Former Michigan football players selected in the 2024 UFL Draft

Two former Wolverines have a chance to continue playing pro football.

Trent Knoop | Jul 18, 2024

Michigan players jump up to touch the banner as they take the field for the Ohio State game at Michigan Stadium, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019. Go Blue Michigan Flag / Junfu Han via Imagn Content Services,

The 2024 UFL (United Football League) Draft concluded on Wednesday and a pair of Michigan football players heard their names called during the 10-round draft. Eyabi Okie, who played one season at Michigan before transferring to Charlotte, was a first-round pick by the Houston Roughnecks, and Braiden McGregor was a fifth-round selection by the D.C. Defenders.

McGregor, who went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, did sign with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent. He will try to make the 53-man roster, or maybe even a practice squad role, but if the NFL route doesn't pan out for the former Michigan Edge rusher, he can look toward the UFL in the spring. The Defenders would hold McGregor's rights if he chose to play next spring in the league.

Okie, on the other hand, signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Kansas City Chiefs following April's draft. Like McGregor, he will try to make the 53-man roster, but could turn his attention to the UFL -- a league that was merged together from the XFL and the USFL.

Our 5th pick of the 2024 UFL College Draft is DE Braiden McGregor! 👊 pic.twitter.com/guLeTYsS8n
— D.C. Defenders (@XFLDefenders) July 17, 2024

DRILL BABY DRILL 🛢️✨

With our first pick of the 2024 UFL College Draft we pick Eyabi Okie 👏 pic.twitter.com/lK6FQetoR8
— Houston Roughnecks (@XFLRoughnecks) July 17, 2024

McGregor is coming off of his best season at Michigan. In 2023, McGregor tallied 26 tackles, nine TFLs, 4.5 sacks, three pass deflections, and he forced one fumble. He came to Ann Arbor as a highly-touted Edge rusher out of Port Huron (MI). McGregor suffered an injury that off-started his career, but he rebounded nicely. He turned into a reliable pass rusher for the Michigan defense.

Three former Michigan players played in the UFL this past Spring. Former running back De'Veon Smith, cornerback Lavert Hill, and Edge rusher Taco Charlton were all in the league in 2024. Former quarterback Shea Patterson was the No. 1 pick back in the 2022 USFL Draft, but he is now in the CFL.

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -