Top 10 UFL Players Who NFL Teams Should Sign in 2025

The UFL championship has been awarded (congratulations to the DC Defenders!), so let’s give our newly merged spring league some love! Think of this league as the minor leagues of football. Veterans and UDFAs who don’t make NFL rosters or practice squads can gain experience and put plays on tape. Dallas has struck gold here: returner KaVontae Turpin and K Brandon Aubrey were both USFL players before becoming All-Pros with the Cowboys. I see no reason more players can’t follow this path, so we’re going to look at the top 10 UFL players who should be signed by NFL teams in 2025!

Note: This list does not include players who had already signed with NFL teams at the time of writing.

QB Jordan Ta’amu, DC Defenders

We’ll start with the UFL Championship Game MVP and the guy who should’ve been the league MVP. Ta’amu led the league in passing TDs (17) and passing yards per game (239) on a championship offense. The one stat that might worry you is his completion percentage (54.4%), which was the lowest among QBs who started at least 5 games. I’d refer you to the tape though to see DC’s style of offense. This team took an abnormally high amount of deep shots, which are low-percentage throws by definition. Among all of this year’s QBs, Ta’amu has the clearest NFL arm, which should make him an intriguing add.

QB Bryce Perkins, Michigan Panthers

What I said above doesn’t mean that Perkins, the actual UFL MVP winner (and OPOY for that matter), wasn’t deserving. My only gripe with his candidacy was that his 3 missed games accounted for 30% of the regular season. On the field though, he was electric. Perkins, who won a ring as the Rams’ backup a few years ago, features a dual-threat skillset. He can run very well, but what impresses me is that he often uses his speed and strength to extend plays to throw. Perkins had plenty of highlight plays doing just that, and his athletic profile fits the NFL game. Someone will notice his development and give him a chance.

RB Jacob Saylors, St. Louis Battlehawks

Somewhat overshadowed for unknown reasons, Saylors was the clear best back in the UFL this season. He led the league in scrimmage yards with 744, and his YPC average of 4.4 was good behind a line that isn’t the best at run blocking. His field vision is great, which is important for a guy without a ton of burst. What teams may like the most is his pass protection, which will enable him to remain on the field on 3rd downs. Saylors got better once his team was forced to start a backup QB, despite opponents stacking the box to stop him. Any NFL team looking for a 1B or #2 RB should look Saylors’ way.

WR Siaosi Mariner, Michigan Panthers

Back for a second year on this list, Mariner’s lack of suitors continues to perplex me. I thought he did enough in 2023, but he went and led the UFL in receiving yards with 527 in 2024. He was the biggest reason for Bryce Perkins’ success as a passer, coming up with one big play after another. Mariner also showed a knack for getting open on unscripted plays, making him an ideal fit for a team with a mobile QB. Size/speed combos are usually not ignored to this extent. That’s doubly true when they’re as productive as Mariner has been. At minimum, he’s worthy of being a #3 receiver on an NFL team.

WR/KR Deon Cain, Birmingham Stallions

You know I’m going to sneak in at least one returner. Cain finished 5th in KR yards (421) despite having just 15 attempts. Keep in mind that he did this with the 35-yard-line touchback rule in place, so he’s a proven commodity for the current NFL kickoff format. As a receiver, he finished 3rd with 514 yards despite catching passes from 5 different QBs. That enabled Cain to finish 2nd in the UFL with 935 all-purpose yards. Another great blend of size and speed, Cain is an outstanding deep threat who also comes with a Clemson pedigree. I’d be truly stunned if nobody signs him to compete for a roster spot.

DT Joe Wallace, DC Defenders

As I did last year, I tried to list one interior rusher because that’s a position that NFL teams always look for. Wallace made my job easy. He led all DTs with 4.5 sacks as part of a strong defensive line. In the run game, he racked up 10 TFLs, demonstrating 3-down potential. The one knock on him is that although he has decent heft at 290 lbs, he’s severely undersized at 5’10”. Therefore, he’d be a pass rushing specialist in the NFL. Burst up the middle is desirable in just about any form though. I’d personally like to see Wallace signed by a team with a 4-3 defense that has a big nose tackle to line up alongside him.

OLB Pita Taumopenu, St. Louis Battlehawks

Stocking up on edge rushers is a tried-and-true way to field a good defense. Just ask the Philadelphia Eagles. In Taumopenu, we have the UFL Defensive Player of the Year, who earned that honor by topping all players with 7.5 sacks. At 6’2″, 250 lbs, he has enough size to function at OLB in a 3-4 alignment. His calling card is his speed, which lets him blow by tackles and make plays against the run. Age (31) is not on his side, but most UFL players get signed to 1-year deals anyway. Contenders who want to add depth to their pass rushing groups can take a look at this spring star. They might like what they see.

LB Donald Payne, Arlington Renegades

This is more of a multiyear analysis than just about 2024. Payne has been one of the best defenders in the UFL since its inception, and that held true again last year. He finished the season with 66 tackles (7 for loss), an INT, and 4 PBUs. Like most productive players who find themselves in this league though, Payne is undersized at 6’0″, 228 lbs. That will limit him to subpackages in the NFL. However, teams play in their defensive subpackages a large percentage of the time, and they can always use good tacklers on special teams. Payne’s body of work is too good to not earn him a chance at making a roster.

CB Deandre Baker, DC Defenders

Among all the players on this list, Baker comes with the most upside. Similar to another former first-rounder in Damon Arnette, who recently signed with the Texans, Baker struggled on the field and faced trouble off of it. He got another chance once his assault charges were dropped, but a broken leg doomed him. Following almost 2 years out of football, Baker joined the Defenders and made the All-USFL team. He picked off 2 passes and broke up 10; both of those stats were among the league’s best. Baker is clearly a talented player. Maybe this 2024 showcase proved that the 27-year-old can’t be written off just yet.

K Rodrigo Blankenship, St. Louis Battlehawks

Here’s the position where a player that gets signed has a real chance to stick on a roster. In the last few years, Brandon Aubrey and Jake Bates have made big impacts for Dallas and Detroit, respectively. Already, we’ve seen the Stallions’ Harrison Mevis picked up. If Mevis was option 1A, then Blankenship is 1B. He made 95% of his FGs with a long of 56 yards, and he brings elite pedigree from Georgia. No kicker in the UFL was more consistent on a weekly basis, and he needs to be signed. This is why I don’t like drafting kickers: some of the very best options can be obtained for free. A smart team will grab Blankenship ASAP.