Memphis Showboats Roster: UFL Dispersal Draft Breakdown

From the moment Case Cookus took over for an injured Bryan Scott in 2022, the QB nicknamed “Chef Cookus” was red hot. Cookus led the Stars to the USFL Championship in 2022 and bounced back from a lower leg injury in the title game to return stronger for 2023. He has passed for 3,628 yards and 27 touchdowns, adding 495 rushing yards and one score on the ground.

Roster Impact: Cole Kelley was one of the starters for Showboats last season, but Cookus will go in as the favorite to win the starting job. Cookus is one of the best quarterbacks in spring football, so it would take a major upset for him to lose the job.

“Thick thighs saves lives” was coined by running back Darius Victor, which has been the case for him since 2020 in the XFL for the New York Guardians. He was one of the leading rushers in the XFL with 238 yards in five games before the league was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was his USFL play for the Generals that proved he was one of the best in spring football, rushing for 1,128 yards and 13 touchdowns in two seasons.

Roster Impact: Showboats leading rusher Kerrith Whyte returns to the roster for 2024, but will most likely be Victor’s backup. Victor’s downhill, ground-and-pound style has made him one of the elite backs in spring football.

While Kennedy Brooks hasn’t stepped on the field for spring football, he signed with the Stars in October before the Showboats drafted him. Brooks was with the Philadelphia Eagles for one season, spending time on the team’s practice squad. He was a star at Oklahoma in college, recording 1,000 yards in a season three times to total 3,320 yards and 31 touchdowns.

Roster Impact: Brooks will challenge Victor and Whyte for playing time, and should be in the rotation if not the starter.

Jonathan Adams is one of the most physically gifted wide receivers in the UFL with strong hands and big play potential. Adams has recorded 917 receiving yards and five touchdowns in two seasons with the Breakers. He recorded 2,306 yards and 21 touchdowns in four seasons in college at Arkansas State.

Roster Impact: Adams will be one of Cookus’ favorite receivers as he will be joined by Vinny Papale, Derrick Dillion and Diondre Overton in the receiver room. It’s the combination of size and speed of Adams that separates him from the pack.

Another wide receiver with great size, the 6-foot-5 Diondre Overton can go up and make any catch. Overton performed well with the Philadelphia Stars the last two seasons, recording 533 yards and five touchdowns. He signed with the Maulers in October.

Roster Impact: With Cookus having a new receiving core to work with, having some familiarity with Overton should help with the flow of the offense. Expect Overton to get significant playing time and be one of Cookus’ top targets.

Vinny Papale has emerged as a reliable receiver in the USFL over the last two seasons for the Tampa Bay Bandits/Showboats. Papale recorded 589 yards and three touchdowns during that span, earning All-USFL honors in 2023. He had originally signed with New Orleans in the offseason as he makes a return to Memphis.

Roster Impact: Despite a deep receiving core, Papale will get playing time and touches on offense.

Dee Anderson has spent the last two years in the USFL playing for the Bandits and Breakers. Last season with the Breakers, Anderson recorded 13 receptions for 174 yards and two touchdowns in seven games.

Roster Impact: Anderson will have more of a fight on his hands with a roster spot, but proved last season he should be on a roster.

Sage Surratt was overlooked on the Birmingham Stallions in 2022, but the USFL got to see him on display last season. In 2023, Surratt finished third in the league in receiving yards with 552 yards and added one touchdown on the year. He added 50 receptions, which was tied for second in the USFL.

Roster Impact: Surratt goes into the UFL as one of the best tight ends in the league. He’ll be one of the top targets for Cookus and part of one of the best-receiving corps in the UFL.

Wes Saxton Jr. has spent the last two seasons playing for the Generals, where he caught eight passes for 80 yards. Saxton played in other spring football leagues, including the XFL in 2020 and AAF in 2019. He also played on multiple NFL teams from 2015-18.

Roster Impact: Jay Jay Wilson is the top returning tight end for the Showboats. While Surratt would be the favorite to start, Saxton has plenty of experience and will compete for a backup role.

Terry Poole has been one of the best offensive linemen in the USFL over the last two seasons. He started with the Generals in 2022, where he was named All-USFL. After New Jersey cut him early last season, the Maulers picked him up and transformed their offensive line into run blocking and pass protection. He is a former fourth-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft of the Seattle Seahawks.

Roster Impact: Poole should see himself in the starting lineup for Memphis, either at left tackle or right tackle. Either way, the Showboats landed a great player on the line.

Sidney Wells was a member of the Breakers in the offseason before making the move to the Showboats in the draft. The versatile offensive lineman played his college career for UAB, earning first team All-Conference USA honors.

Roster Impact: The move to bring in the versatile Wells adds youth and depth to the line.

Kirk Kelley has been one of the starting offensive linemen for the Breakers at left guard. He played his college ball at Troy, being named to the All-Sun Belt Conference team three times.

Roster Impact: Along with Poole, Kelley will compete and most likely earn a starting position on the line, likely at left guard in 2024.

The Generals had Tyshun Render as one of the team’s top pass rushers for the last two seasons. Render recorded 43 tackles and five sacks during that span, starting six games last year. He also spent time in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins for two seasons.

Roster Impact: New Orleans has some good pass rushers on the team, but Render has gotten better over the last two years. If not a starter, his speed off the edge would be good enough to be in a rotational role.

Connor Christian has helped the interior of the Breakers defensive line over the last two years in the USFL. Christian has recorded 33 tackles and 3.5 sacks in two seasons. He was also a member of TSL in 2021 playing for the Linemen.

Roster Impact: Big John Atkins Sr. and Dillon Faamatau are back from last year for Memphis, so Christian will have to compete for them for playing time and a starter job.

Shaheed Salmon joined the Breakers last season after spending the previous two seasons with the Ottawa Redblacks in the CFL. Salmon recorded 22 tackles in nine games for New Orleans. He also played in the AAF for the Birmingham Iron and the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Roster Impact: Memphis’ linebacker core got stronger with the talent they brought in from New Orleans and New Jersey, which will make competition fierce in training camp. Salmon has all the tools to earn a roster spot.

Not only is Vontae Diggs one of the best personalities in the league, but Diggs is also one of the elite defensive players in the UFL. During his two seasons with the Breakers, Diggs recorded 141 tackles, 4.5 sacks and four interceptions. He also played in the NFL, AAF, arena football and CFL, where he won Most Outstanding Rookie for the Edmonton Elks in 2019.

Roster Impact: Diggs will be an instant starter on an already deep linebacking core for the Showboats. Expect him to receive a lot of playing time.

Jordan Brailford was one of the starters for New Orleans in his first season playing in spring football. Brailford finished with 20 tackles and two sacks in eight games. He played in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings in 2020.

Roster Impact: Brailford should be one of the players in rotation as Memphis will have a tough time finding playing time for their linebackers including Diggs, Kolin Hill and Greg Reaves.

Kolin Hill had a nice breakout season on the outside proving he can get to the quarterback for the Generals. Hill finished with 39 tackles and 4.5 sacks playing in all 10 games in 2023. He was a starter for three of his four seasons at Texas Tech from 2015-18.

Roster Impact: Hill has played well enough to be in the starting lineup on any team, but again, the prospect of finding playing time on the Showboats defense will be a challenge with so much talent surrounding him.

D.J. Daniel was one of the better coverage corners in the USFL with the Generals last season. Daniel recorded three interceptions and 30 tackles. He spent a season in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021.

Roster Impact: Only two cornerbacks on the Showboats recorded interceptions last season, with Quenton Meeks (one pick) the only one returning. Daniel is a ball hawk who should earn a starting job and be leaned on to make plays.

A reliable tackler, Jarey Elder proved over the last two seasons for the Breakers and showed last year he can create turnovers as well. He had two interceptions, 50 tackles and one sack last season. He played in TSL in 2021 with the Blues.

Roster Impact: Troy Warner should hold down one of the safety positions, as he led the team in tackles in 2023 with 73. As for who will be the other safety? Elder will have a chance to win that job in training camp.