The NFL offseason is in full swing, with the 2025 NFL Draft less than a month away. There are still six months before the start of the regular season, but spring football is about to start.
The 2025 UFL season kicks off this week, and here are five players to watch heading into the league’s second season.
Who To Watch This UFL Season
The United Football League was formed in 2024 when the second iteration of the USFL and the third iteration of the XFL merged. Four teams were brought in from each league, and the new spring league was off and running.
The Birmingham Stallions won the inaugural championship over the San Antonio Brahmas. It was Birmingham’s third title in three years, as the team won both USFL championships in the league’s two-year existence.
The UFL gives football fans a chance to watch the game in the spring, and it gives fringe NFL players another opportunity to impress decision-makers across the league. Let’s break down some players to watch.
QB Luis Perez – Arlington Renegades
Perez went undrafted in 2018 and has been a spring league staple since the old Alliance of American Football in 2019. He led Arlington to the XFL championship in 2023, and earned an offseason contract with the Los Angeles Chargers. He returned to Arlington last year and led the league with 2,307 yards and 18 touchdowns.
TE Sal Cannella – Arlington Renegades
Cannella went undrafted in 2020 after three years at Auburn. He’s spent time with the Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers and has been with Arlington since 2023. He led the league with six touchdowns last season, was fifth in receiving yards with 496, and was third with 53 catches.
WR Hakeem Butler – St. Louis Battlehawks
Butler was a fourth-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent time with the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles before bouncing around the CFL. This will be his third year with St. Louis, and Butler led the UFL with 652 receiving yards last season.
DE Breeland Speaks – Michigan Panthers
Speaks was a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, spending two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. He played for four other NFL franchises before making his way to Michigan for the 2023 USFL season. The Ole Miss product returns in 2025 after leading the UFL with 9.5 sacks last year. Speaks also led the league in tackles for loss with 13.
LB Willie Harvey Jr. – St. Louis Battlehawks
Harvey Jr. went undrafted in 2019 and spent three seasons with the Cleveland Browns, primarily playing special teams. The Iowa State product joined St. Louis in 2023 and returns after a brief stint with the Dallas Cowboys. He led the league in tackles last year with 76, and was second in the league with 9 tackles for loss.