December, Whiteside was signed back to the 53-man for good.
What PFF tells us: In front of a national audience on Monday Night Football in week seven, Whiteside was part of a patchwork defense that led Detroit to a win over Tampa Bay. For that performance, Whiteside earned an 83.9 defensive grade. He played 40 of his 51 snaps on defense for the year in that game. That helped him achieve an 83.0 defensive grade per PFF. He allowed just one reception on five targets. On special teams, he graded out at a 62.0, playing most of the time on punt and kick return teams.
2026 outlook: Along with Saylors, Whiteside was one of the players signed as ERFAs right after the season by Detroit. Therefore, he’s already under contract for 2026 and will be an ERFA again in 2027. Detroit will have to clear some space to get under the projected cap number for next season, and Whiteside could be a beneficiary. Something else to watch: Five of the Lions’ cornerbacks are unrestricted free agents. Whiteside could move up the off-season depth chart based simply on attrition.
DT Perrion Winfrey, Dallas Cowboys (Birmingham Stallions)
2025 stats: 1 game, 2 tackles (2 assists)
In 2025: The only UFL 2025 grad to make a team out of training camp, the joy didn’t last for Winfrey, who got hurt in practice in the lead-up to week one and was subsequently placed on IR. He rehabbed and was able to get back on the field, activated before week 12. However, he only played in one game from there on out, a week 16 loss to the L.A. Rams. In that game, he played 34 snaps on defense.
What PFF tells us: Two years removed from an ugly 27.2 grade (albeit in just 13 snaps) with the New York Jets, Winfrey worked his way up to a 69.0 for the Cowboys. He was credited by PFF with two QB hurries in his 16 pass rush snaps. Of his 34 snaps, 30 came from the “B” gap. He also played six special teams snaps, all on the field goal block team.
2026 outlook: Being a weekly healthy scratch doesn’t guarantee you much heading into the next season. Though Winfrey is under contract for 2026, he’ll have to prove himself again in camp to earn a spot. Dallas is another team that finds itself quite a bit over the cap, so while no other interior defenders are free agents for the team, they may have to trim from there: Three of the team’s six biggest 2026 contracts are on the interior defensive line.