The Atlanta Falcons have signed San Antonio Brahmas defensive lineman Prince Emili and St. Louis Battlehawks offensive lineman Jaryd Jones-Smith this offseason adding to a long legacy of leaning on alternative football leagues to find talent. They might have the most players from other leagues in the NFL currently. They have 13 players who have played in alternative football leagues before 2024.
On this list, they have players who have played in:
Alliance of American Football 2019
If you include the coaching staff they also cover the:
This has been a slow build-up to this point as the Falcons added players each season since 2019. Let’s take a look at each player, touch on their alternative football career, and look at their impact on the Falcons and the NFL so far.
Younghoe Koo
Koo might be the most successful player on this list. After initially getting an opportunity with the Chargers in 2017 he was released following two games that saw him miss game-winning field goal attempts. He finished 2017 having played in 4 games 3 of 6 with all 3 misses coming from 40+ yards. He hit 9 of 9 extra points. Ironically he was replaced by the future XFL Specialist Showcase Coach Nick Novak.
He sat out the 2018 season before rekindling his career in the AAF with the Atlanta Legends, not far from where he once won the Lou Groza Award at Georgia Southern. He would end up being the first player to score a point in the AAF when he converted a 38-yard field goal against the Orlando Apollos. Unfortunately, the Legends started the season 0-3 before Koo managed to win their week four contest after converting two field goals including a game-winner in a 14-11 victory.
Koo would kick another game-winner the next week against the Memphis Express. A 35-yarder that helped him finish the day 3 of 3 winning Special Teams Player of the Week. It wasn’t long after the league ceased operations with Koo finishing a perfect 14 of 14. This prompted the Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, and Atlanta Falcons to take a look at the kicker. After initially spending two weeks on the practice roster for New England he was released landing with Atlanta.
He has been with Atlanta since then. His first week back in the NFL he rewarded Atlanta with a great performance. He was 4 of 4 on field goals including a long of 48 yards, as well as 2 of 2 on extra points. He won Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance. One trait that began to gain notice for Koo was his ability to find success on onside kicks. In a week 13 matchup with New Orleans the team recovered three onside attempts, but one was nullified by a penalty. Overall despite giving up kickoff duties after 2021, he has 6 onside attempts having found success on 3.
He went on to play in 8 games during the 2019 season for Atlanta and managed to convert 23 of 26 field goals and 15 of 16 extra points. This solidified his role in Atlanta for the foreseeable future. Over the next four seasons, Koo has been one of the most consistent kickers in the league. He has played in 66 games converting 128 of 142 attempts including just 2 misses a piece in 2020, and 2021. He is 123 of 129 on extra-point attempts. He also has 4 tackles and 1 fumble recovery. At one point he was even called upon to punt twice he averaged 35 yards per punt.
In his first three years in Atlanta, he managed to pin 18 kicks within the 20. Along the way he was named to the Pro Bowl in 2020, tying for the scoring lead as well. Koo now stands 4th in NFL Career Field Goal percentage, and to think his career began on a bad foot with him converting only 50% of his field goals and missing two game-winners (one was blocked).
Dee Alford
Alford is a former Grey Cup winner as essentially a rookie in 2021 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Originally signing with the CFL before the 2020 season only to watch it be canceled, Alford could have given up right there. Except he continued to perfect his craft and fought his way into the lineup. What’s more impressive is he managed to do this without a pro-day, or preseason to prove himself.
2021 was a magical run for the Blue Bombers, after the CFL announced a shortened 14-game schedule Winnipeg came out firing. Having won the 107th Grey Cup following the 2019 season they had re-stocked and prepared for another deep playoff run in 2021. Alford not only played a part but seized a starting job in 2021 and never looked back helping lead his team to an 11-3 record in the regular season capped off by going undefeated in the postseason and winning a championship.
He went on to play in 14 games logging 48 tackles, 4 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, and scored at least one touchdown. He added 5 tackles in two playoff games. He would end up being named CFL Top Performer in Week 7 after a 3-turnover performance against Edmonton. He was also awarded CFL All-Star and CFL Most Outstanding Rookie. Much like Koo, This one season in the CFL is all it took for Alford. He was signed to a futures deal with Atlanta on January 22nd, 2022.
He has remained with Atlanta for over two years now as he heads into his third season with the Falcons. He hasn’t simply been a role player either he has played in 32 of 34 games collecting 63 tackles, .5 sacks, 1 safety, 13 pass break-ups, and 1 interception. He also handled punt returns in 2023. He put up 20 attempts for 160 yards. He broke one for over 20 yards but also fumbled twice losing one. Alford has seemingly entrenched himself as a crucial member of Atlanta’s secondary and special teams. Now he will likely be joined by another former CFL player on offense.
Taylor Heinicke
Heinicke is the first player whose original NFL playing time, following his XFL stint didn’t come in Atlanta. After spending the 2020 season as a backup behind current DC Defender’s quarterback Jordan Ta’amu, with the St. Louis Battlehawks he was signed by the Washington Football Team.
This was not his first trip to the NFL Heinicke was closer to retiring at the time he joined the XFL than he was to ever starting a game in the NFL. Amazingly five XFL games later he not only signed but stuck with and started for an NFL team. The former XFL backup now stands as one of the most established former XFL players in the NFL. A quarterback team is viewed as a solid backup option at the NFL level. Who knew even holding a clipboard in an alt league has its benefits?
At 6’1 210 pounds Heinicke is not your prototype at quarterback but somehow found ways to win while standing in for Alex Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Carson Wentz, and Desmond Ridder last season. At this point, the one-time journeyman QB3/4 is the guy tabbed as the QB2 for Atlanta after signing a two year 14 million dollar contract before 2023. The Atlanta native is just another alt-league player with ties to the state of Georgia who has found a home with the Falcons. During his first three starts for Washington, he set a record for most completions in a by a quarterback (81 in 123 attempts) he had two games with 46 or more passing attempts.
Before joining the XFL, Heinicke had started just 1 game appearing in 7 for Houston and Carolina. He completed just over 61% of his passes but threw 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions. Compiling 330 yards. Fast forward to the present day and he has now played in 38 regular season games starting 29. He has completed 604 of 966 pass attempts for 6,635 yards 39 touchdowns and 28 interceptions adding 112 carries for 588 yards and 3 touchdowns. He started one playoff game where he threw 44 passes completing 26 for 306 yards 1 td, and 1 int, and ran 6 times for 46 yards for 1 touchdown. After sitting out of football for most of 2019, Heinicke has made $15,603,730.
Storm Norton
Another former XFL 2020 player, Norton has been in the NFL since his stint in spring football. Originally signed in the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Lions in 2017 he bounced around with the Cardinals, and Vikings for the next two years. By 2020 he found himself looking for his next opportunity when the Los Angeles Wildcats came calling.
This ended up being a pivotal moment in his career. He was selected first overall in the second phase of the XFL Draft. After five games Covid forced the shutdown of the XFL, resulting in the termination of his contract. He didn’t have to go far or wait long to find his next team signing with the Los Angeles Chargers just four days after his contract was terminated.
He would spend the rest of 2020 there as well as the next two seasons before becoming a free agent in 2023. He would sign with New Orleans where he spent the first month on the practice squad before being called up by the Falcons. Atlanta brought him in as depth in September but he has since stuck with the team into the 2024 season. In 2023 he was used primarily at right tackle but also saw snaps as a 6th offensive lineman, and left tackle allowing just 1 sack and committing 1 penalty.
He has pocketed $3,699,105 not including his XFL salary since 2020. Norton looks to have a good chance of making the roster in Atlanta. If he does stick on the active roster all season long he will earn $1,292,500 for the 2024 season which would be his highest single-season earnings in the NFL so far.
Micah Abernathy
Abernathy is another XFL 2020 player who originally began his professional career in the NFL as an undrafted free agent. He spent time on three teams as a rookie in 2019. However, he was released three times all happening before final cuts. This led to him signing a contract to join the Dallas Renegades for the 2020 Spring Football Season.
He played in all five games starting one for Dallas. He collected 16 tackles and 1 sack for a loss of 6 yards. He also graded out 75.9 pm special teams. This unfortunately wasn’t enough for him to get another NFL look following the shutdown of the league. Undeterred Abernathy simply stayed ready looking for his next chance to play football. Whether it came in the spring or the fall didn’t seem to matter.
The next time we saw Abernathy paid to play, was in 2022 with the Houston Gamblers of the upstart USFL. During the ten-game season, Abernathy finally proved he belonged at the next level logging 68 tackles, .5 sacks, and 2 interceptions on the season. He also saw a 64.1 special teams grade on 144 snaps. After this, he would sign with the Packers for the 2022 NFL season seeing action in two games after landing on their practice squad. He logged 2 tackles on the year and was targeted once allowing a 6-yard reception.
Not long after his second elevation, he was signed by the Atlanta Falcons who have since retained him even though he didn’t log any statistics in 2023. While most of his NFL snaps have come at free safety he has lined up in the slot and out wide at corner as well. His ability to play nearly any position in the secondary while contributing to special teams makes him incredibly valuable.
He played 285 special teams snaps since returning to the NFL. He has been seen lining up on; kick return, kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal block. The only unit he has not been used on is the field goal-kicking unit where he doesn’t fit. He did however log 3 penalties last season and graded out at 57.6 a drop from his 64.1 grade in 2022. He still has a good chance of making the team this season however it appears his direct competitors are also USFL/XFL alumni in Tre Tarpley III, and Lukas Dennis, although all three men have positional versatility and special teams viability. In theory, there is a chance we could see all three retained for 2024.
Barry Wesley
Wesley has signed with multiple alternative leagues since going undrafted in 2022 out of Colorado State University. Playing in 38 games in college Wesley had played guard and tackle perceivably making himself more valuable for teams. This didn’t seem to help his NFL stock but the Indoor Football League’s Massachusetts Pirates took notice signing him to a contract late in 2022 hoping to see him suit up in 2023.
The XFL Draft threw a monkey wrench in those plans as Wesley was signed by the Seattle Sea Dragons without ever playing a snap in the IFL. Sometimes keeping your name in the news cycle is enough to keep the interest coming. The 6’3 312 pound offensive lineman went on to become the starter at left tackle increasing his value to teams needing depth. Playing 337 snaps at left tackle, he graded out at 68.3 overall, a solid number.
After one season with Seattle, where he pass-blocked almost three times as much as he run-blocked, Wesley found NFL interest. He unfortunately spent most of last year on injured reserve and didn’t get a chance to play, however, he came into 2024 knowing the playbook well after a year of studying and watching others play.
He heads into this season competing with Storm Norton, and Jaryd Jones-Smith for the backup right tackle role. Keep in mind Wesley has played left tackle, and Norton has played some guard in the past as well. Perhaps there’s a world where these three kindred spirits don’t have to send the others home.
Chris Blair
Chris Blair was originally undrafted in 2020, the 6’2 wideout signed as a UDFA with the Packers but only after two tryouts almost a year apart. He ended up spending most of his time with Green Bay on the practice squad before being let go after the 2022 NFL Draft when they selected Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Samari Toure in rounds 2, 4, and 7 respectively.
Suddenly the receiver room was extremely crowded and the Packers decided Blair was the odd man out. Ultimately in August of 2022, he worked out for Indy who opted to sign another future Defender, Alex Molette the next day. It wasn’t until a day later Indy added DJ Montgomery that we saw who the Colts opted to bring in at wideout. Montgomery went on to play with the Michigan Panthers in 2023 before returning to the Colts.
Blair ultimately decided his best chance to increase his stock was to play for the XFL in 2023. He chose to ink a contract with the DC Defenders. He would play in an offense that featured many players who signed NFL contracts following the XFL season including his QB, Jordan Ta’amu. The Defenders nearly ran the table in the XFL finishing 10-2. Blair showed his big play ability producing 594 yards on just 26 receptions, an average of 22.8 yards per reception. He found the end zone three times. He graded at 60.9 on 44 snaps with the XFL but it’s his special teams play that helped him find a team.
Blair however was one of the few from his team to receive interest from multiple teams before signing with Atlanta where he still is to this day. Blair had previously worked out for the Titans before being signed by the Falcons. One of the reasons a guy like Blair is so valuable is quite obvious. At 6’2 he is the perfect size to play inside or outside and create mismatches with smaller defensive backs.
He also has the size to hold up to blocking in the run game or running down on kicks and punts. He didn’t play on kick or punt coverage units in the XFL but did see time on both return units. He graded out at 76.5 in the passing game. In week 12 of the NFL season, he played 18 snaps:
10 special teams 4 Kick Coverage, 6 kick return
8 offense: 5 run blocking snaps, 3 passing snaps
He may not have logged any statistics but he showed he could play in the kick coverage which I expect to be a big part of his value to the team. Currently, he is slotted in third at outside receiver behind Drake London.
Lukas Dennis
Lukas Denis is another former Massachusetts Pirate on this list. The unofficial feeder team for outdoor developmental leagues, you will find former Pirates littered throughout the biggest leagues in the U.S. and Canada. Denis was one of their real success stories. A guy who fought through adversity and kept playing betting on his ability to separate himself from the pack, and succeed.
The 5’11 190 pound safety nearly retired following the 2019 NFL season. After falling out of the draft entirely he was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to compete for a roster spot. A battle he ultimately lost. For the next two years, we didn’t hear from Denis at all on the NFL level. The XFL 2020 and 2022 USFL season came and went without him playing in either league. This left him to sign with the IFL.
The Boston College alum signed with the Pirates and went on to play in 15 games for the team. He collected 55.5 tackles, 1 sack, 3 interceptions, and 5 pass breakups. More importantly after three seasons away, he proved he could still play. Playing alongside other former or future USFL/XFL players like Toby Johnson, Tommy Champion, Vantrell McMillan, Dontez Byrd, and Da’sean Downey. This led to him finding a home in the XFL with the St. Louis Battlehawks for the 2023 season.
In 2023 he would play in all 10 games and start 7. He collected 37 tackles, 1 sack, as well as 2 interceptions and 50 return yards. During the season Denis played all over the secondary seeing snaps at free safety, in the slot, out wide at cornerback, in the box as a strong safety, he even lined up tight to the line like a pass rusher. He also played 20 snaps on special teams on punt return and field goal block.
Denis finished out the season as one of the most complete players in the league. He graded 84.7 overall, 86.1 in run defense, 74.8 in tackling, 69.5 in pass rushing, and 77.5 in coverage. He didn’t log a single penalty, only allowed a 50% completion rate, but 3 touchdowns.
During the 2023 preseason, he would play a similar role for Atlanta on defense, and special teams adding kickoff coverage to his duties. He played 90 total snaps, 76 on defense and 14 on special teams. He spent most of his time at free safety. He could also shift over and play strong safety if the Falcons prefer Abernathy.
Tre Tarpley III
Tarpley graduated from Vanderbilt in 2017 after four years with the school. The Pittsburgh native had to take the road less traveled to his first real NFL opportunity by playing in the AAF in 2019, as well as the Spring League the precursor to the USFL where he ended up in 2022. Tarpley’s career started on the wrong foot so to speak as a very late injury in his college career led to over a year of rehab before he was able to get his body right.
Tarpley got on the field for the first time as a professional with the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football in 2019. Playing in 8 games he produced 39.5 tackles and 1 interception before the league folded. Many players from the AAF found new life, for five games, in the XFL in 2020. Tarpley didn’t get that opportunity and instead turned up in The Spring League next.
Playing for The Generals he was coached by Mike Singletary a legendary NFL linebacker and former NFL Head Coach. He played alongside countless future USFL players and coaches as well. That meant when it came time to draft USFL rosters in 2022 Tarpley was on the radar for more than one team.
Playing for the Maulers for two seasons Tarpley managed to build himself into one of the top defenders in the league. He would collect 85 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 80 return yards. He also played 198 special teams snaps playing on every unit but the field goal-kicking unit.
Lacale London
London is a guy who had been noticed by the NFL in the past but like many young players attempting to develop while being a member of the practice squad, in-game reps were limited. He ultimately didn’t quite develop as quickly as Chicago had hoped, and ultimately they opted to move on during final cuts in 2022. This did not mean London couldn’t cut it in the NFL it meant he needed to find a way to play in the offseason to continue his development.
In 2020 he didn’t see any snaps but in 2021 during the preseason he played on 66 snaps collecting 7 tackles, and 5 pressures. He graded out at a 59.2 overall with his pass rush helping his score. In 2022 he played in 71 snaps but managed only two tackles and graded slightly lower than his last experience in 2021. This spelled the end of his time in Chicago after the preseason. This left him available for the XFL Draft early in 2023. He was selected by the Battlehawks who have essentially become the developmental team for the Falcons as of late.
With the Battlehawks London was used all over the defensive line logging snaps at both defensive end and defensive tackle positions. He even saw a handful of snaps as a linebacker showcasing how athletic he is. He even saw 18 special teams snaps on punt return and field goal block units. He would grade out at a 66.3 overall with his best performance coming as a pass rusher where he saw a 72.9 grade.
This was aided by his 10 hurries, 9 hits, and 4 sacks. He also batted down two passes but was called for 4 penalties, and missed 3 tackles. If he can clean up his couple of issues he could turn into a solid rotation piece for the Falcons. Which appears to be exactly how the Falcons view him. He played just 62 snaps but managed to impress primarily in the run game one area of his skill set that had lacked a bit in years past. This likely helped his case more than anything else.
London would log 9 tackles, 4 pressures including 1 hit, and 3 hurries. This helped him earn a roster spot with Atlanta. He would go on to play 204 snaps during the regular season grading out at 65.9 with his run defense his strength: 72.5. London finished the season with 14 tackles, 5 hurries, and 9 run stops. One thing that stood out was he improved in two major areas: penalties and missed tackles playing in seven games total. He logged 1 of each after having 7 total in 10 games for St. Louis. London now heads into training camp with a year of experience in this defense under his belt, and he’s penciled in as the top backup at nose tackle. However, the Falcons added three defensive linemen in this year’s draft, as well as another UFL player, Prince Emili.
Prince Emili
Emili stands 6’1 300 pounds and is penciled in as the fifth of five defensive tackles and last in a total of nine interior defensive linemen on the very early depth chart by Ourlads.com. Obviously, these depth charts are arbitrary but it just helps paint a picture of where these players stand on the roster. Could Emili beat out players ahead of him and make the team? Absolutely but it’s a tall task for any of the players on the roster who haven’t established themselves in Atlanta specifically.
Prince Emili is only 25 years old and technically has been on an NFL roster or practice squad every season of his career so far even though he went to the XFL for the 2024 season. Spending time with the Bills and Saints as a rookie. He returned to the Saints in 2023, played with the Brahmas in 2024, and signed with the Falcons for their 2024 season signing with four teams in three seasons.
Emili is quite the athlete for his size, at his pro day he managed a 36.5-inch vertical leap, 28 reps in the bench press, 4.5 20-yard shuttle, and 5.1 40-yard dash. He’s explosive in his first step which is displayed by his 1.56 10-yard dash and his number in the vertical. He has been coached by some of the most respected defensive minds in football from Wade Phillips and Will Reed in the UFL to Leslie Frazier and Eric Washington in Buffalo, Dennis Allen, and Ryan Nielsen with New Orleans, and finally Raheem Morris, Jimmy Lake, Jerry Gray, and Jay Rodgers in Atlanta.
It will be interesting to see Emili put it all together this preseason and see what he can do at the NFL level after being tutored by Wade Phillips. Emili played in 9 games logging 444 snaps only 17 of which came on special teams. He would grade out at 67.9 overall with a 71.1 pass rush rating. He managed 27 total pressures with 5 sacks, 5 hits, 17 hurries. He did however miss 5 tackles which hurt his grade but he didn’t get called for a single penalty. Missed tackles can be fixed, discipline is far more important at the NFL level. The truth is with 9 interior linemen, including two draft picks and one starter who isn’t going anywhere it’s unlikely that we see both London and Emili make it, and London has the edge currently.
Austin Mack
Austin Mack was one of the top four receivers for Ohio State for four seasons. After college, he declared for the NFL draft but ended up a priority-free agent. With 77 receptions, just over 1,000 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 6 tackles he showed he could play the question was if he would translate and get better in the NFL was he at his peak?
The answer to that was a resounding no early on. First signed by the Giants he got on the field in the regular season seeing 12 targets catching 7 passes for 91 yards. This included a 5 target 4 reception 72-yard performance in week 9 against the Washington Football Team. He finished out the season playing in 11 games seeing 192 offensive snaps and 24 on special teams. He graded at 62.2 according to PFF.com.
He would return to the Giants in 2021 before being placed on injured reserve during final cuts. He was released a week later. He was later brought in by the Titans for one week on their practice squad before being let go. He finished the season with the 49ers on their practice squad signing a futures deal as well. This guaranteed him a chance and nothing more. During the preseason he played on 33 total snaps including 5 on special teams.
Unfortunately for the second year in a row, Mack was placed on injured reserve in final cuts only to be let go shortly after. Rather than sit on the sidelines again, he signed with the Montreal Alouettes looking to prove himself and he would do just that. Say what you will about the CFL but for wideouts, it’s a beneficial league to play in due to the three-down nature of the game. With three downs the majority of teams lean heavily on the pass trying to get the ball in the hands of playmakers who can then make plays.
The Alouettes quickly realized how talented Mack was and found ways to get him involved from week one in 2023. In his first regular-season game in the CFL, he managed 4 receptions on 6 targets for 120 yards. The following game he caught 5 of 6 targets for 81 yards and 2 touchdowns. All of a sudden Mack looked like one of the most dangerous receivers in Canada having put up 9 receptions for 202 yards and 2 touchdowns in his first two games.
Teams began to game plan against him immediately but it only mildly helped as he would top 100 yards four more times during the season, and log 70 or more yards in 8 total games on the year. He would finish with 78 receptions for 1,154 yards and 4 touchdowns. He caught 65% of his 120 targets and averaged 14.79 yards per reception on the year. He helped Montreal win a Grey Cup and was named a CFL All-Star.
He showed he could be a big play threat given the opportunity, and dominated as was expected of him given his in-game NFL experience. However, let’s not undersell his ability to transition to the CFL and still perform in what is essentially a different sport in terms of rules. More importantly, he solidified a backup plan long term. If the NFL doesn’t pan out for him he could have a long career in Canada as I am positive Montreal would happily welcome him back as early as this year if he is let go before their season ends.
Jaryd Jones-Smith
Jones-Smith has understood the power of playing time for years now. Entering the NFL in 2018 he was signed as an undrafted free agent and given four months to develop with the Texans. He was given just 19 snaps at right tackle to prove himself. He graded out at 73.3 overall: 74.6 in the run game and 66.7 in the passing game only to be released on a team that went on to go 11-5 despite giving up 62 sacks on quarterback Deshaun Watson.
He didn’t hesitate to look to alternative options and ended up playing with the San Antonio Commanders in 2019 reigniting his NFL interest. With the AAF he primarily played left tackle which certainly didn’t hurt his value. Suddenly he was viewed as a swing tackle candidate. A guy who can add depth at left and right tackle allowing a team to potentially carry less offensive linemen. He played in all 8 games appearing on 469 snaps. He graded 59.8 overall, and 66.7 in the passing game.
He was one of several AAF players who found immediate NFL interest after the league released them from their contracts. He first signed with Miami but was waived during final roster cuts, and found interest in San Francisco being added to their practice squad for the remainder of the 2019 season after signing in early October. He returned to San Francisco in 2020 only to be released in final cuts. Three days later the Raiders brought him in.
He spent the entire 2020 season on the Raiders practice squad being called up for three straight divisional matchups from weeks 9-11. He opted to sign a futures deal in January to return to Vegas. For the fourth straight year by four different teams, he was waived in final cuts. During this stretch, he saw just 231 snaps in the preseason. In 8 games with the AAF, he played over twice that. For the third straight year a second team picked him up on their practice squad. This time it was Baltimore.
In an interesting situation, he was with Baltimore most of the season after being signed in September except for a 6-day hiatus in November. He finished out the season again signing a futures deal before again finding himself released just before the season. This time another NFL team didn’t swoop in and sign him for the year leaving him available to return to Spring Football reuniting with a familiar face from his AAF days: Anthony Becht, now the head coach of the St. Louis Battlehawks who had previously served as a Tight Ends Coach with the San Diego Fleet.
In 2023 with the Battlehawks he played in 8 games missing weeks four and five. Playing on 486 snaps he spent most of his time pass blocking, grading out at a 64, and logging a 67 in the run game. He was called for just 2 penalties. This performance led to him being named All-XFL, and garnering interest from the Washington Commanders. He would spend the entire 2023 season with Washington on their practice squad before his contract expired and he opted to return to the Battlehawks.
In 2024 his grade slipped per PFF, but he was still named All-UFL. Playing in all 10 games he saw action on 655 snaps including 1 trick play that saw him line up as a receiver. Since 2018 he has earned $684,563 from the NFL alone. He also made roughly $110,000 for two years in St. Louis, and around that $56,000 with the AAF for 8 games. Having made just over $850,000 since 2018, it’s safe to say we likely won’t see him hang it up early.
Even with all of these players on the roster, the Falcons aren’t done looking at UFL players. They have worked out Juwan Bushell-Beaty.
Juwan Bushell-Beaty
Bushell-Beaty has played for two XFL 2020 teams, a USFL team, and a CFL team, and has now been with St. Louis for both seasons since they came back. He is also the fifth Battlehawk on this list. Bushell-Beaty getting another chance in the NFL would prove sometimes persistence does pay off.
His first chance in the NFL came in 2019 when he spent time with Washington, but never even made it to training camp and Dallas. Dallas released him during final cuts after he played 133 snaps in 3 preseason games. He graded terribly at the time with a 41.1 overall primarily at right guard. That could have been the end right there. Instead, he looked for his next option and joined the XFL for the 2020 season. This began with his first stint with the Battlehawks before he finished in Houston.
In 2020 with the Roughnecks he started two games playing 125 snaps. He played much better grading at 62.0 overall without logging a penalty. When the league shut down he caught the eye of the Carolina Panthers but didn’t make it to the preseason with them before being cut.
It took just under a year before Bushel-Beaty found his next opportunity when he signed with the Ottawa Redblacks of the CFL, he was active for 6 games but the team opted to move on after the season.
In 2022 when the USFL returned it became the next stop for Bushel-Beaty. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Bandits reuniting with Jordan Ta’amu who he knew from St. Louis in the XFL. In the USFL he remained at right tackle playing in 9 games he logged 393 offensive snaps. His play had slipped but to be honest, no one with the Bandits excelled and that’s likely a big reason Todd Haley is not coaching in the UFL.
Bushel-Beaty, much like his quarterback opted out of his contract and left for the XFL in 2023. He would again join the Battlehawks this time under Anthony Becht. Giving him the chance to play against his one-time XFL head coach now in Arlington. This was his worst season in terms of penalties being called for 6 on the season. He played in 570 snaps appearing in all ten games. He graded out at 50.1.
In 2024 however, he cut down on penalties, playing nearly as many snaps. He also logged the highest grades of his career in both pass blocking (70.3) and run blocking (52.0). His overall grade fell shy of his best season in 2020 due to that one trick play but this was his best season so far blocking-wise. Atlanta has taken notice of this Battlehawks team bringing in Denis, and London last year, then adding Jaryd Jones-Smith this offseason. Adding Bushel-Beaty would solidify that there is a definite connection between these two teams.
This Trend Began with the Coaching Staff
The Falcons outside linebackers coach Jacquies Smith’s career as a player began in the CFL with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and ended in XFL 2020 with the Seattle Dragons.
John Timu a defensive assistant ended his career with the Salt Lake Stallions of the AAF in 2019.
Ken Zampese was the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Legends in 2019. Assistant Offensive Line Coach Nick Jones once signed with the Arena Football League’s Georgia Force owned by Arthur Blank at that time.
Dwayne Ledford current offensive line coach/run game coordinator coached in the NFLEL with the Frankfurt Galaxy for two years early in his career.
Wide Receiver Coach Ike Hilliard got his start in coaching in 2009 with the original United Football League spending two seasons with the Florida Tuskers. He spent time coaching with Jim Haslett, and Jay Gruden. Also on that 2009 staff was Sean McVay. It’s no coincidence that both wound up in Washington for several years.
Front Office Ties to Alternative Leagues
Adetokunbo Abanikanda is the Director of College Scouting for the Falcons. The Atlanta native began his professional career as a player with the Edmonton Eskimos.
Steve Scarnecchia is the Chief of staff/Coaching Operations for the Falcons, and you guessed it even he spent a season in NFL Europe as a video coordinator early in his career.
Coordinator of coaching operations Madison McDoulett may not have gotten her start in developmental football leagues..but she did serve in many roles for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals a Minor League Baseball team.
Even assistant General Manager Kyle Smith had experience playing in NFLEL, AFL, and the CFL during his career. He spent time with the Berlin Thunder in 2007, Georgia Force and Arizona Rattlers in 2008, as well as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2009. He immediately jumped into scouting in 2010.
Of Course Arthur Blank as mentioned owned the Georgia Force from 2004 to 2009, employing two players who later joined the Falcons in much different capacities.
Value in the Hunger
The Falcons have always recognized the value of playing time and the experience of alternative options for players who don’t immediately get an NFL opportunity. These players are hungry, they’re willing to play special teams and work their way up the depth chart. They don’t expect anything handed to them because these are the professionals who have never had anything handed to them. There’s value in players who don’t know what complacency feels like.
Sponsor: Upside
This article and so much more is brought to you by Upside. Upside is a free not strings attached app that will pay you cashback for the purchases you already make. Gas, Groceries, or a Good Meal, with just 3 clicks, you can earn CashBack today at HUNDREDS of locations. Use our code Sam363682 to save an additional 15 cents per gallon on your next fuel purchase. With discounts up to 25 cents per gallon, you could earn 40 cents back per gallon on your first purchase. Again use our code Sam363682 at sign up.
YouTube
Please also help us continue growing on our YouTube Channel by subscribing if you haven’t already. Also like and comment on any videos you enjoy! Thank you for your support and we hope you continue to tune in!
Join the Conversation
Are you on Discord do you like sports? Including leagues like the NFL, CFL, UFL, USFL, XFL, IFL, or AFL?
https://discord.com/invite/madwY6jyUT
Share this:
Discover more from Shady Sports Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.