On Friday, the UFL held a disposal draft for the four USFL teams that will play in 2024. Unfortunately, the Philadelphia Stars did not make it and will not play in the UFL in 2024. Here are the players that were drafted.
Case Cookus- Memphis Showboats
Case Cookus is six foot four and weighs 205 pounds. The 28-year-old from Thousand Oaks, California, completed 218 of 247 passes (63%) for 2,294 yards, 15 touchdowns, nine interceptions, and 51 carries for 278 yards in ten games for the Stars in 2023.
The Stars drafted Cookus in the twelfth round (94th pick) in the 2022 USFL Draft. Cookus took over the Stars’ quarterback role after Bryan Scott was injured in Week 3 against the New Jersey Generals. He led the Stars to a 6-4 record in which Philadelphia won the North Division semi-final win over the New Jersey Generals.
Unfortunately, Cookus broke his leg in the USFL Championship game as the Stars lost to the Birmingham Stallions 33-30. Cookus went 17 of 29 completions (58.6%) for 65 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and one carry for five yards.
Cookus finished the season going 130 of 208 completions (62.5%) for 1,334 yards, 12 touchdowns, five interceptions, 22 carries for 217 yards, and one touchdown in nine games, of which seven were starts. After the season, he signed with the Los Angeles Rams and was placed on the practice squad.
Before Philadelphia, Cookus signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He also had stints with the Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, and Edmonton Elks.
Collegiately, Cookus played five seasons at Northern Arizona University (2015-19) completing 892 of 1,431 passes (62%) for 12,082 yards, 105 touchdowns, 21 interceptions, 206 carries for 232 yards, and six touchdowns in 41 games for the Lumberjacks.
Cookus won the Jerry Rice Award in 2015, First Team All-Big Sky Conference (2015), Big Sky Conference Co-Freshmen of the Year (2015), and STATS FCS Freshman Player of the Year (2015).
Adam Rodriguez- Houston Roughnecks
Adam Rodriguez is six foot two and weighs 245 pounds. The 25-year-old from Provo, Utah, had 27 tackles (18 solo, 9 assist), six tackles for loss, six sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one pass breakup in ten games for the Stars in 2023.
He was named to the USFL All-Star Team. In two seasons with Philadelphia, Rodriguez has 67 tackles (46 solo, 21 assists), 14 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, three pass breakups, and one safety in 20 games.
The Stars drafted him in the second round of the 2022 USFL Supplemental Draft. In 2022, Rodriguez had 40 tackles (28 solo, 12 assists), eight tackles for loss, nine sacks, two forced fumbles, two pass breakups, and one safety in ten games.
Before Philadelphia, he was with the TSL’s Blues in 2021. Collegiately, Rodriguez played four seasons (2016-19) at Weber State with 199 tackles (98 solo, 101 assists), 22 sacks, 41 tackles for loss, ten pass breakups, one forced fumble, and three fumble recoveries in 52 games for the Wildcats. He is a two-time All-American.
Kennedy Brooks- Memphis Showboats
Kennedy Brooks is five foot one and weighs 213 pounds. The 25-year-old from Mansfield, Texas, played three preseason games for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 with 13 carries for 45 yards, and three catches for 20 yards. Brooks signed with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent on May 6, 2022. He spent the 2022 season on the Eagles practice squad.
Collegiately, Brooks played three seasons at Oklahoma (2018-19, 2021) with 472 carries for 3,320 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 29 catches for 209 yards in 38 games for the Sooners. In 2018, he was named USA Today Freshman All-American, a Second Team All-Big 12 in 2019, and an Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award semifinalist in 2021.
Gabriel Sewell- Houston Roughnecks
Gabriel Sewell is six foot and weighs 245 pounds. The 26-year-old from Malaeimi, American Samoa, made 60 tackles (30 solo, 30 assists), one tackle for loss, one fumble recovery, and one forced fumble in ten games for the Stars in 2023.
Philadelphia drafted Sewell in the seventh round (333rd pick) of the 2022 USFL Supplemental Draft. Sewell made 45 tackles (22 solo, 23 assists), one tackle for loss, half a sack, one forced fumble, and one pass breakup in ten games. In the 2022 playoffs, Sewell made 11 tackles (4 solo, 7 assists), and one pass breakup in two playoff games. Before Philadelphia, Sewell attended the Denver Broncos rookie minicamp but was never offered a contract.
Collegiately, Sewell played four seasons at Nevada (2016-19) with 283 tackles (159 solo, 124 assists), 21.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, five pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries in 49 games for the Wolf Pack.
Shamarious Gilmore- Houston Roughnecks
Shamarious Gilmore is six foot three and weighs 295 pounds. The 25-year-old from Riverdale, Georgia, played ten games for the Philadelphia Stars in 2023. The Stars’ offense ranked third in passing (213.3 yards per game), finished last in rushing (77 yards per game), 20 touchdowns, and allowed a league-high 29 sacks.
The Stars signed Gilmore as a free agent on March 8, 2023. Before Philadelphia, Gilmore attended training camp for the Seattle Seahawks in 2022. In addition, he attended training for the Houston Roughnecks (XFL) in 2023.
Collegiately, Gilmore played left guard for five seasons at Georgia State (2017-21). He set the school record for playing 60 games, of which 59 were starts, and played 51 straight games for the Panthers. He started four bowl games which was also a first in school history.
For three seasons, the Panthers’ offensive line helped the offense average 223 yards rushing yards, including a school-record 241.6 yards in 2019, and was also part of school records as GSU offense averaged 33.3 points per game in 2020 and 439.8 yards of total offense in 2019. In addition, Gilmore played in the Gridiron Classic all-star game following the 2021 season.
In his final season, Gilmore was named team captain after the offensive line helped the Panthers rank eighth in FBS with 226.4 yards rushing per game. He was named First-team All-Sun Belt Conference for the second straight year.
Gilmore is a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference Honorable Mention, 2019 All-Sun Belt Conference Third Team, and two-time All-Sun Belt Conference First Team (2019-20).
Ryan Izzo- Houston Roughnecks
Ryan Izzo is six foot five and weighs 235 pounds. The 28-year-old from Highland Lakes, New Jersey, made two catches for 23 yards, and one touchdown in eight games for the Philadelphia Stars in 2023. The Stars signed Izzo as a free agent on January 5, 2023.
Before Philadelphia, Izzo attended training camp for the Carolina Panthers in 2022. The New England Patriots drafted Izzo in the seventh round (250th pick) in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Izzo played two seasons with the Patriots (2019-20) making 19 catches for 313 yards and one touchdown. In 2021, the Patriots traded Izzo to the Houston Texans. In addition, Izzo was on the practice squads of the New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks. He played one more regular season game with the Tennessee Titans in a Week 18 game against the Houston Texans.
Collegiately, Izzo played four seasons at Florida State (2014-17) with 54 catches for 761 yards, and six touchdowns in 41 games. He was a Freshman All-America Honorable Mention in 2015.
Cyril Grayson Jr.- Houston Roughnecks
Cyril Grayson Jr. is five foot nine and weighs 183 pounds. The 30-year-old from Kenner, Louisiana, made one catch for six yards in two games for the Stars in 2023. The Stars signed Grayson Jr. as a free agent on May 30, 2023.
Before Philadelphia, Grayson Jr. was on the Cleveland Browns practice squad in 2022. Grayson signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2017. Later, he spent time with the Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, and the Dallas Cowboys.
In 2019, he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played three seasons in Tampa Bay (2019-21) with 11 catches for 215 yards, two touchdowns, and one carry for 14 yards in ten games for the Buccaneers. He was released by the Buccaneers in August 2022 and later signed with the Cleveland Browns in November 2022.
Collegiately, Grayson played four seasons at LSU (2013-16) in Track and Field. He is a four-time NCAA Champion and seven-time All-American between the indoor and outdoor seasons from 2013-16. In addition, he is a member of two NCAA Indoor Champion relay teams in 2014 and 2016 and back-to-back NCAA Outdoor Champion relay teams in 2015 and 2016.
He is also a member of five of the seven-fastest indoor 4×400-meter relay teams in the program’s history, including No. 2 at 3:04.04, No. 3 at 3:04.28, No. 5 at 3:04.46, No. 6 at 3:04.54 and No. 7 at 3:04.60, and ran on four of the 10-fastest outdoor mile relay teams in school history, including No. 2 at 3 minutes, 0.38 seconds; No. 3 at 3:00.48; No. 4 at 3:00.69 and No. 10 at 3:01.63.
Jordan Suell- Michigan Panthers
Jordan Suell is six foot six and weighs 205 pounds. The 26-year-old from Vancouver, Washington, made 12 catches for 130 yards before an injury sidelined him for the rest of the 2023 season.
The Stars drafted Suell in the 14th round (105th pick) in the 2022 USFL Draft. In his first season with the Stars, Suell had 36 catches for 370 yards, and three touchdowns in ten games. In the 2022 USFL Championship game against the Birmingham Stallions in Canton, Ohio, Suell caught five passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns.
Before Philadelphia, Suell tried out for the New England Patriots in 2021. In 2020, Suell played four games for the Generals (TSL) with 12 catches for 325 yards and four touchdowns.
Collegiately, Suell four seasons (2016-19) at Southern Oregon with 112 catches for 2,184 yards and 27 touchdowns in 38 games for the Raiders.
Corey Coleman- Michigan Panthers
Corey Colman is five foot eleven and weighs 185 pounds. The 29-year-old from Dallas, Texas, set a new modern record in the USFL with 51 catches for 669 yards, four touchdowns, one carry for three yards, six kick returns for 126 yards, and 11 punt returns for 83 yards in ten games for the Stars in 2023.
Before Philadelphia, Coleman spent most of the 2022 season on the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad. The Cleveland Browns drafted Coleman in the first round (15th pick) in the 2016 NFL Draft. He played two seasons in Cleveland with 56 catches for 718 yards, five touchdowns, and two carries for ten yards in 19 games.
After having stints with the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots. Coleman signed with the New York Giants. He played eight games with five catches for 71 yards and one carry for five yards. A year later, Coleman tore his ACL and spent time on the Giants practice squad.
Collegiately, Coleman played three seasons at Baylor (2013-15) with 173 catches for 3,009 yards, 33 touchdowns, 33 carries for 164 yards, one touchdown, 25 kick returns for 651 yards, one touchdown, and three punt returns for nine yards in 35 games for the Bears.
Coleman won the 2015 Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s outstanding college football receiver and was a unanimous All-American in 2015.
Matt Colburn II- Michigan Panthers
Matt Colburn II is five foot ten and weighs 201 pounds. The 26-year-old from Irmo, South Carolina, had 77 carries for 264 yards, four touchdowns, 15 catches for 98 yards, one touchdown, and three kick returns for 47 yards for the Stars in 2023.
The Stars drafted Colburn II in the 28th round (223rd pick) in the 2022 USFL Draft. In 2022, Colburn II had 102 carries for 457 yards and eight touchdowns, and three punt returns for 53 yards in ten games. In the North Division semifinals, Colburn had seven carries for 29 yards against New Jersey before injuring his knee and missed the rest of the playoffs.
Before Philadelphia, Matt Colburn II played for the Blues in 2020 of the TSL. He also had a stint with the Toronto Argonauts and Los Angeles Rams.
Collegiately, Colburn II played four seasons at Wake Forest (2015-18) with 542 carries for 2,550 yards, 15 touchdowns, 34 catches for 306 yards, and four kick returns for 65 yards in 47 games for the Demon Deacons.
Channing Stribling- Birmingham Stallions
Channing Stribling is six foot two and weighs 191 pounds. The 29-year-old from Matthews, North Carolina, made 13 tackles (10 solo, 3 assists), one interception, one fumble recovery, and four pass breakups in eight games for the Philadelphia Stars in 2023.
The Stars drafted him in the eighth round (58th pick) in the 2022 USFL Draft. In 2022, Stribling made 16 tackles (14 solo, 2 assists), two tackles for loss, one sack, seven interceptions for 121 yards, and 11 pass breakups in seven games. In the playoffs, Stribling made seven tackles (4 solo, 3 assists) in two games leading the Stars to the USFL Championship against the Birmingham Stallions.
Before Philadelphia, Stribling was drafted by the St. Louis Battlehawks (XFL) in 2022. Stribling also attended the Washington Commanders training camp in 2022. He also played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2021 with six tackles in four games. In 2020, he played five games for the Seattle Dragons (XFL) with 14 tackles, one interception, and three pass blocks.
Collegiately, Stribling played four seasons at Michigan (2013-16) with 67 tackles (54 solo, 13 assists), four tackles for loss, one sack, six interceptions for 91 yards, one touchdown, 22 pass breakups, and one forced fumble in 47 games for the Wolverines.
Daniel Isom- Birmingham Stallions
Daniel Isom is six foot and weighs 194 pounds. The 25-year-old from St. Louis, Missouri, signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and was placed on the practice squad. In the 2022 preseason, Isom made three tackles (3 solo), one interception, and one pass breakup in three games.
Collegiately, Isom played two seasons at Northern Illinois (2016-17) with 41 tackles (28 solo, 13 assists), six pass breakups, and one forced fumble in ten games for the Huskies.
Next, Isom transferred to Iowa Western Community College in 2018 with 26 tackles (17 solo, 9 assists), 2.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions for 43 yards, and seven pass breakups in 11 games for the Reivers. He was named First Team All-Region and All-Iowa Community College Athletic Conference.
Then, he transferred to Washington State (2019-21) with 119 tackles (70 solo, 49 assists), 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception for 27 yards, seven pass breakups, and four forced fumbles in 24 games for the Cougars. He was named All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention in 2020.
Jacob Burton- Michigan Panthers
Jacob Burton is six foot six and weighs 312 pounds. The 26-year-old from Alpine, California, played nine games at right tackle and right guard for the Stars in 2023. The Stars’ offense ranked third in passing (213.3 yards per game), finished last in rushing (77 yards per game), 20 touchdowns, and allowed a league-high 29 sacks.
The Stars drafted Burton in the seventh round (55th pick) of the 2022 USFL Draft. Burton played a key role for the Stars in 2022 playing nine games, of which eight were starts.
The Stars’ offense ranked sixth in passing (184 yards per game), fifth in rushing (103.4 yards per game), and 31 touchdowns when the Stars reached the 2022 USFL Championship Game against the Birmingham Stallions.
Before Philadelphia, Burton was with the New York Giants in 2021. Collegiately, Burton played three seasons at UCLA (2017-19) playing 29 games at right tackle for the Bruins. In 2020, he transferred to Baylor and played eight games at right guard for the Bears.
Devin Gray- Michigan Panthers
Devin Gray is six foot and weighs 192 pounds. The 28-year-old from Reno, Nevada, made nine catches for 75 yards, and one touchdown in two games for the Stars in 2023. The Stars drafted Gray in the 13th round (104th pick) in the USFL draft. In 2022, Gray made 26 catches for 215 yards and two touchdowns in nine games.
In the North Division semifinals against New Jersey, Gray had four catches for 29 yards. In the USFL Championship game against the Birmingham Stallions had five catches for 46 yards and one touchdown.
Before Philadelphia, Gray was with the Baltimore Ravens in 2021. He played three preseason games with four catches for 46 yards. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2018 from Cincinnati. Gray also played for the Generals in the TSL in 2021. He also had a stint with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022.
Collegiately, Gray played three seasons at Sierra College (2013-15) with 111 catches for 1,757 yards and 17 touchdowns in 21 games for the Wolverines. Then, transferred to Cincinnati (2016-17) with 86 catches for 1,304 yards eight touchdowns, and 13 punt returns for 110 yards in 24 games for the Bearcats.
Drew Himmelman- Michigan Panthers
Drew Himmelman is six foot ten and weighs 325 pounds. The 27-year-old from Geneseo, Illinois, played four games for the Stars in 2023. The Stars’ offense ranked third in passing (213.3 yards per game), finished last in rushing (77 yards per game), 20 touchdowns, and allowed a league-high 29 sacks.
Before Philadelphia, Himmelman signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2021 and was placed on the practice squad. In 2022, he signed with the Washington Commanders and was placed on the practice squad before being released and later tried out for the Buffalo Bills. He returned to Washington in 2023 but was again released.
Collegiately, Himmelman played 39 games in four seasons at Illinois State (2017-20), of which 38 were starts playing left tackle. In 2021, Himmelman was part of an offensive line that helped the Redbirds rush for 172 yards per game and aided two different backs in rushing for over 100 yards in a game, including two in the win over Western Illinois. He was named First Team All-MVFC.
In 2019, he earned First Team FCS All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association, STATS FCS, and The Associated Press after playing left tackle in 15 games. The offensive line helped lead the way for the league’s leading rusher James Robinson, who recorded 1,899 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground.
In 2018, Himmelman played a critical part in the offensive line unit that made ISU the third-best scoring offense in the conference, paving the way for James Robinson, who rushed for a league-leading 1,290 yards with 12 touchdowns. He was named HERO Sports FCS Sophomore All-America First Team.
In his freshmen season, Himmelman started nine games playing left tackle. He was an instrumental part of ISU’s offensive front that had the fourth-best rushing offense in the MVFC and helped James Robinson rank second in the MVFC in rushing touchdowns (12) and third in yards (933).
Ryan Pope- Michigan Panthers
Ryan Pope is six foot seven and weighs 315 pounds. The 27-year-old from Inglewood, California, played eight games for the Houston Roughnecks (XFL) in 2023, of which one was a start. The Birmingham Stallions drafted Pope in the first round (283rd pick) of the 2022 USFL Supplemental Draft. He played ten games for the Stallions helping them win the 2022 USFL Championship over the Philadelphia Stars.
Before Birmingham, Pope signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He later spent time with the San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, and the Los Angeles Rams.
Collegiately, Pope played one season at Long Beach State College in 2014 playing 12 games for the Vikings. Then, Pope transferred to San Diego State (2015-18) playing both tackle positions in 37 games for the Aztecs. He was named Second Team All-MWC in 2018.
Triston Taylor- Michigan Panthers
Tristen Taylor is six foot six and weighs 330 pounds. The 26-year-old from Stockton, California, played six games for the Stars, of which four were starts. The Stars’ offense ranked third in passing (213.3 yards per game), finished last in rushing (77 yards per game), 20 touchdowns, and allowed a league-high 29 sacks.
Before Philadelphia, Taylor attended the B.C. Lions training camp in 2023. He previously signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and attended a rookie mini-camp.
Collegiately, Taylor played six seasons at Eastern Washington (2016-21) making 60 starts at left guard and left tackle. He is a five-time All-Big Sky selection. He helped the Eagles finish with the best total offense in FCS in 2021 (7,224 yards), second in FCS total offense in 2016 (529.6 yards per game), and third in FCS total offense (524.9 yards per game) in 2020.
Terry Wright- Michigan Panthers
Terry Wright is five foot ten and weighs 177 pounds. The 26-year-old from Memphis, Tennessee, made 13 catches for 142 yards, two touchdowns, 24 kick returns for 754 yards, and one punt return for 14 yards in seven games for the Stars in 2023. The Stars signed Wright as a free agent on February 9, 2023.
Before Philadelphia, Wright was released by the San Antonio Brahmas (XFL) last week. The Brahmas drafted him with the 62nd pick of the 2022 XFL Draft.
The Seattle Seahawks signed Wright as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and made it to the practice squad. Wright also spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, and Las Vegas Raiders. In 2021, he signed with the Ottawa Redblacks but never played a game.
Collegiately, Wright played two seasons at Coffeyville Community College (2015-16) with 50 catches for 805 yards, eight touchdowns, two carries for 14 yards, and 19 kick returns for 512 yards in 21 games for the Red Ravens. In addition, Wright competed in track and field.
Then, Wright transferred to Purdue University (2017-18) with 57 catches for 742 yards, five touchdowns, six carries for 46 yards, and one touchdown in 25 games for the Boilermakers. Wright also competed in one meet in the 4×100-meter relay.
