St. Louis Battlehawks UFL Super Dispersal Draft Breakdown

New Jersey Generals’ hard-hitting safety Dravon Askew-Henry finds his way onto the Battlehawks in the first round. Askew-Henry put up 71 total tackles and two interceptions for the Generals the last two seasons. He was a starting safety on the XFL’s New York Guardians in 2020, with 12 tackles in five games.

Roster Impact: Secondary has been a big focus for the Battlehawks as they are rebuilding from last season. Askew-Henry plays aggressively which should bold well for St. Louis. He could be in their starting lineup Week 1.

Outside linebacker Chris Garrett joined the Houston Gamblers late in the 2023 season, playing in two games and making two tackles. Garrett was in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks from 2021-23. He won a Super Bowl with the Rams, who selected him in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Roster Impact: Garrett showed in college at the Division II level that he has a knack for creating turnovers, setting the Division II record for forced fumbles in a career with 15. With Mike Rose, Pita Taumoepenu and Carson Wells among the deep linebacking core, Garrett will likely have to compete for a spot on the roster through special teams.

Safety Kameron Kelly was a key member of the San Antonio Brahmas defense, playing in nine games last season with 17 tackles and two interceptions. Kelly played for the CFL for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2021-22), totaling 87 tackles, three sacks and six interceptions in 32 games.

Roster Impact: St. Louis coach Anthony Becht is working on the secondary and Kelly should play a big role. He is solid in coverage and creating turnovers, making him a good candidate for a starting position.

The Houston Roughnecks enjoyed success with John Daka on defense in 2023. Daka had 26 tackles, 4.5 sacks, six tackles for loss and a team-high three forced fumbles. He previously played for four NFL teams: Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears.

Roster Impact: It’s another big piece to a deep linebacking core that only makes the Battlehawks that much stronger on defense. Daka is a playmaker who can put pressure on the quarterback.

Abdul Beecham started all 10 games on the offensive line for the Orlando Guardians in 2023. Beecham also played in the USFL in 2022 with the Pittsburgh Maulers. He was in the NFL in 2019 playing for the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams.

Roster Impact: St. Louis would go on a run with linemen to end the draft. Beecham should be able to jump in and be one of the starting guards at the beginning of the season.

Defensive tackle Mandy Alonso was on the Calgary Stampeders at the beginning of 2023. Alonso also signed his letter of intent with the Seattle Sea Dragons in October. During his five seasons at Virginia, he had 116 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, three pass deflections and one forced fumble in 55 games.

Roster Impact: Kevin Atkins is the front runner as the top nose tackle on the team. Alonso will have to compete with two other defensive tackles for playing time.

Offensive guard Kahlil McKenzie found himself on the reserve list early in the XFL season with the Vegas Vipers last year. McKenzie was also in the 2020 XFL season with the Los Angeles Wildcats. He has played in the NFL with four different teams as he was on the active roster with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020. In 2021 with the Baltimore Ravens, he played both on the offensive and defensive line.

Roster Impact: Between Steven Gonzalez, Jack Snyder, Christian Olmstead and Beecham, there will be stiff competition at guard for McKenzie. 

The St. Louis Battlehawks drafted Christian Olmstead in the ninth round of the 2022 XFL Draft when the league first rebooted. Olmstead served as a back up at right guard for St. Louis last season. He also spent time in the CFL and TSL.

Roster Impact: Olmstead should be able to find a spot on the roster after being a key depth player on the offensive line last season for St. Louis.