Grading UFL To NFL Probability: St. Louis Battlehawks | Jacob Saylors
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Breaking Down The St. Louis Battlehawks 2025 UFL Roster

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It’s a new era of football for the St. Louis Battlehawks, kicking off this Friday. Under the leadership of HC Anthony Becht, the Battlehawks will feature a new Offensive Coordinator, and a new starting quarterback in 2025.

This St. Louis team certainly feels like they fell short of what they could have achieved a year ago. After winning the XFL Conference in the regular season, the Battlehawks were defeated on their home turf by San Antonio in the playoffs. It was a rough end to what was such a promising campaign, and left the organization with some questions following their loss.

Now, the Battlehawks are reloaded for 2025, ready to make a push back to the UFL playoffs. Let’s take a look at who this team has rostered, and what we can expect from St. Louis this year.

Quarterbacks

Manny Wilkins
Max Duggan
Chevan Cordeiro

It’s an entirely different scene in St. Louis’ quarterback room this season. The only returnee is Manny Wilkins, who is fighting for the starting role with Duggan. Wilkins has been with the Battlehawks the last couple of years – and was able to start in two games for St. Louis a year ago, when A.J. McCarron went down with injury.

Truthfully, Wilkins isn’t a prospect to be too excited about in St. Louis. He’s serviceable and scrappy – but, as a pure passer, he’s struggled. This was evident in their loss to Arlington, where Wilkins turned the ball over three times in the second half as the Battlehawks collapsed. Hopefully, with a full training camp where he was able to take starting snaps under his belt, Wilkins’ decision making will be stronger this season.

Max Duggan joins St. Louis, after spending some time in the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers. Duggan, the former TCU standout, was a big acquisition for the Battlehawks this offseason. He’s currently projected to be QB2, but could end up taking starting snaps on Friday night depending on how it all shakes out. Max is a mobile quarterback, and with some development, could be an asset to this Battlehawks offense. It’s tough to exactly judge how Max will perform in St. Louis, as his time with the Chargers was inconsistent from start to finish.

Chevan Cordeiro enters the season as QB3, but don’t sleep on the San Jose State standout. Cordeiro was drafted by the Battlehawks this summer, and signed with the team the same time as Duggan did. Chevan is a guy who’s elusive in the pocket, and can use his legs to make plays on the whim. It wouldn’t be at all surprising to see him get onto the field at some point during the year, especially if Duggan and/or Wilkins aren’t performing up to the STL standard. Coach Becht loves what he’s seen from Chevan, but wants him to get more comfortable at the pro level before putting him out on the gridiron.

Running Backs

Jacob Saylors
Kevon Latulas
Jarveon Howard

The Battlehawks are thrilled to bring back Jacob Saylors, who earned All-UFL honors a season ago. Saylors burst onto the scene in St. Louis a couple of weeks into the season, taking over as the team’s starter and never looking back. Saylors rushed for 461 yards (leading all running backs), alongside five touchdowns (T-2nd). He’s explosive, but also physical – and fits perfectly into the type of offense that Becht wants to run. Expect plenty more out of Jacob this upcoming season, especially with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.

Kevon Latulas has also made the Battlehawks roster, after primarily being a special teams contributor a year ago. Kevon, formerly a draft pick by St. Louis, will look to build upon his collegiate success in the UFL this year. Finally, Jarveon Howard is an impressive offseason addition by Becht & Boller, having previously spent time with the Packers this preseason. Jarveon was a standout at Alcorn State during his final couple of years, and is a younger prospect who should provide the team with youth, which is something they lacked a bit last year with the age of someone like Wayne Gallman in the backfield.

Wide Receivers

Hakeem Butler
Blake Jackson
Jahcour Pearson
Frank Darby
Sam Wiglusz
Denzel Mims
Gary Jennings

The wide receiver room has also seen shifts in St. Louis. Marcell Ateman and Darrius Shepherd are gone, and in their place the Battlehawks have signed some impressive names.

First and foremost, though, the Battlehawks have re-signed Hakeem Butler. The UFL’s Offensive POTY has dominated the spring scene the last two seasons, and will look to lead the WR room once again. Butler’s big body makes him into one of the toughest wideouts to guard in the league, which has been made evident in every game he’s played in. The Battlehawks have also returned Jahcour Pearson and Blake Jackson, two speedy slot receivers who will likely see bigger roles this year. Pearson, in particular, deserves more reps. He was electric in the XFL with Seattle, but injuries kept him sidelined for the first few weeks of the 2024 season. With a full Training Camp under his belt, Jahcour should see more action.

Highlighting the new faces is Denzel Mims, a former second round draft pick with the New York Jets in 2020. Mims’ fallout from the NFL has resulted in him turning to the UFL, and we’ll see if he can get back on track. Even though he has an impressive resume, there’s no guarantee that Denzel shines with St. Louis.

Frank Darby and Sam Wiglusz are a couple of exciting pickups as well. Wiglusz was a standout at Ohio University, while Darby has some NFL experience with the Atlanta Falcons as a sixth round draft pick. Expect Darby to pick up some of the reps that Ateman had the past two seasons in The Lou. Finally, the Battlehawks have also brought back Gary Jennings – who was with the team in 2023. Jennings played with the Stallions last year, but now finds his way back to the Battlehawks. He’s a versatile receiver who will likely be a special teams contributor.

Tight Ends

Jake Sutherland
Chase Allen

The Battlehawks are once again running with a 2-TE system, but only return half of their 2024 room. Jake Sutherland is back, as one of the most underrated tight ends in this scene. Sutherland has consistently shown up for St. Louis, especially in red zone situations (such as PATs). He’s a big body who is a capable blocker, and someone who’s developed an outstanding relationship with Anthony Becht – who clearly loves his tight ends. Replacing Kemari Averett is Chase Allen, the former Chicago Bear. Allen is an Iowa State product who earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors his final two seasons.

Offensive Line

Jaryd Jones-Smith
Juwann Bushell-Beatty
Steven Gonzalez
Abdul Beecham
Mike Panasiuk
Dohnovan West
Bradley Ashmore
Cole Spencer
Ryan Coll

In spring football, it’s difficult to keep an offensive line intact from season to season. However, this is something that Anthony Becht has been able to consistently accomplish, as the Battlehawks bring back the majority of their O-Line from a year ago.

Between Jaryd Jones-Smith, Mike Panasiuk, Juwann Bushell-Beatty, and Steven Gonzalez, the Battlehawks now have four of their major contributors from the last two seasons back in action. Panasiuk has earned All-XFL/All-UFL honors the last two years, while Jones-Smith was named to the All-UFL list in 2024 as well. Gonzalez is a fan favorite, having started in every game over the past two seasons. Abdul Beecham and Dohnovan West have been rotational pieces – but both are talented players who bring depth and spring experience to the table.

St. Louis also brought in three new faces, highlighted by Cole Spencer. Spencer’s lengthy college career resulted in an UDFA opportunity with the Titans this past summer. Ashmore is another exciting pickup, as one of their college draft picks from ‘24. Also, it’s worth noting that Ryan Coll – the former Colt – opted out of playing for the CFL’s Argonauts to make his way back to the states to play for St. Louis.

Defensive Line

Austin Faoliu
Freedom Akinmoladun
T.J. Pesefea
Isaiah Mack
Phil Hoskins
Kyler Baugh
Pita Taumoepenu
Travis Feeney
Carson Wells
Chris Garrett

Up front, the Battlehawks have made some changes, to strengthen the trenches. At DT, they have Austin Faoliu and Freedom Akinmoladun back in action, two of the key starters from a year ago. Also, T.J. Pesefea returns – a young and upcoming player who filled in well while Faoliu dealt with injuries.

Isaiah Mack, Phil Hoskins, and Kyler Baugh are three new DT’s who should without a doubt make a major impact for this defensive line. Mack and Hoskins are two guys to get quite excited about, given their past NFL success and resumes. Hoskins has 13 tackles and a sack to his name in the NFL, having been a former seventh round draft pick by Carolina. Isaiah is a veteran who’s been on plenty of practice squads, and is looking to make his mark as a starter in the UFL.

At EDGE, the Battlehawks brought back every piece from 2024. Pita Taumoepenu is back to lead the charge, alongside a fan favorite in Travis Feeney. The two combined for 58 tackles and 10 sacks a year ago, as two of the top pass rushers in the UFL. They’re poised to start once again, and for good reason. They’ve both seen quite a bit of success in Donnie Abraham’s system, and that should continue into the upcoming season.

Also returning is Carson Wells and Chris Garrett, two rotational pieces who can contribute at a high level when their names are called upon. Garrett is the reigning UFL Special Teams POTY, blocking a couple of punts as he made a name for himself in The Lou with consistent, gritty play.

Linebackers

Mike Rose
Willie Harvey Jr.
Callahan O’Reilly
Olakunle Fatukasi

For the Battlehawks, it was a focus to return their standout defensive playmakers from last season. The good news: both linebackers Mike Rose and Willie Harvey Jr. have returned. Harvey earned All-UFL honors in 2024 after leading the league in tackles, and setting the Battlehawks’ franchise record for tackles made in one season (78).

Rose has always been one of the smartest linebackers in the spring scene. Unfortunately, health has been an issue for him. If Mike can actually stay on the field for a full year, expect big things out of him statistically.

Olakunle Fatukasi is another prospect who is bound to make some waves in the UFL this season. He’s spent time in the NFL with Buccaneers, playing in 13 games in 2022 before being waived in December of that year. Fatukasi was a standout at Rutgers prior to playing in the NFL for three years. Finally, Callahan O’Reilly is a young prospect who impressed last season, before an injury sidelined him for the rest of the year as well. He’s a sure tackler who can fill in and play high-IQ football at any point.

Secondary

Brandon Sebastian
Chris Payton-Jones
Qwynnterrio Cole
Kameron Kelly
Nate Meadors
Nick Whiteside
Myles Jones
Myles Simms
Lukas Denis

This secondary is going to be tough to throw against in the UFL this season. The Battlehawks have basically combined some of their top playmakers from 2023 and 2024 into one roster, with one of the top units the team has seen at the position.

Starting out with the 2024 standouts, Chris Payton-Jones and Brandon Sebastian both return. Sebastian has been with St. Louis since 2023, and was playing excellent football prior to an injury in week seven that ended his season short. Payton-Jones, the former Sea Dragon, was another contributor who had 37 tackles, two TFL’s, and five PBU’s. Chris consistently took on some of the toughest assignments for St. Louis week in and week out.

At safety, both Qwynnterrio Cole and Kameron Kelly are back in action. The two were a stellar duo in 2024, making it difficult for QB’s to throw the ball deep against STL all year long. However, here is where things get a bit interesting. Lukas Denis has returned to the roster, formerly a ‘23 starter who made his way to the Falcons and spent a year there. Denis, given his background, is someone who should be competing for starting minutes this season.

Additionally, the Battlehawks have signed Nate Meadors, another ‘23 starter that was tremendous at DB which led to an NFL opportunity for him as well, with the Steelers. We’ll have to see how this translates into this upcoming campaign, but Meadors should fit in quite well with his former teammates (Sebastian, Denis) – alongside the new faces.

Finally, the Battlehawks have brought in some fresh blood. Nick Whiteside is a young prospect who should see playing time throughout the year. Also, Myles Simms and Myles Jones – two UFL college draft picks by St. Louis – signed with the team this offseason, and both end up on the final roster.

Special Teams

K Rodrigo Blankenship
P Sterling Hofrichter
LS Alex Matheson

St. Louis has been able to bring back two of their mainstays on special teams, with P Sterling Hofrichter and LS Alex Matheson both re-signing. The two have been an excellent duo at punter and long snapper, and Hofrichter has shown that he can also be utilized in trick play scenarios in seasons past. Considering their quality play the last two seasons, it isn’t surprising to see both back.

At kicker, Andre Szymt is on a futures deal with the Browns, so St. Louis needed a replacement. They’ve brought in Rodrigo “Hot Rod” Blankenship, the former Colt who spent a few years in the NFL. He’s an outstanding kicker who elevates this specialist unit to a new level, and has the tangibles needed for an All-UFL campaign in 2025.

Final Thoughts

For the Battlehawks, a lack of talent has never been the issue. Once again, this team is loaded to the brim with guys who are proven in the spring scene – or, have legitimate NFL experience.

Now the question remains: can they put it all together on the field when it matters most? Without A.J. McCarron, it will be intriguing to see who steps up as a leader for this team offensively. Their QB room is almost entirely brand new, and Wilkins has a lot of growing to do in his own regard. While St. Louis should be in a position to make another postseason run, if they don’t execute early on in the season, it could spell trouble for the league’s most passionate fanbase.

What are your thoughts on this St. Louis Battlehawks roster heading into 2025? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!

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