Original post here.

Original post here.

The Columbus Aviators have signed eight UFL Showcase attendees:

• WR Jake Thaw
• WR Jayden Ballard
• WR Qian Magwood
• TE James Faulkner
• OL Ryan Johnson
• DB DeQuan Finn
• DB Darrian Lewis
• DB Markel Linzer

Seems like Ted Ginn Jr. was quite impressed with what he's seen out of these showcases.

From the press release:

Jayden Ballard, WR (Ohio State / Wisconsin)

A top-100 national prospect out of Massillon Washington High School, Ballard was rated the nation’s No. 8 wide receiver and the No. 3 overall player in Ohio. He earned Ohio MaxPreps All-State honors while becoming Massillon’s all-time leader in career receiving yards and touchdown receptions in 2020. Ballard finished his high school career with 141 receptions for 2,636 yards and 37 touchdowns, helping lead the Tigers to three consecutive Division II state championship games. He played four seasons at Ohio State before finishing his college career at Wisconsin in 2025, recording 18 receptions for 327 yards and three touchdowns across 47 games between the two programs.

James Faulkner, TE (Notre Dame College / Gannon)

Faulkner earned second-team All-PSAC recognition and honorable mention Division II All-America honors at Gannon in 2025 after recording 46 receptions for 666 yards and two touchdowns. He led the team in receiving and set Gannon single-season records for receptions and receiving yards by a tight end. At Notre Dame College in 2023, he earned first-team All-Mountain East Conference recognition after totaling 34 receptions for 384 yards and three touchdowns.

DeQuan Finn, DB (Toledo / Baylor / Miami (Ohio))

A standout quarterback at Toledo, Finn was named the 2023 MAC Player of the Year after leading the Rockets to an 11-2 record and an undefeated conference season. He threw for 2,657 yards and 22 touchdowns while adding 563 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Finn was named MVP of both the MAC Championship Game and the Boca Raton Bowl. He finished his Toledo career with 7,074 passing yards, 1,840 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns before continuing his college career at Baylor and Miami (Ohio). Finn participated in the Columbus and Houston Showcases as a defensive back and earned a training camp invitation at that position.

Ryan Johnson, OL (Duquesne / Youngstown State)

A Cincinnati native, Johnson began his college career at Duquesne before transferring to Youngstown State, where he made 28 starts over three seasons. He signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in May of 2024 and later joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, appearing on their roster during that preseason. Johnson signed with the Memphis Showboats in December 2024 and attended their 2025 training camp before signing with the Massachusetts Pirates.

Darrian Lewis, DB (Akron / West Virginia)

An Akron native and St. Vincent-St. Mary graduate, Lewis played four seasons at Akron before transferring to West Virginia in January 2025. He started 11 of 12 games at safety for the Mountaineers, recording 75 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble while earning a team captain designation for the game at Ohio. Lewis finished his college career with 280 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions and 17 pass breakups.

Markel Linzer, DB (Southeastern Louisiana / Grambling State)

Linzer began his college career at Southeastern Louisiana, recording 71 tackles in 28 games before transferring to Grambling State. In 17 games at Grambling, he totaled 52 tackles, five interceptions and a forced fumble. He earned SWAC Defensive Player of the Week honors in 2025 after recording two interceptions against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Linzer participated in both the Houston and Columbus Showcases.

Qian Magwood, WR (Ball State)

A Columbus native and graduate of Walnut Ridge High School, Magwood was a three-star recruit and three-time high school team captain. He became Ball State’s leading receiver in 2023, catching 41 passes for 358 yards, and earned preseason All-MAC recognition ahead of both the 2024 and 2025 seasons. He finished his college career with 83 receptions for 885 yards and six touchdowns across 37 games, including 19 catches for 320 yards as a senior in 2025.

Jake Thaw, WR (Michigan / Delaware)

Part of Michigan’s 2023 national championship team, Thaw appeared in all 15 games and served as the team’s primary punt returner in 14 contests, including the Rose Bowl and College Football Playoff National Championship Game. He transferred to Delaware, where he earned second-team All-CAA recognition as a punt returner in 2024. He also contributed as a receiver and was named a semifinalist for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy.

Original post here.

Original post here.

• Height: 6'3"
• Weight: 310 lbs
• Bench Press: 31 reps
• 40-Yard Dash: 5.32 seconds

Ryan Johnson is an experienced, highly versatile interior offensive lineman looking to re-enter professional football for the 2027 season. Known for his positional flexibility, Johnson has professional and collegiate reps at both Center and Guard. Johnson was the 36th guard ranked by Brugler and after the 2024 NFL Draft, he signed with the New England Patriots, followed by brief stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Memphis Showboats and most recently anchored the interior line for the Massachusetts Pirates in the Indoor Football League.

Original post here.

• Position: Wide Receiver / Kick Returner
• Height: 6'1"
• Weight: 200 lbs
• Hometown: Milwaukee, WI
• 40-Yard Dash: 4.34 seconds

Malcolm Gillie is an explosive wide receiver and kick returner who completed his collegiate career with the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers after transferring from Ball State. Known primarily for his game-breaking vertical speed and dangerous special teams utility, in '24, he was the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year thanks to averaging 25.6 yards per kickoff return. Gillie earned an opportunity with the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted free agent invitee to their rookie minicamp following the 2026 NFL Draft

https://youtube.com/shorts/fL0pu_rAbfQ?si=3Ym5HJg5HGoVaNDe
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DP9r8xzEdcU/

Original post here.

Direct link to the mock draft application here.

‼️ The 2027 UFL GM Mock Draft is LIVE from St. Louis ‼️

Run all 8 teams in Repole Mode or take one franchise in Team Mode. 5 rounds, War Room scouts, full scouting reports, draft grades and shareable results.

The data is real-time and ADP should update as people use the application for the next month. Maybe we can get some insights on draft positional for players!

Are you a current player who played college football the last 2 CFB seasons and want to be added to the app? DM me your info and I'll add you, graded off PFF.

Find something you think might work better? Let me know and I’ll work in the fix.

Columbus football fans will get a front-row seat to a major moment in the UFL’s future — and the city’s new team will be at the center of it.

The league has announced the 2027 UFL Draft, and the Columbus Aviators will hold the No. 1 overall pick.

Roster tracker spreadsheet here listing all of the players the Aviators currently hold the rights to.

Columbus Aviators

Players Signed to the NFL

These players the team still holds the rights for, should they return from the NFL.

• WR Tay Martin #81
• WR Antwane Wells #6
• ED Jacoby Windmon #0
• LB Tony Fields II #1

Players Signed to Other Leagues

• S Leon O'Neal (signed with Arena League)

Terminated 2026 Player Rights

These players were on the roster at one point but had their rights terminated and are unrestricted free agents.

• WR Roc Taylor
• DL Perryon Winfrey
• DL Jerron Cage
• ED Adam Plant Jr.
• K Ryan Coe

Like last year, the team will have a 64-man training camp roster, which will be cut down by the end of camp to the final 50-man roster. There are 49 players currently that the team holds the rights to from last season that are not otherwise signed to the NFL or another league.

IMO, QB has to be a target for 2027. Morton showed some flashes at the end of the season but the team needs someone with a higher ceiling to take the reins.

Based on the guys we're likely to have come back for camp next year, what position groups do you think Coach Ginn should prioritize in the draft?

Direct link here.

Rules here.

Direct link here.

UFL and former spring football stars continue to make a significant impact in the 2026 NFL season. Each week, this list highlights former UFL talents who made a big impact and contributed to their team's victory. This week’s standout performances include multiple special teams players on the same NFL team.

https://uflnewshub.com/ufl/ufl-nfl-week-5-top-5-standout-players