The DC Defenders are looking to rebound coming off a lackluster 2024 UFL season where they finished with a 4-6 record – missing the playoffs and falling short of their lofty expectations. Heading into 2025, the team has bolstered its roster with significant additions on both offense and defense, while also retaining some key contributors from prior years. Below is a player-by-player analysis of the D.C. Defenders’ 50-man roster.
Quarterbacks
- Jordan Ta’amu
- Mike DiLiello
- Spencer Sanders
Jordan Ta’amu is back for his third season with the Defenders and will be the team’s starter.
Ta’amu took a step back in 2024 after leading his team to an appearance in the 2023 XFL Championship. The 2024 Defenders finished with a 4-6 record, while Ta’amu completed 57.5% of his passes for 1,846 yards and 15 touchdowns with nine interceptions. In comparison, Ta’amu, named the XFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2023, threw only three interceptions that season, completing 62.6% of his passes for a league-leading 1,878 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Along with his time with the Defenders, Ta’amu has been with the St. Louis Battlehawks (2020 XFL) and Tampa Bay Bandits (2022 USFL).
Behind Ta’amu will be returning backup Mike DiLiello and former All Big-12 quarterback Spencer Sanders.
DiLiello was picked up by D.C. during the 2024 season after backup Deondre Francois was moved to the Injured Reserve. While DiLiello was a standout at Austin Peay in college, he has no professional experience aside from this stint with the Defenders.
Sanders was a four-year starter at Oklahoma State before he transferred to Ole Miss in 2023, where he spent the entirety of his final collegiate season as a backup. This is Sanders’ first professional opportunity since going undrafted last year.
Running Backs
- Abram Smith
- Deon Jackson
- Darius Hagans
Abram Smith, the 2023 XFL rushing leader, returns to the Defenders after being sidelined for the entirety of last season with a torn ACL. And without Smith, D.C.’s rushing attack really struggled– obtaining a league-worst 57.3 PFF (Pro Football Focus) rushing grade in 2024.
The Defenders also brought in Deon Jackson over the offseason.
Jackson was picked up by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2021. He was previously a standout at Duke, where he rushed for 2,267 and 18 touchdowns in four seasons. Most of his production in the NFL came during the 2022 season, which saw him appear in 16 games (two starts) and rush for 236 yards and one touchdown on 68 attempts. He also hauled in 30 receptions for 209 yards and one touchdown, so he definitely provides value as a receiving back.
Lastly, Darius Hagans was with the Defenders last season as a backup. Hagans totaled 172 yards and one touchdown on 48 carries. He appears to be behind Smith and Jackson on the depth chart.
Wide Receivers
- Ty Scott
- Chris Rowland
- Jaydon Mickens
- Cornell Powell
- Javon Antonio
- Braylon Sanders
Young wide receiver Ty Scott emerged as a rising superstar for the Defenders last season. Initially a second-stringer, Scott would see more and more of the field as the season progressed and eventually worked his way into the starting lineup. He finished the 2024 campaign with 418 yards and three touchdowns on 25 receptions.
Chris Rowland, who was D.C.’s primary return specialist in 2024, is also back for the 2025 season. Rowland led the Defenders in all-purpose yardage last year, with 1,651 yards. He netted a combined 1,360 yards on kick and punt returns, plus 262 yards and three touchdowns on 20 receptions. With starting slot receiver Keke Coutee not returning for the Defenders, there’s a prime opportunity for Rowland to take over his spot this season.
The rest of the 2025 Defenders’ receiving corps is made up of new signings. Veteran professional receiver Jaydon Mickens, who was signed during the offseason, highlights the bunch.
Mickens has accrued 145 receiving yards and two touchdown catches since going undrafted in 2016. His smaller build (5-10 174 lbs) and route-running ability make him a better fit in the slot. However, he’s been utilized both on the outside and inside throughout his football career. He also has substantial collegiate and professional experience as a return specialist. Most notably, he was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ kickoff returner in their Super Bowl LV victory.
Meanwhile, the other three new additions were all signed during training camp earlier this month.
Cornell Powell spent five seasons at Clemson from 2016 to 2020, recording a career 93 receptions, 1,211 yards, and 10 touchdowns. Most of that production came during a breakout redshirt senior campaign in his first season as a full-time starter with the Tigers. After college, Powell – selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft – stuck around with the Kansas City Chiefs for almost four seasons, primarily on their practice squad.
The Defenders also added a pair of slightly younger former power-five wideouts – Javon Antonio (Colorado) and Braylon Sanders (Ole Miss). Antonio went unselected in the 2024 NFL Draft, while Sanders went undrafted in 2022.
Tight Ends
- Mason Fairchild
- Briley Moore-McKinnely
- Ben Bresnahan
Over the past two years, the Defenders have employed a shared approach at tight end – with no single tight end standing out in terms of production.
Mason Fairchild – undrafted in 2024 out of Kansas – could certainly be a top component along with Briley Moore-McKinnely, who has two prior years of experience with the Defenders. Moore-McKinnely had nine receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown in five games with D.C. last season – missing half the season due to injury.
Rounding out the tight ends, Ben Bresnahan was a reserve and only appeared in one game with D.C. last season.
Offensive Line
- Michael Maietti
- Yasir Durant
- Lamont Gailard
- Jarrid Williams
- Gunner Britton
- Mason Brooks
- Johari Branch
- Tykeem Doss
The Defenders are only returning two full-time starters on their offensive line from last season: Michael Maietti and Yasir Durant.
Maietti started all 10 games at center for D.C. in 2024, allowing eight quarterback hurries, one hit, and two sacks while committing just one penalty. Durant started all 10 games for the Defenders, too, and committed two penalties, while surrendering three hurries on 520 snaps — 293 at left guard and 227 at left tackle.
With 2024 starters Liam Fornadel and D’Marcus Hayes no longer on D.C.’s roster, players like Lamont Gaillard and Jarrid Williams will probably see their roles expand from last year.
Gaillard came off the bench in the Defenders’ first five games of the 2024 season before being inserted into the starting lineup at left guard in week six. In four starts, Gaillard surrendered just two quarterback pressures while obtaining a 74.9 PFF run-blocking grade – second among UFL offensive linemen who played 150+ snaps. He missed D.C.’s last game of the season due to injury.
Meanwhile, the Defenders signed Williams in week two of the 2024 season – a few weeks after the San Antonio Brahmas released him as part of final training camp roster cutdowns. In four starts at tackle, he allowed just two quarterback pressures while committing no penalties.
The other four offensive linemen on the Defenders’ 50-man roster are all newcomers. Each one is young with a productive collegiate past and NFL experience to an extent.
Guard Gunner Britton joins the Defenders off a rookie training camp stint with the Buffalo Bills last summer. Britton was a Second-Team All-SEC honoree in 2023 during his only season with Auburn after transferring from Western Kentucky.
Tackle Mason Brooks also transferred to an SEC school – Ole Miss – from Western Kentucky in 2022. He has been with three different NFL organizations since going undrafted in 2023, mainly on offseason rosters/practice squads.
Johari Branch will be former All-American Michael Maietti’s backup at center. Branch started a total of 30 games in the Big Ten for the Terps from 2020 through 2022. Since going undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft, he has spent time with the Los Angeles Chargers as well as the Massachusetts Pirates, where he was a member of the IFL’s All-Rookie Team for the 2024 season
To wrap it up, Tykeem Doss – the big 6-5 380 lbs interior offensive linemen out of Southern Miss – spent the entirety of his rookie NFL season on the Baltimore Ravens practice squad in 2023. He was released by Baltimore last summer before a brief training camp stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Defensive Line
- Malik Fisher
- Davin Bellamy
- Derick Roberson
- Andre Mintze
- Kyle Phillips
- Joe Wallace
- Niles Scott
- Dennis Johnson
- Devonnsha Maxwell
There should be no issue with depth for D.C.’s defensive ends, with the team returning its big three at the defensive end position from 2024: Malik Fisher, Derick Roberson, and Davin Bellamy.
Fisher made 33 tackles with 7.0 sacks – tied for second league-wide, while Roberson had 32 tackles and 4.5 sacks last season. Bellamy was an All-USFL and All-XFL selection with the New Orleans Breakers (2022) and Defenders (2023). He took a slight step back in production last season – netting just 1.0 sack compared to the 6.0 sacks he totaled in each of the prior two seasons. These three players should cause issues for competing offensive lines.
The Defenders have also brought back Andre Mintze, who recorded six tackles and 0.5 sack in a backup role last year. Mintze has been with the team for two seasons and is entering his third. Additionally, D.C. picked up former Tennessee defensive end Kyle Phillips just last week after he was released by the Stallions as part of final roster cuts. Phillips, an undrafted free agent in 2019, recorded 65 tackles, including 13.0 for a loss and 2.5 sacks over three seasons (2019 to 2021) with the New York Jets.
On the inside, Joe Wallace, Niles Scott, and Dennis Johnson return for the Defenders.
Wallace started the first four games of the Defenders’ 2024 season before sustaining a season-ending injury. Scott became a full-time starter after Wallace went down, and totaled 29 tackles in seven starts. Meanwhile, Johnson came off the bench in the nine games he appeared in last year. He totaled 14 tackles in his first season with the Defenders.
D.C. also brought in Devonnsha Maxwell over the offseason to compensate for the retirement of T.J. Barnes, who was with the Defenders last season.
Maxwell broke program records in his five seasons at Chattanooga before going undrafted in 2023. The Cincinnati Bengals picked him up as an undrafted free agent, but he suffered a season-ending injury in preseason and was later released.
Linebackers
- Anthony Hines III
- MoMo Sanogo
- Brian Abraham
- Shayne Simon
- Ferrod Gardner
Anthony Hines III and MoMo Sanogo are back for their third and second seasons with the Defenders, respectively.
Hines III was D.C.’s tackling leader, recording 60 tackles last year, while Sanogo had 25 in his part-time starting role. Hines III should retain his starting inside linebacker position while Sanogo could see his role from last year expand with linebackers Francis Bernard and Reggie Northrup not returning.
Ferrod Gardner also returns for his third season with the Defenders. He’s never been a starter but that could change this season with Bernard and Northrup no longer on the roster.
Meanwhile, Brian Abraham (Albany) and Shayne Simon (Pittsburgh) both had productive collegiate careers, but don’t have too much professional experience. Both went unpicked in the 2023 NFL Draft. Simon is a pure inside linebacker, while Abraham was utilized more as an outside ‘backer/edge rusher in college.
Cornerbacks
- Deandre Baker
- Kiondre Thomas
- Bryce Thompson
- Kelvin Joseph
- Michael Ojemudia
- Willie Drew Jr.
There’s a lot of talent in this Defenders’ cornerbacks room from top to bottom.
2024 All-UFL honoree Deandre Baker is the only starter returning from last season – 2017 NFL first-round pick Gareon Conley and All-XFL corner Michael Joseph have retired from football.
Meanwhile, Kiondre Thomas and Bryce Thompson were both starters in the UFL last season with the Houston Roughnecks and San Antonio Brahmas, respectively. They will definitely be in the mix to become starting corners, along with corners entering their first season of spring football like Kelvin Joseph and Michael Ojemudia.
Joseph, out of Kentucky, was a NFL second-round draft selection in 2021 and totaled 36 tackles and four pass breakups in two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys before being traded in the summer of 2023.
Ojemudia was also a day-two NFL draft pick – selected by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He finished his rookie season with 62 tackles, six passes defended, and four forced fumbles in 16 contests (11 starts). Hindered by injuries and new competition at his position that made him play less, he never produced at the same rate after his rookie year.
Willie Drew Jr. rounds out D.C.’s cornerbacks going into training camp. Drew Jr. – from Virginia State – spent training camp with the Carolina Panthers after signing as an undrafted free agent last summer.
Safeties
- Montae Nicholson
- Deontay Anderson
- Tayler Hawkins
- Sam Kidd
At the safety position, the Defenders return Montae Nicholson and 2023 All-XFL honoree Deontay Anderson. Nicholson made 19 tackles last season, while Anderson tallied 17 tackles with the Defenders, a downgrade from his production in 2023 with the XFL’s Vegas Vipers, which saw him record a staggering 52 tackles. Over the offseason, D.C. also signed former San Diego State safety Tayler Hawkins.
On another note, Sam Kidd is back in action after missing the entirety of D.C.’s 2024 season due to an injury sustained during training camp.
Special Teams
- Matt McCrane
- Paxton Brooks
- Trae Barry
The Defenders keep their special teams core intact – returning kicker Matt McCrane, punter Paxton Brooks, and long snapper Trae Barry.
What are your thoughts on this DC Defenders squad heading into the 2025 UFL season? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
