This is part five of what will be an eight-part, position-by-position review of each UFL team’s roster after the draft. The previous parts of this series can be found at the links below:
Names in (parentheses) have already been removed from the roster; names in bold have been added to the roster, per the UFL transaction wire.
Quarterbacks
Hunter Dekkers, Donovan Smith
Analysis: Dekkers was on the practice squad of the New Orleans Saints when the season ended. His practice squad contract didn’t expire until that next Monday, yet QB assignments were made the previous Friday. Perhaps Houston had a backup plan in case Dekkers got signed over the weekend – and perhaps that’s why the assignments weren’t made public until Monday afternoon. Smith played his college ball at Houston and got a rookie minicamp tryout with the Dallas Cowboys following the 2025 NFL Draft.
Running Backs
Kirk Merritt, Nate McCrary, Marcus Yarns, Marcus Major
Analysis: Merritt has a ton of promise as a receiver and runner but he has struggled to stay healthy the last two years. McCrary ended up ceding playing time to Toa Taua with Michigan last year but has starting experience in spring football. Yarns and Major are youngsters who are short on pro experience.
Wide Receivers
Jontre Kirklin, Lawrence Keys III, Justin Hall, Braylon Sanders, Kai Locksley, Lujuan Winningham, Monaray Baldwin
Analysis: It was a no-brainer to keep Hall, one of the most productive receivers in all of spring football the past two years even with shaky quarterback play during the majority of that time. Sanders and Kirklin are huge additions, and Kirklin returns to the city he played for in XFL 2023. Winningham was underutilized in Arlington the past few years. Baldwin is the only new face to the UFL, a rookie free agent signed by Miami in 2025.
Tight Ends
Geor’quarius Spivey, Cam Sutton, Caleb Bass
Analysis: Tight ends caught just 22 balls for Houston last year, not playing much of a role in the pass game. We’ll see if Kevin Sumlin’s offense differs at all from that, though when Sumlin coached Houston in 2022, tight ends actually caught fewer balls – 18 in total. Bass adds that pass-catching component as he came down with 78 passes in his time at West Alabama.
Offensive Line
Tackles: (Christian DiLauro), Kellen Diesch, (Jaryd Jones-Smith), Jalen McKenzie, Jordan Williams, (Zachary Thomas), Gareth Warren
Guards: Avery Jones
Centers: Jack Kramer
Analysis: Like D.C., Houston went heavy at offensive tackle. Unfortunately, they’re already down three, as Thomas signed a futures deal in the NFL, Jones-Smith retired, and DiLauro was also taken off the roster. They now have needs both at tackle and at guard and will have to pick up several free agents at those positions prior to camp. Kramer is the anchor, one of the best centers in the league and durable – he hasn’t missed a game in the last three seasons.
Defensive Line
Edges: Christopher Allen, Lonnie Phelps, Shaka Toney, Malik Fisher, Seth Coleman, Mitchell Agude, Ikenna Enechukwu, Toby Ndukwe
Interior: Rashard Lawrence, Israel Antwine, Kyon Barrs, Jerrod Clark
Analysis: All four of Houston’s defensive tackles are north of 300 pounds. Barrs, a former Arlington Renegade, was with the Arizona Cardinals this NFL season. His battle with Lawrence, Antwine and Clark will be one worth watching. There are some intriguing edge rushers like Toney and Coleman but there’s not a lot of pro sack production, even at the spring football level. Coleman will have to be removed from the roster as he also signed an NFL futures deal after the UFL Draft.
Linebackers
Anthony Hines III, Marvin Moody Jr., Charlie Thomas III, Eugene Asante, Solomon DeShields
Analysis: Hines, Moody and Thomas combined for 161 tackles last year in the UFL. They should step right into starting roles with the Gamblers in 2025. As a rookie this year, Asante was with three NFL teams including two practice squads. DeShiels was a one-year starter in college. Some additional depth may be needed here.
Defensive Backs
Corners: Keenan Isaac, (Damon Arnette), Carlton Johnson, Kary Vincent Jr., LaMareon James, Isaiah Dunn, Mello Dotson, Quinton Newsome, Clarence Lewis, B.J. Mayes
Safeties: Markel Roby, Avery Young, Nico Bolden, Glendon Miller
Analysis: In the “the more you can do” era of football, we’re seeing more cross-over with safeties and corners and vice-versa, so some of these corners could make a move to safety. Isaac was in the NFL this year and was in high demand on the workout circuit for teams. Roby is the likely starter at one safety spot; the other should be up for grabs with the remaining players. Of the new corners, look out for James and Dotson to make an impact.
Special Teams
K John Hoyland, LS Marco Ortiz, P Mike Rivers
Analysis: Rivers was a find for Houston last year, coming out of nowhere to finish second in the league in punting. Ortiz was steady as the snapper. Chris Blewitt apparently won’t return at kicker, giving way for the younger Hoyland, who was briefly on the Baltimore Ravens this summer.