Spring football will look completely different thanks to the merger of the XFL and the United States Football League.
The United Football League recently held its first draft, which saw the selection of six former HBCU players to four different teams.
Birmingham Stallions
Round 3: Jalen Morton QB, Prairie View A&M
Former Prairie View A&M quarterback Jalen Morton remains with the Birmingham Stallions, where he played last season. Morton’s previous stops in his professional career include a year with the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts practice squads and two seasons in the Canadian Football League with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Last season, Morton appeared in a game for a Birmingham Stallions team that won its second straight USFL championship.
Round 4: Terrell Bonds CB, Tennessee State
Also making his way to the reigning two-time USFL champion Birmingham Stallions is former Tennessee State cornerback Terrell Bonds. Bonds has extensive professional football experience dating back to 2019. His career began in the now-defunct Alliance of American Football, where he played for the Memphis Express. He was then signed to the NFL by the Baltimore Ravens in 2020, playing four games, including one start. He then briefly spent time with the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans before making his way to the XFL, playing for the San Antonio Brahmas.
D.C. Defenders
Round 2: Chris Rowland WR, Tennessee State
Former Deacon Jones Trophy winner Chris Rowland is headed to our nation’s capital to play for the D.C. Defenders. Rowland was the first of three former Tennessee State players to be selected in the UFL Draft. After a brief run in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons, the former Tiger has been a mainstay in the USFL, playing for the Philadelphia Stars. Injuries limited the former Tennessee State receiver to just one game played in the 2023 season.
Round 4: Chidi Okeke OL, Tennessee State
Completing the hat trick of Tennessee State players taken in the UFL Draft is offensive lineman Chidi Okeke. Okeke’s pro career began in 2019 with practice squad stints with the Washington Commanders (then Redskins), Kansas City Chiefs, and Miami Dolphins. He returned to the football field in 2021, spending time in the CFL on the Saskatchewan Roughriders practice squad. After a month on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad, he finally got some in-game reps playing for the Pittsburgh Maulers in the 2022 USFL season. Okeke most recently played for the San Antonio Brahmas in the 2023 XFL season.
Houston Roughnecks
Round 1: Ezra Gray RB, Alabama State
Ezra Gray was the first HBCU player taken off the board in the UFL Draft by the Houston Roughnecks. Gray previously played for the Memphis Showboats in their inaugural season in the USFL season. He put up 86 rushing yards on 17 attempts.
Michigan Panthers
Round 2: Will Adams S, Virginia State
The only Division II HBCU player taken in the UFL Super Dispersal Draft, Will Adams, is heading to the Motor City to play for the Michigan Panthers. Adams’ professional career began in 2022 when he was signed to the Washington Commanders’ practice squad. Later in the year, he was signed to the XFL, where he played for the Vegas Vipers in the 2023 season. He recorded five tackles in five games with the Vipers.
