The Birmingham Stallions, led by head coach Skip Holtz, are 32-4 since the inaugural USFL season in 2022 – including a perfect 6-0 postseason record. The three-time champions operate a dynasty in spring football. They go into the 2025 UFL season looking to “four-peat” with a promising mix of returning players and newcomers.
The following is a breakdown of Birmingham’s 50-man roster entering the new season.
* all stats include both regular season and postseason – via PFF (Pro Football Focus)
Quarterbacks
- Alex McGough
- Matt Corral
- Case Cookus
2023 USFL MVP Alex McGough is back with the Stallions and is expected to be their main signal-caller to start the 2025 season. In 2023, McGough led Birmingham to a perfect 12-0 record and to the team’s second USFL Championship in a row. He was second in the league in passing yardage (2,655 yards) with a 67.8% completion rate. He tossed 28 touchdowns and just five interceptions. The dual threat also ran for 548 yards and six touchdowns – the most for a quarterback – on 87 attempts.
McGough signed with the Green Bay Packers after his successful spring season in 2023 and stuck around on their practice squad for two years. In 2024, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur announced that McGough would transition from quarterback to wide receiver, citing his athleticism made him more suited for the position. However, he’s back in spring football now as a quarterback.
McGough has reliable backup in 2022 NFL third-round pick Matt Corral and former Memphis Showboats & Philadelphia Stars quarterback Case Cookus.
Corral appeared in four contests for Birmingham last year but was primarily a backup to Adrian Martinez, who is currently under contract with the New York Jets.
Cookus spent two USFL seasons with the Philadelphia Stars before landing with the Memphis Showboats after the Stars dissolved as a result of the UFL merger. He didn’t play as well as many expected with the 2-8 Showboats last season and wasn’t re-signed by them over the offseason.
Running Backs
- C.J. Marable
- Ricky Person Jr.
- Larry Rountree III
The Stallions are returning all three of their running backs from last season.
C.J. Marable has amassed 1,511 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 351 carries in 33 games with Birmingham. Marable has been with the Stallions since the inaugural USFL season in 2022, and has played a key role offensively in all three of their championships.
Ricky Person Jr. has totaled 612 yards and seven touchdowns on 141 attempts since joining the team midway through 2023. Even as a midseason addition, Person Jr. was able to work into the rotation and play substantial snaps by the postseason. His role expanded even further in the next season, as he was able to double his rushing production with a full-season cycle – receiving more touches than Marable, in 2024.
Both Marable and Person Jr. have also provided value as pass-catchers out of the backfield, specifically Marable. Marable has hauled in 72 receptions for 538 yards and three touchdowns, while Person Jr. has brought in 18 catches for 195 yards and a touchdown.
Just like last season, Marable and Person Jr. should be running backs 1A and 1B for Birmingham. They have each earned NFL opportunities as a result of their spring football performances, with Marable spending time on the New England Patriots in 2023 and Person Jr. with the Seattle Seahawks last summer.
Meanwhile, Larry Rountree III only appeared in three games with the Stallions last season – garnering 88 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. He provides solid depth in Birmingham’s running backs corps.
Wide Receivers
- Deon Cain
- Marlon Williams
- Davion Davis
- Austin Watkins Jr.
- Amari Rodgers
- Cade Johnson
- Jalen Camp
The Stallions enter 2025 with arguably the scariest receiving corps in the league. Each receiver could probably be a starter on just about any other UFL team.
House names like Deon Cain and Marlon Williams return for their third and fourth seasons, respectively, with Birmingham. Cain was first on the Stallions among receivers in catches (37) and receiving yardage (461) last year, while Williams was second with 33 receptions for 399 yards and a tied-for-team-high four touchdowns.
Davion Davis and Austin Watkins Jr. also return for Birmingham after missing last season while on NFL rosters. During the 2023 USFL season, Davis led the Stallions in receptions (47) and receiving yardage (705) with seven touchdowns. Watkins had 16 receptions for 195 yards and one touchdown in nine games (six starts).
2021 NFL third-round selection Amari Rodgers is back for his second season with the Stallions. Rodgers notched 18 catches for 204 yards and three touchdowns. Both Rodgers and Marlon Williams were utilized almost exclusively in the slot last season. Davion Davis was also used heavily in the slot during the 2023 USFL season.
Newcomers Cade Johnson and Jalen Camp are both talented wide receivers with high football pedigrees. Johnson will be in the mix at the slot position, while Camp is an outside receiver.
Johnson was an All-FCS wide receiver at South Dakota State in 2019. After going undrafted in 2021, he spent three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, primarily on their practice squad.
Camp, who totaled 808 yards and five touchdowns on 48 receptions in 48 career games at Georgia Tech, was selected in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has since bounced around numerous offseason rosters/practice squads, with his most recent stint having been with the Cleveland Browns last summer.
Tight Ends
- Jace Sternberger
- Jordan Thomas
- LaMichael Pettway
Jace Sternberger has been one of Birmingham’s top pass-catchers, no matter the quarterback, since the 2023 USFL season. In 24 contests, he has notched 70 receptions for 1,165 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Stallions.
Jordan Thomas and LaMichael Pettway will be backing up Sternberger. Thomas had four receptions with the Stallions last season, while Pettway was released as part of final training camp roster cuts.
Offensive Line
- Cole Schneider
- Christian DiLauro
- Armani Taylor-Prioleau
- Barry Wesley
- Jarron Jones
- Deonte Brown
- Keaton Sutherland
- Lachavious Simmons
A consistently good offensive line is one of the many reasons the Stallions have had as much success as they’ve had over the past three years. This year, Birmingham returns three starters while also adding many talented linemen to reinforce the offensive line.
Cole Schneider started all 12 games for the Stallions at center in 2024. He was the highest-rated run blocker on PFF among Birmingham’s returning offensive linemen for this season. On a team-high 681 snaps, he committed just one penalty while allowing 12 quarterback pressures.
Meanwhile, starting offensive tackles Christian DiLauro and Armani Taylor-Prioleau are entering their second seasons with the Stallions. DiLauro allowed zero sacks in eight starts with Birmingham last season. However, he committed a team-high eight penalties. On the other end, Taylor-Prioleau allowed just seven pressures, including one sack, with the team last year.
Barry Wesley – who will be in the rotation at tackle – was a starter with the 2023 XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons before earning a training camp opportunity with the Atlanta Falcons where he stuck around on their practice squad for one season.
While tackle Jarron Jones was successful throughout the USFL’s existence with the Tampa Bay Bandits and Memphis Showboats, he struggled during the UFL’s inaugural season, allowing 34 quarterback pressures, including seven sacks, and committing nine penalties on Memphis in 2024. Perhaps a change of scenery is exactly what he needs to get back on track.
On the inside, Deonte Brown – the big 6-3 344 lbs interior offensive lineman – started Birmingham’s 2024 season opener against left guard, but went down early in the game with an injury and missed the rest of the regular season. Brown will be in the guard rotation with former Texas A&M interior lineman Keaton Sutherland and 2020 NFL seventh-round pick Lachavious Simmons.
Both Sutherland and Simmons have started in at least one NFL game during their respective careers.
Defensive Line
- Carlos Davis
- Marvin Wilson
- Perrion Winfrey
- Willie Yarbary
- Ronnie Perkins
- Myjai Sanders
- Bradlee Anae
- D.J. Coleman
Defensive tackles Carlos Davis and Marvin Wilson highlight Birmingham’s defensive line going into the 2025 regular season. Both played their first seasons with the Stallions last season.
Davis had 26 tackles and a league-high 8.0 sacks in 11 games last season. Wilson also made 26 tackles last year, while compiling 2.0 sacks.
Perrion Winfrey, a newcomer at defensive tackle, should also almost certainly be a key contributor in Birmingham’s interior rotation. Winfrey was a two year-starter at Oklahoma, where he totaled 42 tackles, including 16.0 for a loss and 6.0 sacks. The Cleveland Browns selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft and he went on to post 22 tackles in 13 games during his rookie season.
Willie Yarbary, entering his fourth season with the Stallions, provides veteran experience and rounds out Birmingham’s interior defensive line. Yarbary appeared in seven games last season – missing five due to injury – and made 16 tackles.
On the edge, the Stallions have totally revamped themselves with all newcomers. It’s hard to project who will be starters with all the talent in the position group.
Ronnie Perkins and Myjai Sanders were third-round draft selections in the 2021 and 2022, respectively.
Perkins was a two-time Second-Team All-Big 12 selection at Oklahoma (2019, 2020). He totaled 13 tackles with the Denver Broncos during his third season in the NFL, the only one where he saw any live-game action.
Meanwhile, Sanders totaled 115 career tackles, including 25.0 for a loss and 13.5 sacks in 48 career games at Cincinnati. At the NFL level, he made 30 tackles, including 7.0 for a loss and 3.0 sacks in 20 games between the Arizona Cardinals (2022) and Houston Texans (2023).
Bradlee Anae and D.J. Coleman also have some impressive collegiate resumes.
Anae was a Consensus All-American in 2019 and a back-to-back All-Pac-12 defensive end at Utah before being selected in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He made just two tackles in his sophomore NFL season, the only year he recorded statistics.
On the other hand, Coleman was a standout through four seasons at Jacksonville State before transferring to Missouri in 2022, where he recorded 37 tackles, including 8.5 for a loss and 4.5 sacks in his final year of collegiate eligibility. He signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2023, where he spent almost two seasons, primarily on their practice squad.
With none of these defensive ends being heavier than 260 lbs, the Stallions are clearly prioritizing smaller, more speedy edge rushers.
Linebackers
- Kyahva Tezino
- Tae Crowder
- Chapelle Russell
- DeMarquis Gates
The Stallions are only carrying four linebackers on their final roster. Kyahva Tezino, Tae Crowder, Chapelle Russell, and DeMarquis Gates are all primarily inside linebackers, and will be utilized as such in Birmingham’s 4-2-5 base scheme, which only utilizes two linebackers on the field.
Tezino was Birmingham’s starting middle linebacker last season – recording a team-high 74 tackles, including 3.0 for a loss, and three passes defended. In the prior year with the Pittsburgh Maulers, he was an All-USFL selection as he was second league-wide in tackles made (84).
Tezino will be effective alongside newcomers Tae Crowder and Chapelle Russell in helping stop the run.
Crowder is arguably one of Birmingham’s most notable additions from the offseason. The 2020 NFL Draft Mr. Irrelevant racked up 232 tackles along with eight passes defended over three seasons with the New York Giants from 2020 to 2022. He started in 31 games over that span.
Russell, the former Temple standout, was drafted 14 picks earlier than Crowder in the same draft and made 18 tackles during the 2021 NFL season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. His stint with Birmingham will be the first professional live-game action he’s seen since then.
On Monday, Mar. 24, the Stallions signed DeMarquis Gates off the “Did Not Report” List. Gates has spent two seasons with the Stallions – in 2022 and 2024. In 20 games, he totaled 103 tackles, 12.0 sacks, four pass breakups, and two interceptions. He was an All-USFL selection with Birmingham in 2022 and a Midseason All-XFL linebacker with the Houston Roughnecks back in 2020.
Cornerbacks
- Madre Harper
- Daniel Isom
- Faion Hicks
- Rachad Wildgoose
- Tre Norwood
- Mario Goodrich
- Shyheim Carter
- Steven Gilmore
At the cornerback position, it’s a mix of two returning players and six new faces for Birmimgham in 2025. Going into the regular season with eight corners, the Stallions will have plenty of options for their rotation.
Both of Birmingham’s returning cornerbacks – Madre Harper and Daniel Isom – made six starts each for the Stallions last season. Harper had 25 tackles and one pass breakup, while Isom had 29 tackles, along with three pass breakups and two interceptions. Harper plays on the outside and Isom is primarily a slot corner, with some experience at free safety from last year, too.
Faion Hicks, Rachad Wildgoose, and Tre Norwood – all new additions – are former NFL third-day draft selections. Hicks and Wildgoose both spent the entirety of their collegiate careers at Wisconsin, while Norwood starred at Oklahoma for three seasons.
Hicks made two tackles last NFL season with the Seattle Seahawks before being released. He signed with the Stallions on Mar. 15 – midway through training camp.
Wildgoose made 15 tackles and three pass breakups in 16 games (three starts) with the Washington Commanders in 2022. Overall, he has been with four NFL organizations since being drafted in 2021.
Meanwhile, Norwood missed the entirety of his junior collegiate season with an injury in 2019, but returned in 2020 and co-led the Big 12 in picks made (five). Norwood went on to make 61 tackles with four pass breakups and one interception in his first two NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers but hasn’t seen much live-game action since being released in 2023.
Mario Goodrich – another newcomer – was a CFP national champion with Clemson in 2019 as a backup. Goodrich broke out during his senior campaign in 2021 – his first season as a full-time starter. He had a career-high 42 tackles with nine pass breakups and two interceptions on the way to First-Team All-ACC honors. Since going undrafted in 2022, he’s primarily been a practice squad player.
Rounding out Birmingham’s corners are Shyheim Carter and Steven Gilmore.
Carter had 101 tackles, 21 pass breakups, and three interceptions over four seasons at Alabama before going undrafted in 2020. Gilmore, the younger brother of All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore, was a standout through five seasons at Marshall – totaling 200 career tackles, 44 pass breakups, and nine interceptions in 60 games. He spent training camp with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
On paper, there’s no UFL cornerback group with as much talent or depth as Birmingham’s.
Safeties
- Kenny Robinson Jr.
- JoJo Tillery
- A.J. Thomas
The Stallions return three safeties from last year – and that’s all they apparently need.
Kenny Robinson Jr. was a full-time starter last year and was moved between the two safety positions. Robinson Jr. totaled 44 tackles, three pass breakups, and one interception in 12 games
JoJo Tillery, who missed the second half of last season with an injury, is entering his fourth season with Birmingham. Last year, Tillery was a starter until his injury forced him out. In his career with the Stallions, he has made 97 tackles with five pass breakups and two interceptions.
Following Tillery’s injury, A.J. Thomas took his spot. Thomas finished the 2024 season with 27 tackles, along with two pass breakups and three picks made in 12 games.
Special Teams
- Colby Wadman
- Ryan Langan
- Harrison Mevis
The Stallions return punter Colby Wadman and long snapper Ryan Langan on special teams.
Wadman missed a few games last season with an injury, but has proven to be one of the best punters in spring football, when healthy, since coming onto the scene in 2022. He was an All-USFL selection in 2023 with Birmingham.
Langan has also been with the team since the USFL’s inaugural season in 2022 and has been a key member of Birmingham’s successful special teams unit.
Harrison Mevis, Birmingham’s new kicker, is coming off a rookie training camp stint with the Carolina Panthers from last summer. He was an All-American kicker at Missouri.
What are your thoughts on the Birmingham Stallions roster for the 2025 season? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
