UFL Dispersal Draft Set for Former XFL, USFL Teams
The new United Football League made it official on Thursday, announcing the much-discussed Dispersal Draft for all eight of its teams.
Each team will be allowed to protect up to 42 players from its 2023 roster and select up to 20 players from the rosters of teams from their conference that will not be moving forward in 2024 from their previous league.
The UFL Dispersal Draft has some unique aspects to it. Firstly, the first phase of the dispersal draft is conference only. USFL teams draft from a pool of players from disbanded USFL teams. XFL teams do the same in their conference.
The United Football League, the premier spring football league, will hold the first phase of its player dispersal process on Friday, Jan. 5.
— UFL Communications Department (@UFL_PR) January 4, 2024
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But it’s a little tricky. The current Houston Roughnecks, who are in the USFL Conference, are the former Houston Gamblers. So the Roughnecks, Memphis Showboats, Michigan Panthers and Birmingham Stallions are to choosing from the Philadelphia Stars, New Jersey Generals, Pittsburgh Maulers and New Orleans Breakers.
On the XFL side, the D.C. Defenders, San Antonio Brahmas, St. Louis Battlehawks and Arlington Renegades will be drafting from a pool of players from the old Houston Roughnecks, Orlando Guardians, Vegas Vipers and Seattle Sea Dragons.
Players not protected or selected on Friday will be available for all UFL teams to choose from, regardless of previous league. That process will take place during a second dispersal draft on Jan. 15.
Training camp for the UFL is set to begin Feb. 24 in Arlington. Each team will invite 75 players to camp, with rosters being set at 50 players once the season begins. Each UFL team will have 42 active players on game days, with a third quarterback rule as an inactive going into games.
Top UFL Dispersal Draft Targets by Position
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Mike Mitchell is a pro football writer/insider with decades of experience covering and following multiple leagues. He covers the New York Jets for TheJetPress.com at FanSided. He has also written for XFL Board and at Hub Publishing covering the CFL, XFL and USFL.