2026 Houston Gamblers Draft: Day One

The United Football League opened the 2026 UFL Draft today inside league headquarters in Arlington, Texas.

Kevin Sumlin making picks during the UFL draft

ARLINGTON, Texas (January 13, 2025) – The United Football League opened the 2026 UFL Draft today inside league headquarters in Arlington, Texas. One hundred forty players were selected across the league on Day One of the two-day, position-by-position draft. 

The Houston Gamblers selected 21 players for the day. 

The draft was structured by position groups, beginning with the offensive front, followed by the defensive front, offensive skill positions, and defensive backs.

UFL teams will retain exclusive rights to the players chosen in today’s draft until the player reports to the team.

Below is a list of today’s selections by the Houston Gamblers:

Name

Position

School

Christian DiLauro

T

Illinois

Kellen Diesch

T

Arizona State

Donovahan West

C

Arizona State

Cam Carter

T

Murray State

Jaryd Jones-Smith

T

Pittsburgh

Malik Fisher

DE

Villanova

Kyon Barrs

DI

USC

Shaka Toney

ED

Penn State

Lonnie Phelps

ED

Kansas

Ikenna Enechukwu

DI

Rice

Charlie Thomas III

LB

Georgia Tech

Jerrod Clark

ED

Coastal Carolina

Braylon Sanders

WR

Mississippi

Nate McCrary

RB

Saginaw Valley

Kai Locksley

WR

UTEP

Cam Sutton

TE

Fresno State

LuJuan Winningham

WR

Central Arkansas

Carlton Johnson

CB

Fresno State

Nico Bolden

S

Kent State

Kary Vincent Jr.

CB

LSU

Avery Young

S

Rutgers