Memphis Showboats Sign DeVere Levelston, Cut Ja’Mion Franklin

The moves keep on coming defensively for the Memphis Showboats. They’ve signed DT DeVere Levelston to the roster, cutting Ja’Mion Franklin who was just added last week.

DT DeVere Levelston

Up front, Memphis needs some help. They’ve now brought in DeVere Levelston, who brings youth and plenty of upside to the table. DeVere began his college career at Tyler JC, where he posted 42 tackles and five sacks in his first season.

Levelston then made the move to SMU, playing there for four years. Across that span, DeVere was tremendous, posting 90 tackles, 16 TFL’s, 11 sacks, and a forced fumble.

This earned him an NFL opportunity with the Seattle Seahawks. He spent the 2024 NFL preseason with the team, posting two tackles and a sack across that span. Now, he’ll look to get his pro career off the ground in the UFL, with the Memphis Showboats.

What’s interesting about this signing is the fact that Levelston has played both DT and DE. He started out at SMU primarily as an end, but then switched to the interior over his final couple of seasons. With Seattle, he saw snaps at both DT and DE.

Ja’Mion Franklin Released

Unfortunately, this signing has also come with a cut. Ja’Mion Franklin, who was just added last week, has been let go. Franklin ended up seeing some action this week, even though he was originally slated to be inactive. With P.J. Hall not traveling with the team, it opened the door for Ja’Mion to make his pro football debut. He played 12 snaps, making one tackle in the Showboats’ loss to Michigan. However, at this point, Memphis is going in a different direction.

In other Showboats-related news, they traded J.D. DiRenzo to the Arlington Renegades, in return for OT Kellen Diesch.

What are your thoughts on DeVere Levelston signing to the Showboats? Should Franklin have been given another week? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!