The Arlington Renegades are coming off a disappointing 2024 campaign in which they finished with a 3-7 record. The team has made some notable additions on both sides of the ball while bringing back key contributors from last year.
The following is a player-by-player breakdown of the 2025 Arlington Renegades’ 50-man UFL roster.
Quarterbacks
- Luis Perez
- Holton Ahlers
- Luke Lehnen
Veteran spring football quarterback Luis Perez returns for his second full season with the Renegades and will be the team’s starter.
Arlington acquired Perez from the Vegas Vipers midway through the 2023 XFL season. He went on to lead his new team to an XFL championship, even though the Renegades were massive underdogs.
In 2024, despite Perez posting a league-leading 2,307 passing yards and 18 touchdown passes, the Renegades finished with a 3-7 record – a result especially underwhelming considering the team was coming off a championship from the prior year.
In addition to his time in the 2023 XFL and UFL, Perez has been with the Birmingham Iron (2019 AAF), Los Angeles Wildcats (2020 XFL), New York Guardians (2020 XFL), and New Jersey Generals (2022 USFL). He has also been with five different NFL organizations since 2018, primarily on offseason/practice squad rosters. With A.J. McCarron’s departure from the St. Louis Battlehawks after last season, Perez – 30 years old – is the now most experienced professional quarterback in the UFL.
Backing up Perez are Holton Ahlers and Luke Lehnen.
Ahlers, a former four-year starter at East Carolina, was Arlington’s third-stringer last year behind Perez and Lindsey Scott Jr., who retired over the offseason.
Lehnen was a two-year NCAA Division III champion (2022, 2024) and Gagliardi Trophy recipient (2023, 2024) – an annual award given to the best player in Division III football. While we likely won’t see much of Ahlers (25 years old) or Lehnen (23 years old) this season, they are both young players who can develop behind Perez and replace him as the face of the Renegades when he eventually retires.
Running Backs
- De’Veon Smith
- Kalen Ballage
- Dae Dae Hunter
De’Veon Smith returns as the bell cow for Arlington for the 2025 season. Smith has run for 816 yards and 10 touchdowns on 225 attempts over the last two seasons with the Renegades. The former Michigan standout also has experience with the Orlando Apollos (2019 AAF), Tampa Bay Vipers (2020 XFL), and Pittsburgh Maulers (2022 USFL), who infamously released him during training camp over pizza and chicken salad (or something like that). Interestingly, Smith didn’t join Arlington this season until after the conclusion of training camp.
Kalen Ballage, who has some pretty substantial experience from both the NFL and XFL, should be able to take some pressure off Smith in the rushing attack. Ballage garnered 665 yards and seven touchdowns on 213 carries, primarily in two seasons with the Miami Dolphins and one with the Los Angeles Chargers. The 2018 fourth-round NFL pick was more recently with the San Antonio Brahmas during the 2023 XFL season, which saw him run for 149 yards on 55 carries in five games – missing the rest due to injury.
Dae Dae Hunter played a limited three games last season – totaling 74 yards and one touchdown on 15 touches. Unlike Smith (5-11 223 lbs) and Ballage (6-2 231 lbs), who’s are stronger, more physical backs, Hunter (5-10 190 lbs) is a smaller, more agile back.
Wide Receivers
- Tyler Vaughns
- Javonta Payton
- Deontay Burnett
- Isaiah Winstead
- David Durden
- LuJuan Winningham
The Renegades return their top four wide receivers from last year, and who can blame them?
Arlington’s top receiver, Tyler Vaughns, was third and fourth league-wide, respectively, in receptions (45) and receiving yardage (502). He lines up out wide along with JaVonta Payton, who finished last season with 23 receptions for 379 yards and five touchdowns. Both Vaughns and Payton are entering their third season with the Renegades.
In the slot, Deontay Burnett tallied 306 yards and two touchdowns for Arlington last season. The Renegades acquired Burnett via the UFL Merger Disposal Draft held in the beginning of 2024.
Next, Isaiah Winstead showed flashes as a rookie with Arlington last season – making 12 catches for 175 yards and two touchdowns. While the young receiver has potential, it will be hard for him to make a production jump with all three of Arlington’s starting receivers returning. However, Winstead is still a reliable threat off the bench.
Rounding out Arlington’s receiving corps are David Durden and LuJuan Winningham.
Durden joined the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent from West Florida in 2023 but was let go during the final preseason roster cuts that same year. Meanwhile, Winningham returns for his third season with the Renegades after taking a step back in production last season.
Tight Ends
- Sal Cannella
- Curtis Hodges
- Seth Green
The Renegades bring back standout tight end Sal Cannella, who was first on Arlington in both receptions (53) and touchdown catches (six), and second in receiving yardage (496) in 2024. Cannella has been spring football’s most productive tight end since his All-USFL season with the New Orleans Breakers in 2022.
Newcomer Curtis Hodges and returner Seth Green will be Cannella’s backups.
Offensive Line
- Adrian Ealy
- Marcus Minor
- Garrett McGhin
- Kellen Diesch
- Jacob Johanning
- Ricky Lee
- Alex Akingbulu
- Matt Farniok
Arlington’s offensive line was arguably the team’s weakest point offensively last season. The Renegades could never get a consistent rushing attack going and allowed Luis Perez to get pressured/sacked more than he should have. Especially with a pocket passer like Perez, who isn’t as mobile as some of the other star quarterbacks in the league, he needs sufficient time to process the field and make reads.
The Renegades are only returning two starters on their offensive line from last season – Adrian Ealy and Marcus Minor. Ealy played in nine games (six starts), allowing 22 quarterback hurries, two hits, and one sack while commiting four penalties at right tackle. Minor committed three penalties, while surrendering 10 hurries and three hits from his left guard position – which he played exclusively.
Garrett McGhin, who was a starter with Arlington during their 2023 XFL championship run, returns to the team after missing the entirety of 2024 with injury. He was an All-USFL tackle with the New Jersey Generals in 2022.
Arlington has brought in eight completely new offensive linemen this season.
Tackle Kellen Diesch has been with six NFL teams, mainly on offseason rosters/practice squads, since going undrafted out of Arizona State in 2022. Jacob Johanning was one of the top FCS offensive linemen with Furman in 2023 before graduating. Johanning will be in Arlington’s offensive line rotation at center. Former HBCU standout tackle Ricky Lee appeared in six games with the Carolina Panthers in 2023 after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent earlier the same year.
Alex Akingbulu and Matt Farniok were both claimed off waivers from Birmingham after being released as part of final training camp cuts.
Akingbulu signed with the Philadelphia Stars midway through the 2022 USFL season and worked his way into the starting lineup as a right tackle by the end of it. In the five games he started for the 2022 USFL runners-up, he allowed just one sack while recording a 73.1 PFF (Pro Football Focus) pass-blocking grade – ranked seventh among offensive linemen who played 150+ snaps that year.
Matt Farniok – a three-year starter at Nebraska before being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft – is more of a wildcard in terms of where he could play. He has sufficient collegiate and professional experience at all five positions; although, at 6-5 316 lbs, he may be slightly more suited to play tackle with his higher center of gravity.
Defensive Line
- Amani Bledsoe
- Chris Odom
- Durrell Johnson
- LaRon Stokes
- DaVonte Lambert
- Daviyon Nixon Sr.
- Kyon Barrs
Arlington’s biggest loss from last season is arguably the departure of defensive end Jalen Redmond, who has made a name for himself on the Minnesota Vikings. The Renegades have worked to address the gap left by Redmond with the additions of defensive linemen like Amani Bledsoe and Chris Odom.
Bledsoe, the former Oklahoma Sooner, totaled 17 tackles with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020. However, he hasn’t produced much in the NFL since. Meanwhile, Odom was the 2022 USFL Defensive Player of the Year with Houston Gamblers 2022. Last season, he notched 31 tackles and 5.5 sacks with the Roughnecks en route to All-UFL honors.
Durrell Johnson is also a notable addition to Arlington’s defensive line. In college, Johnson totaled 114 tackles, including 40.5 for a loss and 14.5 sacks, over three seasons at Liberty. He had a training camp stint with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted rookie in 2022 but was released due to injury.
On the inside, Arlington returns two guys from 2024: LaRon Stokes and DaVonte Lambert. Stokes started nine games at nose tackle for the Renegades, making 29 tackles and 1.0 sack. Lambert appeared in five games (two starts) with Arlington last year – garnering 10 tackles.
To bolster the interior line, Renegades general manager Rick Mueller signed two new defensive tackles over the offseason.
Daviyon Nixon Sr. was selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. Nixon Sr. made eight tackles before suffering a season-ending injury late in October during his rookie season. He made seven more tackles in the next year but was released by Carolina at the end of the season and has not played in an NFL game since. Before the NFL, he was a unanimous All-American defensive lineman at Iowa. He definitely has the pedigree to become a starter for the Renegades.
While Kyon Barrs’ resume doesn’t quite compare to Nixon’s, he still enjoyed productive collegiate careers which saw him total 120 tackles, including 12.5 for a loss and 5.0 sacks, in 51 games. Barrs spent four seasons at Arizona before transferring to USC for his final collegiate season.
Linebackers
- Donald Payne Jr.
- Storey Jackson
- Tuzar Skipper
- Will Clarke
- Willie Taylor III
- Caleb Johnson
- Charlie Thomas III
The Renegades return standout inside linebacker Donald Payne Jr., who led the team in tackles last season with 63. Payne Jr. has been a star at the spring football level since his All-USFL stint with the Houston Gamblers in 2022, which saw him lead the league in tackles.
Arlington also returns Storey Jackson, who was a backup at inside linebacker last season. Jackson made 23 tackles last year. Tuzar Skipper, Will Clarke, and Willie Taylor III also return as outside linebackers/edge rushers in the Renegades’ 3-4 defensive scheme. Skipper missed almost all of Arlington’s 2024 season on the Injured Reserve, while Clarke and Taylor III were rotational pieces at that edge rusher position.
Newcomers to Arlington’s linebacking corps include Caleb Johnson and Charlie Thomas III. Both will be in the mix at inside linebacker for Arlington.
Johnson shined at both UCLA and Miami (FL) during his three-year collegiate career, compiling 137 career tackles. He was picked up by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2023, where he spent training camp before being released.
Thomas III recorded 313 tackles, including 37.0 for a loss and 10.0 sacks, plus seven forced fumbles and four interceptions over five seasons from 2018 to 2022 at Georgia Tech. He spent the 2023 NFL season with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent, mainly on Cleveland’s practice squad.
Cornerbacks
- Ajene Harris
- Steven Jones Jr.
- Jamar Summers
- Chris Claybrooks
- Carlton Johnson
- Jayden Price
The Renegades enter the regular season with six cornerbacks rostered – split evenly between three returners and three newcomers.
Ajene Harris and Steven Jones Jr. highlight Arlington’s re-signings in the secondary.
In 2024, Harris started all of the Renegades’ games as an outside corner – making 37 tackles, five pass breakups, and one interception. He was previously an All-XFL cornerback in 2023 with the Houston Roughnecks before the UFL merger. Jones Jr. was Arlington’s nickelback last season, recording 29 tackles, three pass breakups, and two interceptions.
Jamar Summers also returns for another season with the Renegades. Summers was part of the rotation for Arlington last year.
Now for the new additions, the Renegades have definitely brought in some noteworthy corners for 2025.
Most notably, Chris Claybrooks was a seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He spent four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars – the team that drafted him – appearing in 26 games with six starts over that span. Overall, Claybrooks totaled 81 tackles and five pass breakups. He also has value as a return specialist, with 466 return yards in the NFL. The Jaguars released him after the 2023 season due to legal issues.
Carlton Johnson and Jayden Price, out of Fresno State and North Dakota State, respectively, were both in NFL training camps as undrafted rookies last year. However, both were released during final preseason cuts in the summer.
Safeties
- Nico Bolden
- Jamal Carter
- Myles Dorn
- Joe Powell
At the safety position, the Renegades keep their core intact while adding former Battlehawks safety Nico Bolden.
Both starters from last year– Jamal Carter and Myles Dorn – return for Arlington. Carter made 45 tackles with the Renegades last season and Dorn made 38 tackles, with two interceptions.
Joe Powell also returns in the Arlington secondary. Powell was a key piece on the Renegades’ championship defense in 2023, but was not retained by the team through the USFL-XFL merger. Arlington later re-signed him during the 2024 season in an effort to bolster its struggling defensive unit.
Special Teams
- Lucas Havrisik
- Marquette King
- Antonio Ortiz
The Renegades go into the 2025 regular season with a new kicker. Former Los Angeles Rams kicker Lucas Havrisik is 15-for-20 on NFL field goals, with a long of 52 yards.
Meanwhile, 36-year old punter Marquette King and long snapper Antonio Ortiz return for their third seasons with the Renegades.
What are your thoughts on Arlington’s roster for this season? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
