This is part one of what will be an eight-part, position-by-position review of each UFL team’s roster after the draft.
Quarterbacks
Matt Corral, Taylor Elgersma, Jaren Hall
Analysis: Corral returns for his third year in Birmingham and may have the leg-up on the starting job right away. Like Corral, Hall is a former NFL draft pick with intriguing measurables. Elgersma is the wild card: A Canadian product, it would be surprising if he chose the UFL over the CFL, where he was a 2nd round draft pick of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Running Backs
Tyrion Davis-Price, Anthony McFarland, Nate Noel
Analysis: After having the same three-deep backfield for two years in a row, the Stallions cleaned house and added three new runners. McFarland has game-breaking talent but he needs to show he can stay healthy. Davis-Price was the only newcomer who signed a letter of intent this off-season – before the UFL blew up its player personnel department – to get protected. An NFL rookie, Noel should be eased into the rotation with two veterans ahead of him.
Wide Receivers
Deon Cain, Marlon Williams, Daewood Davis, Jaydon Mickens, Marcus Simms, Samson Nacua, Justyn Ross, Laviska Shenault, Mario Williams, Cam Echols-Luper
Analysis: Mario Williams has already signed a futures deal with the Los Angeles Rams, so cross him off the training camp roster. Echols-Luper is a CFL veteran like Elgersma, so we’ll see if he makes the jump across the border. Cain and Marlon Williams already have familiarity with Corral, which should help them. This is a deep, experienced group.
Tight Ends
Jordan Thomas, Anthony Torres
Analysis: Consider this an area ripe for adding talent in the next month or two. Thomas was a backup to the now-retired Jace Sternberger last year and we’ve seen how he can cause mismatches in the passing game. Torres, a rookie from Toledo, is largely untested at the pro level.
Offensive Line
Tackles: Armani Taylor-Prioleau, Noah Henderson, Jackson Carman, Jonathan Mendoza
Guards: Mason Brooks, Deonte Brown, Steven Gonzalez, Avery Gennesy, Tyrese Robinson
Centers: Noah Johnson, Wesley French, Andrew Raym
Analysis: If all of these players end up reporting to camp (and McCarron has said 99% of the players drafted have committed to the league), Birmingham could have as many as six starting-caliber interior linemen battling for three spots. That’ll either give them ample trade bait to improve other parts of the roster as camp progresses, or perhaps some will be cross trained at tackle, where the depth here isn’t as strong.
Defensive Line
Edges: Desmond Little, Ronnie Perkins, Izayah Green-May
Interior: Marvin Wilson, T.J. Carter, Amani Bledsoe, Omari Thomas, Cameron Young, James Carpenter
Analysis: Like the offensive line, the interior appears on paper to be stronger than the outside. And like the line, some interior players (Bledsoe, for example) could double as ends. Perkins was a nice keep and will provide pass-rush juice. Carpenter is one to watch, a rookie DT out of the resurrected Indiana football program.
Linebackers
Kobe Jones, Tae Crowder, Olakunie Fatukasi, Kyahva Tezino, Dyontae Johnson, Stone Blanton, DaRon Gilbert
Analysis: Based on the numbers here, it’s possible Birmingham will run a base 3-4 defense this season. Tezino and Crowder are returning Stallions and if nothing else, players like Fatukasi and Blanton should be strong special teams coverage candidates. On first blush, I don’t see a lot of playmakers at the second level.
Defensive Backs
Corners: Steven Gilmore, Mario Goodrich, Lance Boykin, Omar Jarvis Jr., Ryan Cooper Jr., Davion Ross
Safeties: Tre Norwood, JoJo Tillery, Lukas Denis, Shaquan Loyal, Alex Cook, Hudson Clark
Analysis: I have my eye in particular on the safety position: Norwood and Tillery are back from 2025, but Denis, Loyal and Cook should provide ample competition for playing time. At corner, Birmingham took a shot on a couple young and unproven players, including Jarvis, who was discovered at one of the UFL Showcases this year and is making the jump from Division III.
Special Teams
K Jonathan Garibay, K Rodrigo Blankenship, P Colby Wadman
Analysis: It’s interesting that Birmingham drafted Blankenship, the best kicker by percentage in the league last year and the one who made the longest field goal, and then drafted another kicker as well in Garibay, who was with the Arlington Renegades in 2024 but was out of the UFL in 2025. The Stallions appear to be the only team to draft multiple specialists at the same position. It would not surprise me if they re-signed Ryan Langan at some point to continue long snapping. Wadman is now in his fifth year with Birmingham.