Houston Roughnecks Announce Initial Roster Ahead of 2024 UFL Season Following Player Dispersal Process
January 8, 2024 - XFL (XFL) News Release
HOUSTON, TX - The United Football League, the premier spring football league, has announced the results of its initial player dispersal process.
Each remaining XFL Conference and USFL Conference team protected 42 foundational players from its 2023 roster. Each team in each of the XFL and USFL Conferences then selected up to 20 players from the rosters of teams from their previous league that will not be moving forward in 2024. That process was completed Friday.
The Houston Roughnecks locked in 62 players for the 2024 UFL season, protecting 42 foundational players and selecting 20 from the USFL Conference. Among the 20 players who were selected from other USFL teams, the Roughnecks secured eight players from the New Jersey Generals, five from the New Orleans Breakers, five from the Philadelphia Stars, and two from the Pittsburgh Maulers.
The Roughnecks protected running back Mark Thompson, who was named 2023 USFL Offensive Player of the Year and set the modern-era single season USFL record with 14 rushing touchdowns. The Roughnecks also protected wide receiver Justin Hall, safety Manny Bunch and offensive tackle Avery Gennesy, who were all named to the 2023 All-USFL Team.
Among the selected players, the Roughnecks picked up defensive end Adam Rodriguez, who holds the modern USFL record with 15 sacks through two seasons with the Philadelphia Stars and was named to the 2023 All-USFL team on defense.
Players not protected or selected in this initial process will be placed in a pool of players who will be available for all UFL teams to choose from, regardless of previous league, in another round of player dispersal on Jan. 15.
The following is a look at the results of the initial process for the Houston Roughnecks:
HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS
Name Position College Previous Team
Paul Adams OT Missouri NO
Kenji Bahar QB Monmouth
Isaiah Battle OT Clemson NJ
Ronheen Bingham OLB Arkansas St
Tim Bonner DE Florida Atlantic
Richard Bowens III CB Saginaw Valley St
Braedon Bowman TE South Alabama NJ
Woody Brandom TE Sam Houston St NJ
Nick Buchanan C Florida
Manny Bunch S Tulsa
Emmanuel Butler WR N. Arizona
Isaiah Chambers DE McNeese St
Keke Chism WR Missouri
Tiyon Evans RB Louisville
Reuben Foster OLB Alabama PIT
Avery Gennesy T Texas A&M
Shamarious Gilmore OG Georgia St PHI
Nick Grant CB Virginia
Cyril Grayson WR LSU PHI
Jarrett Guarantano QB Washington St
Justin Hall WR Ball St
Isiah Hennie WR Sacramento St PIT
Jake Hlava DE Grand Valley St
Reggie Howard Jr DT Toledo NO
Ryan Izzo TE Florida St PHI
Jeremiah Johnson S Concord (W. Va.)
Jeffery Johnson DT Oklahoma
Toby Johnson DT Georgia NJ
Shermari Jones RB Coastal Carolina
Jair Joseph OG Nicholls St
Jack Kramer OC Bowling Green NO
Dayan Lake S BYU
Robert Myers OL Tennessee St NJ
Hunter Niswander P Northwestern
Chigozie Nnoruka DT Miami (Fla.)
Jai Nunn-Lidell CB Kentucky St
Chris Odom DT Arkansas St
T.J. Pledger RB Utah
Isaiah Pryor LB Notre Dame
Rodell Rahmaan TE Tennessee St
Anthony Ratliff-Williams WR North Carolina
Justin Redd T East Carolina
Teo Redding WR Bowling Green
Colby Richardson CB LSU
Jakari Robinson OG Bowling Green
Markel Roby S Pittsburg St
Na'Ty Rodgers OT Houston
Elijah Rodgers CB Clemson
Adam Rodriguez DE Weber St PHI
Donald Rutledge Jr DB Ga. Southern
Olive Sagapolu DT Wisconsin NJ
Keonte Schad DT Oregon St NO
Gabriel Sewell Jr ILB Nevada PHI
Clint Sigg Jr TE Lindenwood (Mo.)
Marcus Tatum OT UCF NO
Mark Thompson RB Florida
Khalan Tolson LB Illinois
J.T. Tyler OLB Princeton
Reggie Walker DE Kansas St
Ethan Westbrooks DL W. Texas A&M NJ
Bryson Young OLB Oregon NJ
Isaiah Zuber CB Kansas St
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