The Houston Roughnecks signed wide receivers Reggie Roberson Jr., Rory Starkey Jr., and tight end Josh Pederson on Monday according to the UFL Transactions page.
Reggie Roberson Jr. is five foot eleven and weighs 193 pounds. The 27-year-old from DeSoto, Texas, signed with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent on May 13, 2022. He made four catches for 47 yards in two preseason games earning himself a spot on the practice squad.
After Tennessee, he was on the practice squad of the Chicago Bears. The Houston Roughnecks signed Roberson Jr. on April 23, 2024. He did not play for the Roughnecks in 2024. The Roughnecks released him on October 4, 2024.
Collegiately, Roberson Jr. played one season at West Virginia in 2017 making six catches for 30 yards, and one touchdown in five games for the Mountaineers.
Then, Roberson Jr. transferred to Southern Methodist University (2018-21) making 168 catches for 2,704 yards, 23 touchdowns, five carries for 17 yards, nine kick returns for 301 yards, one touchdown, five punt returns for 21 yards, and three tackles (3 solo) in 34 games for the Mustangs. He attended the NFL Combine and the Reese’s Senior Bowl and was named Fourth Team All-ACC Team.
Rory Starkey Jr. is six foot and weighs 214 pounds. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Starkey Jr. signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent on July 19, 2024. In 2024, he suffered an undisclosed injury missing the preseason, and was released on August 9, 2024.
Collegiately, Starkey Jr. played three seasons at the University of Pennsylvania (2019, 2021-22) making 119 catches for 1,549 yards, 14 touchdowns, and four carries for no yards in 27 games for the Quakers. He was named Second Team All-Ivy League in 2022. Then, he transferred to Samford in 2023 making 27 catches for 204 yards in 11 games for the Bulldogs.
Josh Pederson is six foot five and weighs 235 pounds. The 27-year-old from Newark, New Jersey, re-signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars on January 9, 2024. In 2024, he suffered an ankle injury and did not play in the preseason. The Jaguars released him on August 9, 2024.
Pederson is the son of former Philadelphia Eagles and current Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson. Pederson went undrafted in 2021 and signed with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent. He later spent time with the New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs.
The Houston Gamblers signed Pederson as a free agent on May 20, 2022. In 2022, he was placed on the inactive roster for the remainder of the 2022 season. In 2023, he made 24 passes for 329 yards in ten games, of which six were starts. The Gamblers released him on July 6, 2023.
The Jacksonville Jaguars signed him on July 10, 2023. In 2023, he played three preseason games targeted one time. He dressed for three regular season games and spent the rest of the season on the practice squad.
Collegiately, Pederson played five seasons at the University of Louisiana–Monroe (2016-20) making 99 catches for 1,191 yards, 11 touchdowns, completing one of three passes (33%) for 33 yards, and one punt for 47 yards, with one touchback in 44 games for the Warhawks. He was named First Team All-Sun Belt in 2019, and Second Team All-Sun Belt in 2020.
