New Orleans Saints Add St. Louis Battlehawks Linebacker
![Feb 23, 2023; Seattle, WA, USA; St. Louis Battlehawks linebacker Mike Rose (27) tackles Seattle Sea Dragons running back Morgan Ellison (25) during the first half at Lumen Field. St Louis defeated Seattle 20-18. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports Feb 23, 2023; Seattle, WA, USA; St. Louis Battlehawks linebacker Mike Rose (27) tackles Seattle Sea Dragons running back Morgan Ellison (25) during the first half at Lumen Field. St Louis defeated Seattle 20-18. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_6160,h_3465,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/ufl/01j4m0xr690252deg6mf.jpg)
The St. Louis Battlehawks had another winning season, and the NFL has started taking some of those players. Linebacker Mike Rose has signed with the New Orleans Saints, according to MLFootball who made the post on X Monday night.
Rose has been a staple of the Battlehawks' defense over the last two seasons. He had a career season in 2024, finishing with 45 tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions, three pass deflections, and one forced fumble in seven games. In his first season with St. Louis, he made 35 tackles in eight games.
This is Rose's third trip to the NFL. He went undrafted in 2021 and started his career with the Kansas City Chiefs. His play with the Battlehawks in 2023 helped him get back in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. He has posted 11 tackles and one pass deflection in his NFL preseason career.
BREAKING: UFL standout linebacker Mike Rose is being signed by the New Orleans #Saints, league sources exclusively tell @_MLFootball.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) August 6, 2024
NOLA has the former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in for a workout today & were very impressed. https://t.co/N8R2CuKXv1 pic.twitter.com/YmwaUSIwuA
At Iowa State, Rose led the defense and won several accolades as a Cyclone. This included winning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2020 and being a First-Team All-American that same year for The Athletic and Phil Steele. He finished his career with 321 tackles, 41 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, six interceptions, 14 pass deflections, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 49 games.
Rose becomes the third UFL player to sign with the Saints after the team brought in wide receivers Kevin Austin Jr. of the Birmingham Stallions and Samson Nacua of the Michigan Panthers. He is also the fifth player from the Battlehawks to land in the NFL.
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