Honestly, if you followed the UFL at all last year, you know the Birmingham Stallions are basically the gold standard of spring football. But the 2025 season? Man, it was a weird one. Everyone expected another cakewalk to a trophy, but the birmingham stallions roster 2025 ended up being a revolving door of "who is that guy?" thanks to a brutal string of injuries. It wasn't just bad luck; it was historically chaotic.
People talk about coaching stability under Skip Holtz, and sure, he's the "quarterback whisperer," but even a whisperer struggles when his top three signal-callers go down like dominoes. You’ve got to look past the surface-level stats to see how this roster actually functioned. It wasn't the same team in June that it was in March. Not even close.
The Quarterback Carousel Nobody Predicted
Going into the spring of 2025, the depth chart looked like a cheat code. You had Alex McGough, the 2023 USFL MVP, returning from the NFL. Behind him? Matt Corral, a former Ole Miss star and NFL third-round pick. Then you had Andrew Peasley from Wyoming. Most teams would kill for one of those guys. Birmingham had all three.
Then reality hit. Hard.
McGough went down in Week 1. Then Corral got hurt. Then Peasley. It was sort of unbelievable, really. By mid-season, the Stallions were digging through the "break glass in case of emergency" bin. They brought back J’Mar Smith from what was basically semi-retirement. They signed Case Cookus, a spring football legend who had been struggling with the Memphis Showboats before they let him go.
It was a mess, but somehow, Holtz kept the offense in the top three of the league. J’Mar Smith ended up being the guy who held it together for the bulk of the season. He isn't the flashiest, but the dude just knows the system. By the time the playoffs rolled around, Corral finally made it back for the USFL Conference Championship, but the rhythm was just... off.
Why the Receiving Corps Was Actually the Best in the UFL
While the quarterbacks were playing musical chairs, the wide receivers were basically a track team. If you look at the names, it’s wild that they all fit on one roster. Deon Cain was the clear alpha. He averaged over 17 yards per catch. That’s not a typo. He was the only receiver Skip Holtz didn't rotate out constantly.
Most people don't realize how much the Stallions "hockey-sub" their players. Aside from Cain, almost no one ran routes on more than 60% of the plays.
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- Marlon Williams stayed reliable as a physical slot presence.
- Amari Rodgers and Cade Johnson fought for snaps in the middle.
- Davion Davis and Austin Watkins Jr. returned from NFL stints to add even more depth.
- Jalen Camp provided that big-bodied outside threat.
It was a "Wide Receiver by Committee" approach that would drive fantasy football players insane, but it kept everyone fresh. It's why they were so dangerous in the fourth quarter. They just wore secondaries down.
The Defensive Wall and the NFL Exodus
The defense in 2025 was led by Corey Chamblin, and despite the team eventually falling to the Michigan Panthers in the playoffs, the unit was statistically terrifying. They were second in the league in takeaways. A huge part of that was Tae Crowder. You might remember him as "Mr. Irrelevant" in the NFL, but in Birmingham, he was anything but. He had two pick-sixes last season. Just a ball hawk.
The defensive line was anchored by Carlos Davis and Marvin Wilson. Davis was a monster, leading the league in sacks at one point. It’s actually surprising he didn't stick on an NFL roster longer after the season, though he did get looks.
Speaking of the NFL, the 2025 roster was a massive launching pad.
Harrison Mevis, the kicker known as "The Thicker Kicker," was nearly perfect and parlayed that into a New York Jets contract. Barry Wesley (offensive line) and Perrion Winfrey (defensive line) both earned NFL opportunities, though injuries followed them there too. It's the curse of the 2025 Stallions, honestly.
The Ground Game: More Than Just C.J. Marable
The backfield was supposed to be a "carbon copy" of 2024, with C.J. Marable, Ricky Person Jr., and Larry Rountree III all returning. On paper, that's the best trio in the league. But the running game actually took a step back. In 2024, they averaged over 5 yards a carry. In 2025? It dropped to about 4.2.
Part of that was losing the rushing threat of Adrian Martinez, who was in the NFL with the Jets. Without a dual-threat QB for most of the year, defenses could pin their ears back. Marable and Person are a great 1-2 punch, but they lacked that "home run" threat we saw in previous years. They were grinders.
2025 Birmingham Stallions Roster Breakdown
If you look at the final 50-man active list from the end of the 2025 season, it's a mix of veteran spring league guys and high-pedigree NFL castoffs.
The Offensive Line
The protection was a bit of a sore spot, giving up the second-most sacks in the league. Cole Schneider at center and Armani Taylor-Prioleau at tackle were the only ones who really held down their 2024 spots. They cycled through guys like Christian DiLauro, Darius Harper, and Grant Miller trying to find a combination that worked. It never quite gelled the way the 2022 or 2023 lines did.
The Tight Ends
Jace Sternberger is still the man here. He’s been an All-UFL/USFL guy back-to-back years for a reason. He’s basically a jumbo wide receiver. Behind him, Jordan Thomas emerged as a massive red-zone target—literally, the guy is a giant. He caught a crucial touchdown in the playoffs from J’Mar Smith that reminded everyone why he was a former NFL draft pick.
The Secondary
This group was deep. Nevelle Clarke, Steven Gilmore, and Mario Goodrich (before his NFL jump) made it hard for anyone to throw outside. Tre Norwood and JoJo Tillery handled the safety spots. They were aggressive, sometimes too aggressive, but they played with the swagger you expect from a team that had won 32 of its last 36 games.
What's Next for the Roster?
As we head into the 2026 cycle, the 2025 roster is already being dismantled and rebuilt. The team just had the No. 1 overall pick in the UFL Free Agent draft and took defensive tackle Amani Bledsoe. They’re also bringing in Khalil Davis to play alongside his brother Carlos.
The biggest question is the QB room. With Matt Corral signing with the Michigan Panthers for 2026, the Stallions have to decide if they trust J'Mar Smith to lead them again or if Alex McGough can stay healthy.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts:
- Watch the Trench Signings: The Stallions struggled with pass protection in 2025. Any new offensive line signings are the biggest key to returning to a championship.
- Track the Brother Duo: The Davis brothers (Carlos and Khalil) on the interior defensive line could be the most dominant duo in spring football history.
- Monitor J’Mar Smith’s Role: He’s the heart of the team, but if the Stallions bring in another big-name NFL drop-out, expect another training camp battle.
The 2025 season proved that even the best-built rosters can be broken by the injury bug. The Stallions still finished 7-3 and won their conference, which is a testament to the depth Zach Potter and Paul Roell built. But if they want that trophy back in 2026, they need to fix the offensive line and find a way to keep their quarterbacks upright.