The St. Louis Battlehawks signed wide receivers Marcell Ateman and Jeffrey Thomas for the 2024 season on Friday.
Marcell Ateman is six foot four and weighs 215 pounds. The 29-year-old from Dallas, Texas, made 19 catches for 259 yards in seven games for the St. Louis Battlehawks in 2023. The Battlehawks drafted Ateman in the first round (2nd pick) of the 2023 XFL Draft.
After the season, Ateman signed with the Buffalo Bills playing two preseason games making four catches for 67 yards. Before St. Louis, the Oakland Raiders drafted Ateman in the seventh round (228th pick) of the 2018 NFL Draft. He played three seasons in Oakland/Las Vegas with 20 catches for 270 yards and one touchdown in 19 games. After Las Vegas, Ateman spent time with the Arizona Cardinals.
Collegiately, Ateman played five seasons at Oklahoma State (2013-17) making 146 catches for 2,466 yards, 13 touchdowns, and one carry for one yard in 43 games for the Cowboys. He was named Second Team All-Big 12 in 2017.
Jeffrey Thomas is five foot nine and weighs 175 pounds. The 26-year-old from East St. Louis, Illinois, signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2020. The Pittsburgh Maulers drafted Thomas in the 13th round (105th pick) of the 2022 USFL Draft.
In 2022, he made six catches for 54 yards in two games before the Maulers released him and was claimed off waivers by the Birmingham Stallions. He played one game for the Stallions targeted four times before spending the rest of the season on the practice squad.
Collegiately, Thomas played three seasons at Miami (2017-19) making 52 catches for 937 yards, five touchdowns, and six carries for 23 yards in 24 games for the Hurricanes.
