Birmingham Stallions Add Former NFL QB and LB, Release Two From Roster
The rich got richer as the Birmingham Stallions made two roster signings that will boost their talent for the 2024 season. On Tuesday, the UFL released news that quarterback Matt Corral and linebacker DeMarquis Gates signed with the league. They also announced the release of offensive tackle Cam Carter and running back Zaquandre White.
Corral is a name that is well known for his performance in college with Ole Miss. He finished his Rebels career with 8,281 yards passing and 57 touchdowns with 23 interceptions. His mobility came into play as well, as he rushed for 1,338 yards and 18 scores. He was named to the All-SEC team in 2021, going 17-10 as the starting quarterback in three seasons starting.
He was selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers, but a Lisfranc injury in preseason kept him out for the whole year. In 2023, he was released by the Panthers at the end of training camp before signing with the New England Patriots. He was placed on the exempt list about two weeks later after not showing up to the team facilities for two consecutive days, leading to him not joining the team the rest of the year.
Gates has spent the past two seasons in the NFL with the Chicago Bears, thanks to his performance with the Birmingham Stallions in 2022. He posted 62 tackles and 6.5 sacks for the Stallions, helping the team win the first USFL title. Gates also played for the CFL, XFL and AAF from 2019 through 2021.
Carter was on the New Jersey Generals last season and appeared in nine games. White played in the backfield for the Stallions, rushing for 128 yards while also receiving 81 yards and scoring three total touchdowns.
The moves are significant as the quarterback room in Birmingham gets stronger with competition between Corral and J’Mar Smith for the starting job. Gates will be able to jump right into the defense and join Scooby Wright in the linebacker core as potentially a starter or rotational player.
Training camp for the UFL begins Feb. 23, with the Stallions opening their season against the Arlington Renegades on March 30.
Birmingham Stallions 2024 UFL Schedule Analysis
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Anthony Miller has been covering professional spring football since 2019 including XFL, USFL, and CFL. He was a local news reporter in Texas before transitioning to sports. Other sites he writes for includes College Football Network and NTZ Network.