Top UFL Players Who Could Get Looks from NFL Teams in 2024 with Successful Season

It's quite a while before the 2024 NFL season begins. But for fans who are jonesing for some live football, Saturday was a good day.

On Saturday, the new United Football League began play. Born of a merger between the United States Football League and the XFL, whether or not the UFL will succeed where so many other spring leagues have failed remains to be seen. But one thing is for certain—for the players taking the field, the opportunity to continue pursuing their NFL dreams is a big deal.

To be clear, whether they have never played a game in the NFL or spent multiple seasons at the game's highest level, the vast majority of UFL players will never see an NFL field. Some are aging veterans clinging to the very notion of playing football itself. Others still just flat-out aren't good enough to play in the NFL. But for most, the UFL is as good as it's going to get.

But there are some for whom a big year in the UFL could be a genuine stepping-stone. If they can overcome an injury history, off the field incidents or show that they have improved and matured as players since leaving college, there are a handful of UFL players who may just make their NFL dream come true after all.

You had to know a quarterback would be included here. Professional football is driven by the position. In fact, one of the downfalls of many of the spring leagues that have popped up in recent years has been a lack of quality quarterbacks, which in turn affects the entire offensive product.

However, the UFL has at least a couple of quarterbacks who could have interest for NFL teams. A.J. McCarron was a long-time NFL backup, but the 33-year-old appears content to exchange an NFL bench for the opportunity to be the starter for the St. Louis Battlehawks.

Per Christian Shimabuku of KHON-TV, Jordan Ta'amu shares that same gratitude as McCarron that he's able to play professional football—even if it's not at the NFL level.

"I'm so excited just to have another opportunity to play football again," Ta'amu told KHON2 sports director Rob DeMello. "I mean, it's just such a blessing to continue to play the sport I love and I'm so excited for the season. Every year the chance I get to, you know, be in a locker room again, it kind of revs up my engine, I enjoy it every time I get to go through this whole experience again. I'm glad this is going to be my second year in D.C., so I'm excited about the fan base that we really have there. They made every game electric last year and I'm just excited to do that all again this year."

Jordan Ta'amu doesn't have McCarron's NFL experience—he's kicked around a handful of training camps and practice squads, but Ta'amu has been unable to stick to date. However, he was one of the XFL's biggest stars last year. Last season for the Defenders, he threw for 1,878 yards with 14 touchdowns and three interceptions, adding 301 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in 10 games.

Arm talent has never been the issue with Ta'amu. Neither has size or athleticism. It's been a matter of seeing the field. Working progressions. Finding the open man without forcing a bad throw.

At just 26, Ta'amu still has time to improve in those areas. And if his 2024 looks like last year's (or better), he won't be hurting for camp invites as we move into the summer.

Like many of the UFL's players, St. Louis Battlehawks edge-rusher Pita Taumoepenu spent some time in the NFL. Four years in fact—two with the San Francisco 49ers, one with the Atlanta Falcons and one with the Denver Broncos.

But as five total tackles over 11 games demonstrates, Taumoepenu didn't see the field much. As Sean Walker wrote for KSL.com, spending last year in the Gateway City gave Taumoepenu exactly what he needed—playing time.

"I've been playing in the NFL for the past few years, got drafted by the 49ers, and sometimes when you're second or third string, you don't get to show all of your football talent at the highest level. People never get to see what you are capable of doing," said Taumoepenu. "In this league, I was able to show everybody what I am able to do. Not just me, but everybody else in the XFL; the XFL gave us a chance to show our talent and express our style and the way we play the game."

Taumoepenu made the most of his opportunity—he was second in the XFL last year with 7.5 sacks, sixth in tackles for loss with eight and paced the league with four forced fumbles—numbers that earned the 30-year-old Defensive Player of the Year honors.

It also earned Taumoepenu a couple of tryouts with the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets, with the latter releasing him late last August.

If Taumoepenu can back up last year's breakout, he should get another bite at the NFL apple in 2024.

And given how badly so many NFL teams need pass-rush help, maybe he'll stick this time around.

Birmingham Stallions running back C.J. Marable has something going for him that many UFL running backs do not. For starters, he's younger than many of the league's lead backs. For another, 2024 will mark Marable's third season with the Stallions—and he told Mark Nelson of the UFL's website that he expects that experience could pay dividends in 2024.

"In year one we didn't know what to expect. We didn't know the playbook. So, we were just out there learning," Marable said. "Now, in year three, we have a couple of veterans on the team. I know the playbook like the back of my hand, so, I can help out new players… I can say that's the difference between year one and year three, just the experience that we have."

Marable was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent back in 2021—and at the time, Jacob Infante of Windy City Gridiron thought the former Coastal Carolina standout had a real chance to stick in the NFL.

"Marable is an athletic runner who has really good agility in the open field," he said. "He is explosive in space and has the vision needed to extend the play with the ball in his hands. Marable has plenty of experience as a pass-catcher, and it's apparent in his ball skills. He has 84 catches in the last three seasons and has very good ball-tracking skills for a running back. He is a natural hands catcher. Marable is stout for a runner, but his frame adds to his contact balance. He is a tough runner who can bounce off of defenders well and run hard in between the tackles. Marable does a good job of shrinking into holes in between the tackles and accelerates well once he finds a hole. His combination of speed and vision allows him to exploit open lanes pretty consistently."

Marable carried that versatility over into the spring leagues, and he has a real chance to be the most dangerous running back in the UFL this season.

There isn't a player on this list that has the NFL resume akin to Houston Roughnecks linebacker Reuben Foster. Foster was the 31st overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. As a rookie, Foster amassed 72 total tackles in 10 games and finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

But by 2018, a series of off-field incidents that included drug and weapons charges and an arrest for domestic violence, later dropped, led to Foster being released by the Niners. He was claimed off waivers by Washington, but Foster tore his ACL in his first practice with the team and never played a snap in the nation's capital.

That led to a stint with the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL in 2023, and when the USFL and XFL merged Foster landed in Houston. Per Eric Williams of Fox Sports, Roughnecks head coach Curtis Johnson said that he believes the 29-year-old Foster still has plenty left in the tank.

"Rueben is still very, very active," Johnson said. "He can go sideline to sideline. Not only is he fast, but he's physical also. He's still got a lot of juice left in the tank. He's built like a Greek God. So, he's our inspirational leader. He knows the game. He knows what he's doing. He's one of the guys defensively we've got to lean on."

As recently as last December, Foster worked out for the Miami Dolphins. His off-field past, age and injury history are all legitimate hurdles. But if Foster can show that he is healthy and remains an NFL-caliber talent by dominating in the UFL this season, it won't just be one NFL club having Foster in for a tryout later this year.

At 6'5" and 227 pounds, Hakeem Butler certainly has the size that NFL teams covet in boundary receivers. He's also got 4.48-second speed—a tantalizing combination of all the physical traits a wide receiver needs.

But after being drafted with the first pick of Round 4 by the Arizona Cardinals in 2019, Butler just wasn't able to latch on in the NFL. He missed his entire rookie season with a broken hand, was waived by the Cardinals in 2020 and landed in Philadelphia, where he barely played. After that came two failed tryouts in Canada, and as Butler told Stephen Thompson of All Steelers, nearly the end of his football career.

"I went to Canada twice, was better than everybody there," Butler said. "I'm not a cocky guy, I truly say that very humbly. Coaches really didn't give me a chance because I was American. Came back home and was like, 'I know I'm the guy. I know I can play.' I almost gave up on myself, truthfully. Almost gave up on the game."

Instead, Butler latched on with the St. Louis Battlehawks, pacing the team in receptions (51), receiving yards (599) and touchdowns (eight) in 2023. That measure of success earned him another bite at the NFL apple with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it was derailed by yet another injury.

Now, Butler finds himself back in St. Louis, where he has a real chance to be the UFL's best receiver in 2024. If he can approach those heights, he'll get another shot in the NFL—because 27-year-old wideouts who are 6'5" and run a sub-4.5-second 40 do not grow on trees.

There was a time when it appeared that Mark Gilbert had a bright future playing cornerback in the NFL. As a matter of fact, despite having missed a pair of seasons collegiately at Boston College, Bleacher Report's own scouting department ranked the 6'0", 186-pounder as a Day 2 prospect back in 2021.

"Gilbert is an intriguing cornerback who has missed two seasons with an unfortunate left hip injury," Cory Giddings wrote. "Prior to his injury, Gilbert was a productive player flashing speed, fluidity, and ball skills to potentially be a top cornerback in the country. He has below average overall functional strength, which could be because of his injury. While showing a willingness to support the run, he lacks the physicality needed at times. He played with more reckless abandonment towards the run game in 2017."

Yeah, about that.

NFL teams weary of Gilbert's injury history passed on drafting him. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers and spent time on Detroit's active roster as a rookie, but his total NFL stat line consists of three total tackles, one pass defensed and a forced fumble over three games.

With the Pittsburgh Maulers in 2023, however, it was a different story—Gilbert led the USFL during the regular season with four interceptions, tallied 32 total tackles and logged 15 passes defensed. That season got Gilbert a look from the Miami Dolphins, but injury once again derailed his quest to play at the game's highest level.

Now Gilbert is in Birmingham, and while the durability question persists, if he's healthy calling him the best coverage corner in all of the UFL isn't a stretch. Cornerback is a premium position in the NFL—if Gilbert can stay healthy and plays as well as a year ago, he'll be back in an NFL camp this summer.