6 UFL Players NFL Teams Should Consider – Fantasy Football
With the NFL Draft fast approaching, there’s a lot of speculation as to how each NFL team will continue to build their rosters. That said, there are other places to find talent. The UFL (United Football League) is currently three weeks into the 2025 season. It’s the same basic competition featuring many former NFL players and coaches, and it’s a lot of fun to watch!
There are also a number of athletes that have yet to make their way into the NFL ranks that, I argue, could be valuable at the top level of the sport. In this writing, I have 6 UFL players that I believe could and should be given a chance to strut their stuff with the best of the best.
Abram Smith, RB, DC Defenders
Playing his college ball for Baylor, Abram Smith exploded in his final season with a school-record 1601 rushing yards while scoring 12 touchdowns. In 2023, he was the first player selected in the XFL Draft by the DC Defenders. In that season, he led the league with 788 rushing yards as the team made it into the championship game, falling to the Arlington Renegades. He was named to the All-XFL team before signing with the Vikings the following August. The following season, he went back to the Defenders but missed the season due to an ACL tear.
Smith is a tough, between-the-tackles running back who shreds would-be tacklers better than anyone else in the UFL. He has solid vision, finding the right holes in the defense to make excellent plays. He currently leads the league in carries with 52 through three games. In Week 3, on two separate occasions, he turned a mediocre two-yard gain into a 10+ yard burst to extend drives. He’s not a great pass catcher, but his determination with the ball in his hands is commendable, and he never stops pushing.
Overall, any NFL squad in search of a short-yardage runner should look his way. Teams like the Bengals or Commanders would do well to take note.
Bradlee Anae, DE, Birmingham Stallions
Bradlee Anae played four seasons of college football at the University of Utah. He totaled 27.5 sacks and 38 TFL (tackles for loss) in his last three seasons for the Bears. In 2020, he was drafted in the fifth round of the NFL Draft by the Cowboys. He played primarily on special teams but also saw 56 defensive snaps in a three-game stretch of the 2021 season.
In the current UFL season, he is tied for the league lead in sacks (3.0) and TFL (4). The single sack he registered in Week 3 was a textbook example of never giving up in pursuit of the quarterback. Anae could use a little fine-tuning at the NFL level. However, he’s got NFL experience and a nose for the ball carrier. He could make for a great depth piece as an edge rusher. A team like the Vikings or Falcons might want to take a look at Anae.
Jonathan Adams, WR, Memphis Showboats
Measuring in at 6’3” and 220 pounds, Jonathan Adams is well above the average size of an NFL wide receiver. Collegiately, he broke out in 2020 with 75 receptions for 1111 yards and 15 scores in his final season at Arkansas State. After that, he signed with Detroit as an undrafted free agent. He made an “impressive showing” leading up to the 2021 season but was suspended for undisclosed reasons.
In the end, the suspension was lifted by the NFL. Adams later joined the USFL’s New Orleans Breakers in 2022, finishing fifth in the league with 406 receiving yards. After the USFL and XFL merged in 2023, he found himself with the Showboats.
This season, Adams currently leads all UFL wide receivers in receptions (20), receiving yards (263), and yards after the catch (90). He also exceeded 90 receiving yards in each of his first two games (93 and 128) this year. His size and range are elite for the UFL, and those are things that translate well to NFL success. Had it not been for an unfortunate suspension, he very well could be on an active NFL roster today. Adams could make a splash with teams like the Browns or Raiders this year.
Luis Perez, QB, Arlington Renegades
As the oldest athlete on this list (30 years old), Luis Perez has had a vast football career. Before his professional days, he excelled at Texas A&M-Commerce, where he led his squad to the Division II National Championship, throwing for 5001 yards and 46 touchdowns. His only NFL experience was with the Rams in a 2018 preseason game. After that, he has been a part of three different NFL teams and five alternative league franchises.
Most notably, Perez won five of six starts in 2022 with the USFL’s New Jersey Generals while throwing nine touchdowns against one interception. He also led Arlington to the XFL Championship in 2023 after being traded mid-season and then led the league in touchdown passes (18) the following year.
Perez isn’t flashy, by any means. He is, however, a field general who makes very few mistakes and trusts his receivers. Thrusting him into a starting role in the NFL right away would probably not be the best course of action. However, signing him on to learn, teach, and expand his repertoire would be smart. He could do well to expand the depth of a team like the Titans or the Vikings.
Jacob Harris, TE/WR, San Antonio Brahmas
Jacob Harris was a walk-on at Western Kentucky before transferring to the UCF Knights in 2018. In 2020, as a tight end, he hauled in 30 balls for 539 receiving yards and eight scores as a senior. He was a fourth-round pick by the Rams in the 2021 NFL Draft and caught his only NFL target for a first down in the following campaign. He bounced around to a few different NFL squads before landing with the Brahmas in 2025.
Harris has eclipsed 55 receiving yards in each of the three games of the UFL season, so far. He also has the most yards per reception (17.1) of anyone in the league with at least 20 targets and the third most receiving yards per game by anyone. His 6’5” frame makes him a big target that could garner considerable usage in the right situation. Teams like the Colts or Giants would be smart to keep their eyes on Harris.
Rodrigo Blankenship, K, St. Louis Battlehawks
Another walk-on collegiate athlete, Rodrigo Blankenship, made a name for himself at the University of Georgia. In 2017, he made all 63 of his PAT attempts. In 2018, he converted on a personal best 55-yard field goal to propel the Bulldogs to an overtime victory against Oklahoma to secure their spot in the National Championship game. He converted all of his 65 PAT attempts that season, as well. In 2019, he won the Lou Groza Award (top collegiate placekicker) and received All-SEC team honors.
Post-college, he earned his kicker job with Indianapolis in 2020. He connected on 43 of 45 PATs and 32 FGs with a long of 53 yards. His 2021 season was cut short by a hip injury, and he was released by the Colts in 2022 after missing a game-winning field goal in Week 1.
This past January, Blankenship landed with the Battlehawks and has made all of his seven field goal attempts this year as the Battlehawk fanbase proudly exclaims #RespectTheSpecs in reference to his stylish eyewear. There are always a number of NFL squads looking for a reliable placekicker, such as the 49ers or Jets.
Trending Now
