Memphis Showboats UFL Super Dispersal Draft Breakdown
Whenever there is a coaching change like in Memphis with John DeFilippo, that coaching staff will want to bring in their guys. That has been the case for the Showboats as the team worked on bringing in multiple New Orleans Breakers to the roster.
During the UFL Super Dispersal Draft, Memphis made the most selections of any team in the draft with 14. Half of the picks were players who played for New Orleans in one or both years in the USFL.
Here is a full breakdown of those selections in the Super Dispersal Draft.
2024 Memphis Showboats UFL Super Dispersal Draft Picks
Round Drafted - Player Analysis
Round 1 – C Jared Thomas
Center Jared Thomas was the leader of the Seattle Sea Dragons offensive line as he started every game there last season in the XFL. Thomas was also a full-time starter in 2022 for the New Orleans Breakers in the USFL.
Roster Impact: Thomas should go in as the early favorite to be the starting center for the Showboats in 2024.
Round 2 – P Matthew White
New Orleans has had Matthew White as its starting punter for the last two seasons, with a career average of 44.5 yards per punt. He previously was a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL.
Roster Impact: White will present some interesting competition at punter in training camp with Brandon Wright also being on the roster.
Round 3 – S Christian McFarland
Christian McFarland changes teams after being one of the top tacklers on the Birmingham Stallions last season. McFarland finished the 2023 season with a team-high 53 tackles and four pass deflections for the USFL champs. He also was fourth on the Stallions in tackles in 2022 with 43 and had three pass deflections.
Roster Impact: Memphis has plenty of talented safeties, including Jarey Elder and Troy Warner, so McFarland will be battling for a starting job. Getting a roster spot though shouldn’t be a challenge being one of the top tackling safeties in the UFL.
Round 4 – OLB Max Roberts
Max Roberts started two of the 10 games he played in for the Vegas Vipers last season in the XFL. Roberts racked up 25 tackles and five sacks during the year. He spent time in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams.
Roster Impact: Roberts has the speed off the edge to get to the quarterback and provides the Showboats another pass rusher needed to make them dangerous.
Round 5 – WR Lee Morris
Lee Morris reunites with coach John DeFilippo after being on the Breakers roster last season and was also in New Orleans in 2022. While Morris didn’t get much playing time in 2022, he finished 2023 with 23 receptions for 305 yards and two scores. He went to college at Oklahoma where he played under Arlington Renegades coach Bob Stoops.
Roster Impact: Morris is the fourth former Breakers wide receiver to be on the roster. He will be challenged for a roster spot in a deep receiving room highlighted by Jonathan Adams.
Round 6 – OT Salesi Uhatafe
The Breakers had Salesi Uhatafe on their roster last season, starting two games and playing in five total. Uhatafe was on the Dallas Renegades roster in the 2020 XFL version under Stoops, starting three games. He played for two teams in the NFL and started every game for the Salt Lake Stallions of the AAF in 2019.
Roster Impact: Terry Poole headlines the offensive tackles on the line, which means Uhatafe should be able to compete for at least one of the tackle positions in Memphis.
Round 7 – CB Will Likely
Cornerback Will Likely has played for both Houston teams in the USFL and the XFL in the last two seasons. Likely was on the Roughnecks last year, starting in seven games and recording 30 tackles, 0.5 sacks and one interception in 10 games. He was a regular starter with the Gamblers in 2022, totaling 63 tackles and four interceptions.
Roster Impact: Likely will compete for a starting cornerback job, but has the ability to return on special teams.
Round 8 – WR Damion Willis
The Sea Dragons had a dynamic passing game with a deep receiving corps that included Damion Willis. In 10 games last season, Willis caught 18 passes for 128 yards and one touchdown. He also played in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants.
Roster Impact: As mentioned earlier, the Showboats are deep at wide receiver and Willis will have a fight on his hands. One aspect that helps Willis is he has the size (6-3) to go up and make the catch.
Round 9 – LS Turner Bernard
Turner Bernard has been the long snapper for the Breakers over the last two seasons in the USFL. Bernard was in the NFL in 2021 with the Minnesota Vikings.
Roster Impact: There is trust with Bernard to get the snaps perfect, so it’s an easy choice for DeFilippo to bring back his long snapper.
Round 10 – CB Ty Smith
Ty Smith played in seven games with the Orlando Guardians in the XFL last season, putting up 25 tackles. Smith is a former fifth-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks in the 2015 NFL Draft, playing seven years in the NFL with four different teams. His career NFL stats include 64 tackles, two forced fumbles, two pass deflections, one interception and one touchdown.
Roster Impact: Smith is one of the older, more veteran players on the roster but can still play at a high level.
Round 11 – K Matthew Coghlin
Matthew Coghlin made his first appearance in spring football last year in the USFL with the Breakers. Coghlin more than impressed, converting 18-of-19 field goals and nailing all 25 of his extra points.
Roster Impact: Coghlin has the potential to be the next Brandon Aubrey, as his accuracy is among the best in the UFL.
Round 12 – CB Antoine Brooks
Antoine Brooks was one of the starting cornerbacks for the Sea Dragons last season, racking up 44 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams in the NFL in 2020 and 2021. Brooks had five tackles in 12 NFL games.
Roster Impact: Brooks proved to be strong in coverage last season in the XFL, so he will have a shot to start but has good competition against him.
Round 13 – CB Michael Stevens
Michael Stevens has played in the USFL and the XFL in his career with New Orleans being his home for the last two seasons. Stevens has recorded 42 tackles and one interception in those years with the Breakers. He also played for the Los Angeles Wildcats in 2020, starting in four of the five games played, and posting 26 tackles and one sack.
Roster Impact: Memphis had a big focus on cornerbacks trying to have as deep of a secondary as possible. Stevens has experience, but will not have an easy time earning a roster spot.
Round 14 - DT Willie Henry
Willie Henry has been disrupting running games and pressuring quarterbacks in the USFL with the Stallions for the last two years. Henry registered 36 tackles and five sacks in that span. He played six seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Baltimore Ravens His NFL career starts are 36 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
Roster Impact: Henry could be one of the two starting nose tackles on the team with John Atkins being another favorite on the defensive line.
Memphis Showboats Roster: UFL Dispersal Draft Breakdown
You can follow Anthony Miller on X @ByAnthonyMiller.
Catch up with UFL on FanNation on Facebook and X.
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.