UFL College Draft Breakdown: Houston Roughnecks | Eyabi Okie
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UFL College Draft Breakdown: Houston Roughnecks

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When taken at face value, one might believe the Houston Roughnecks had the worst UFL College draft selections of all.

While most of the UFL teams opted to take a swing at NFL rostered players, Houston took a more conservative approach. Because of this their selections don’t hold the same star power as their opponents. And while it’s tempting to view this as a downside- it might just be the very reason Houston has the most successful class when everything pans out this spring.

The Roughnecks also made a change at General Manager prior to the draft being held. Lionel Vital parted ways with the league, and former Brahmas’ GM Will Lewis has taken control to work alongside Head Coach C.J. Johnson.

Draft Strategy

Because of the complicated nature of a spring football draft – team strategies differ wildly from one another. After being drafted by a UFL team, the player may choose if they want to sign or not. And even after they sign, players may still opt out until 2025 to go play in the NFL. This difference means GMs are no longer just picking the best player available. They have to select the best player available – that’s willing to select them back.

With everyone trying to toe the fine line between drafting a player that will probably just stay in the NFL or drafting a player that’s just not worth wasting a pick on, there are bound to be teams that choose a more conservative or aggressive approach. The Houston Roughnecks find themselves on the far end of the conservative side that has both its pros and cons.

7 out of the 10 players Houston selected are free agents and have a much higher chance of signing with the UFL. This decision increases the probability of Houston getting some return on investment from the college draft- but somewhat limits the ceiling of the franchise. By refusing to take a swing on a big name QB (i.e. Sam Hartman) or a franchise changing playmaker- Houston is essentially saying they believe they can bring in star talent based on free agency alone.

While it’s been done before, (AJ Mccaron in STL or Matt Corral in BHAM) Houston has a much harder job cut out for themselves selling the brand following a 1-9 season.

With that being said- lets quickly go pick by pick and breakdown what Houston stands to gain from the 2024 Collegiate Draft.

1 / Eyabi Okie / DE / Charlotte

While certainly not a household name nowadays, out of high school Eyabi Okie was one of the most sought after names in the recruiting landscape. As a 5-star talent out of Baltimore, Okie committed to the CFB juggernaut Alabama Crimson Tide. Despite high hopes and anticipation, off the field issues plagued Okie before being dismissed from the team. Following that a series of transfers led to him finishing his college career in Charlotte. Prior to his stop at Charlotte, he spent time at Michigan during the 2022 season.

During the 2023-2024 season Okie logged 56 total tackles and 5.5 sacks. He earned 2nd team all conference honors and was a captain. There’s no question that he has the physical size and raw talent to be a threat- and his abilities certainly fit the physicality of the Roughnecks franchise under CJ Johnson. Moreover, some of the UFLs biggest stars have come from players with underwhelming collegiate careers but plenty of ability. For that reason there’s hope to believe Eyabi will pan out in Houston.

2 / Tra Fluellen / Middle Tennessee / S

Tra Fluellen was a star player and NFL prospect for Middle Tennessee heading into his final months as a collegiate athlete. However a torn ACL in November quickly dropped his stock leading to Fluellen going undrafted this past April. The UFL and the Roughnecks specifically are no stranger to signing stud players with injury plagued careers. Rueben Foster, who was arguably the most important part of the Roughnecks defense, is unfortunately known for his trouble staying healthy.

For Fluellen- if he’s not picked up by an NFL team after fully rehabbing, the UFL could be a viable place for him to showcase just how talented he is. The Safety earned all conference mentions the past two seasons and was voted a permanent captain by his teammates. There’s no doubt that Tra is gifted, athletically and leadership wise. Houston should be hopeful to see him on the roster come next spring.

3 / Kam Stutts / Auburn / G

One of the few bright spots during a rough era on the plains, Kam Stutts carried the Auburn O-line for the past couple of seasons. The 6’5, 343 lb lineman started every game for the Tigers and was a team captain. Stutts has shown ability to play with pro talent, squaring off against SEC opponents week in and week out in college. Moreover, his leadership qualities should increase his value as a professional prospect.

In Houston expect Stutts to help increase the power in the trenches. The franchise has been and seems to continue to be committed to playing tough, gritty football. Stutts certainly fits the bill and should be a valuable addition to the team if he chooses to sign.

4 / Donovan Manuel / FIU / LB

Donovan Manuel was a dominant force in the C-USA last season for the Panthers. The Linebacker notably had the 2nd most single-season tackles in FIU history- 13th in the nation. He was also 11th in the nation for solo tackles. This talent did not go unnoticed, as while the FIU standout did go undrafted he was picked up by the Minnesota Vikings in free agency.

Houston obviously sensed something special about Manuel, however his status as a signed NFL player currently hurts the Roughnecks chances. While it is unlikely that Manuel will ever play in the UFL- it’s not a bad 4th round selection from the Roughnecks because of the considerable upside.

5 / Hayden Gillum / Kansas State / OL

In a similar style to Kam Stutts, the Roughnecks chose to re-enforce their offensive line with Hayden Gillum. The K-State alum was a strong member of the Wildcat offensive line for multiple years and showed plenty of pro-football promise. Gillum is not a free agent and was picked up by the Bears.

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If he were to sign with Houston, it would further add to the ground and pound philosophy held by CJ Johnson and company. Coupled with Stutts and a strong RB core and we could see a very strong Roughneck run game.

6 / Malcolm Epps / Pitt / TE

It took the Roughnecks 6 picks to finally get to a skill position player. This comes in the form of Malcom Epps from Pitt. The talented TE logged 6 collegiate seasons across 3 different colleges and notably hails from the Houston area. This experience and background makes him a perfect prospect for the Roughnecks- and one likely to sign thanks to his free agent status.

7 / Xavier Benson / Oklahoma St / LB

Yet another linebacker with plenty of experience, Xavier Benson served as one of the leading tacklers at Oklahoma State for the past two seasons. He totaled 65 tackles his senior season and while well short of being drafted- is far above the average CFB player. This makes Benson both a strong and safe candidate for being drafted- perfect for a seventh round pick.

8 / Rayshad Williams / Texas Tech / CB

The first of two Texas Tech cornerbacks drafted by the Roughnecks, Rayshad Williams brings a lot to the table. In his 3 years as a Red Raider he logged 94 tackles and interception. Bringing in former teammates and position group counterparts is an interesting choice, and one that may help in wooing Williams away from the Raiders and to the UFL.

9 / Malik Dunlap / Texas Tech / CB

Malik Dunlap (also a super senior from Texas Tech) only got better with time during his collegiate career. This past season was by far his best- logging 31 tackles, 3 interceptions and a fumble recovery. While maybe not having the same raw talent as other names on this list, there’s no question that Dunlap brings plenty of experience and depth on the defensive side of the ball. Moreover as a free agent there is a higher likelihood he would sign with the UFL.

10 / Geor’quarius Spivey / Mississippi St / TE

Spivey began his career with Mississippi St before transferring to TCU halfway through his college eligibility. However the dynamic TE returned back to Starkville for a final season after the tight end position was reinstated into the bulldog offense. Geor’quarius is a solid addition to the Roughnecks and one likely to sign with the team. While one might have hoped Houston would take a swing at a big name with their final pick – it’s also understandable that they would go for a candidate with a higher chance of panning out such as Spivey.

By the Numbers

The Roughnecks selected 7 free agents and just 3 players currently rostered on an NFL team. This is somewhat of an unorthodox approach to drafting when contrasted to some of the other UFL franchises. For example, the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions drafted all NFL players hoping to land just 2 or 3 at the most. This reveals the unfortunate state of the Houston franchise as it stands currently where they’re looking at rebuilding their roster any chance they can get.

Houston drafted 5 players who will play on the offensive or defensive line – and neglected to draft any offensive skill players aside from the tight end. This shows their commitment to the trenches and is in line with the philosophy of the current coaching staff. They drafted 6 defensive players and 4 offensive, as well as 3 players who played for the Texas Tech Raiders at some point in their college career.

Final Thoughts

The success of their counterparts’ more risky draft approaches will greatly affect how we look back on the decisions made by the Roughnecks yesterday. If teams such as Birmingham or St. Louis are able to land big time NFL players despite the low probability, their choices will appear genius in hindsight. If not – the approach taken by Houston will seem like a reasonable strategy.

No matter what, Houston should see at least some of the fruits of their labor from this draft. I certainly expect a handful of these players to officially sign with the team and suit up next season. However, the impact that they have will not be franchise changing. Certainly talented players such as Eyabi Okie or Kam Stutts can affect the team- but they will not solve all of the problems that plagued CJ Johnson’s program the past two seasons.

Whether or not the Roughnecks can turn the ship around this offseason remains to be seen, however this draft was a step in the right direction for the franchise.

But what do you think? Sound off below in the comments, or join the conversation on Discord!

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