- Bryce Thompson headlines a formidable Defenders cornerback unit: He didn't allow a catch in Week 3 for the second straight game and has now let up just one reception on eight targets this season.
- Kenny Willekes is flashing early-season pass-rush dominance: The Michigan edge defender secured a league-high eight quarterback pressures in Week 3, and his 33.9% pass-rush win rate this season far outpaces any other defender.
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Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes
PFF has you covered for 2025 spring football with weekly grades, in addition to grades and analysis for the NFL and college football. We're diving into every UFL team's highest-graded players throughout the 2025 season. Only those who meet the minimum snap threshold (50) are included.
Arlington Renegades
- LB Donald Payne (82.2)
- CB Chris Claybrooks (81.2)
- S Joe Powell (76.5)
- DI Amani Bledsoe (74.4)
- EDGE Chris Odom (73.4)
The Renegades' top five is all new this week following the team's stagnant offensive showing in Week 3. Arlington's defense was stout despite a late-game breakdown in a 10-9 loss to the Stallions, led by linebacker Donald Payne, whose 91.0 PFF run-defense grade this past week paced all UFL defenders.
Chris Claybrooks is one of 19 UFL cornerbacks who have seen 10 or more targets in coverage through three weeks and has allowed a league-low two first downs (tied) among that group.
Joe Powell was one of the Renegades' highest-graded players in 2023 and earned an elite 90.1 PFF overall grade in limited action last season. And he is off to another strong start in 2025 after feasting on Matt Corral this past week, allowing just two catches on seven targets with an interception on a Corral overthrow.
JOE POWELL INT 🔥🔥🙌 pic.twitter.com/aRC0gFhMIQ
— Arlington Renegades (@XFLRenegades) April 12, 2025
Birmingham Stallions
- LB DeMarquis Gates (87.1)
- CB Steven Gilmore (80.7)
- WR Cade Johnson (74.2)
- EDGE Ronnie Perkins (74.1)
- WR Marlon Williams (73.9)
DeMarquis Gates retains his No. 1 spot from last week, thanks to his second straight 80.0-plus PFF game grade. The 2018 NFL undrafted free agent logged a league-high four run stops in Week 3 and is well on his way to the best spring football season of his career.
In his first spring football season, the younger brother of NFL veteran Stephon Gilmore is making a name for himself. Steven Gilmore‘s 85.2 PFF coverage grade in Week 3 ranked second among qualifying UFL cornerbacks. He has allowed the fewest yards per reception (7.1) among cornerbacks targeted 10 or more times this season while leading the position in tackles (14).
Cade Johnson was the lone spark in an offensive letdown for the Stallions and Renegades. His touchdown catch — a wide-open 20-yarder — with 26 seconds left brought Birmingham even before Corral punched in a one-point conversion to go ahead 10-9. His 75.9 PFF receiving grade in Week 3 ranked fourth among wide receivers.
DC Defenders
- CB Bryce Thompson (82.6)
- EDGE Malik Fisher (73.3)
- T Yasir Durant (72.9)
- EDGE Derick Roberson (72.2)
- EDGE Andre Mintze (71.7)
The Defenders are the UFL's lone unbeaten after taking down the high-flying Battlehawks in a turnover-filled contest. The team boasts perhaps the league's best cornerback room, and Bryce Thompson is an important piece of the puzzle. He didn't allow a catch in Week 3 for the second straight game and has now let up just one reception on eight targets this season. DC's cornerbacks are allowing a league-low 43.0 passer rating when targeted.
Malik Fisher didn't add to his pass-rush totals this past week but further showed why he is among the UFL's top run defenders. He is the league's only edge defender with an 80.0-plus PFF run-defense grade through Week 3 after producing two stops — including one tackle for loss — on only seven run-game snaps against St. Louis.
Standout offensive line play tends to be hard to come by in spring football, but Yasir Durant hasn't received the memo. He allowed only three quarterback pressures — all hurries — across 319 pass-blocking snaps last season and is on pace to match that in 2025, having yielded just one on 114 reps. His 79.1 PFF pass-blocking grade through Week 3 ranks fourth among UFL tackles.
Houston Roughnecks
- S Leon O'Neal Jr. (78.0)
- S Corn Elder (77.4)
- LB Marvin Moody (75.6)
- EDGE Tashawn Bower (74.7)
- RB ZaQuandre White (74.7)
Leon O'Neal Jr. housed an interception and tallied a league-high five stops in Week 3. His 10 stops on the season are four more than any other safety, and he was the UFL's second-highest-graded player (91.1) at the position this past week.
Much of Corn Elder‘s value at safety has been in run defense, where his 81.5 PFF grade leads all UFL safeties. He tacked on another run stop in Week 3 while surrendering one catch — albeit on a last-ditch effort for Memphis on the game's final play. His switch to full-time safety appears to be already paying dividends for the Roughnecks.
Marvin Moody was one of only two UFL linebackers to post a 90.0-plus PFF run-defense grade (90.5) in Week 3. He helped Houston limit Memphis to just 2.7 yards per carry on 26 rushing attempts.
Memphis Showboats
- WR Jonathan Adams Jr. (90.2)
- DI P.J. Hall (81.8)
- CB Lance Boykin (78.8)
- TE Jay Jay Wilson (72.7)
- CB Kyree Woods (71.0)
The Showboats' top five remains unchanged from Week 2. Jonathan Adams Jr. remains the league's highest-graded offensive player (minimum 50 snaps) through Week 3. His five contested catches this season are the most in the UFL.
Only two UFL interior defenders have reached six run stops through Week 3, and P.J. Hall is one. The former second-round NFL draft pick is on track for his second straight season-long 80.0-plus PFF overall grade.
Lance Boykin has surrendered 69 yards on 13 targets into his coverage this season, and he owns the UFL's sixth-best PFF coverage grade (80.3) among cornerbacks through three weeks.
Michigan Panthers
- EDGE Kenny Willekes (90.6)
- CB D.J. Miller Jr. (89.7)
- G Cohl Cabral (82.6)
- S Kai Nacua (81.7)
- EDGE Breeland Speaks (81.7)
Kenny Willekes is quickly establishing himself as the UFL's top pass rusher in 2025. His 33.9% pass-rush win rate far outpaces any other defender, and his 18.6% pressure rate is a top-five mark in the league. Willekes ranked first in PFF pass-rush grade (90.7) in Week 3 after securing a league-high eight quarterback pressures.
Outdoing a two-interception outing is no easy feat. D.J. Miller Jr. came back down to Earth a bit in Week 3, allowing a touchdown and four catches into his coverage. However, he added to his pass breakup total and is a top-six cornerback this season in that regard.
Cohl Cabral owns the UFL's highest PFF run-blocking grade (85.1) through Week 3, having been defeated on only 7.6% of his 79 run-blocking snaps.
San Antonio Brahmas
- RB Anthony McFarland Jr. (76.4)
- CB Chris Steele (75.9)
- T Willie Tyler (67.7)
- RB Jashaun Corbin (67.3)
- DI Caeveon Patton (65.7)
Although the Brahmas fell to 0-3, Week 3 was a step in the right direction. Anthony McFarland Jr. turned just seven carries into 54 rushing yards and brought in a 15-yard touchdown pass. He is the league's highest-graded running back through three weeks.
Few cornerbacks were stingier than Chris Steele in coverage this past week. He surrendered just two catches for 18 yards on five targets and forced two incompletions — including one on a pass in the end zone with seconds remaining in the first half.
Willie Tyler ranks as the fourth-best tackle by PFF overall grade, although he is coming off a shaky Week 3 showing in pass protection. Still, he was the league's top run blocker this past week (77.4).
BIG STRAP BY CHRIS STEELE!! pic.twitter.com/xeBZMQdhvo
— San Antonio Brahmas (@XFLBrahmas) April 13, 2025
St. Louis Battlehawks
- G Dohnovan West (90.1)
- LB Willie Harvey (88.5)
- DI Austin Faoliu (86.4)
- LB Olakunle Fatukasi (85.6)
- S Kameron Kelly (84.8)
After getting his first start of the season, Dohnovan West is the second-highest-graded offensive player in the UFL. He has yet to allow a quarterback pressure across 59 pass-blocking snaps, and his 84.4 PFF run-blocking grade is the second-best mark among all offensive linemen.
Willie Harvey‘s Week 3 efforts earned him the highest PFF overall grade (92.2, tied) among all defenders. He forced a fumble, racked up three stops and allowed just 10 yards in coverage.
Austin Faoliu graded positively on 27.8% of his run-defense snaps in Week 3, a top-10 clip among interior defenders. He remains the UFL's highest-graded run defender (89.6) at the position through three weeks.
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