ARLINGTON, TX – April 23, 2026 – Statistically, just 1.5% of NCAA draft-eligible players are selected in the NFL Draft, and even fewer hear their name called in the first round. Currently in the UFL, five players hold that distinction, each bringing elite pedigree and experience to the spring league.
Beginning with the most recent, Damon Arnette of the Houston Gamblers was selected 19th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders following a stellar four-year career at Ohio State.
Arnette earned multiple All-Big Ten honors, including a second-team selection as a senior. He allowed the lowest passer rating in single coverage among defensive backs in the 2020 draft class and did not allow more than one touchdown in any of his four full seasons.
In 2019, Deandre Baker of the DC Defenders was selected 30th overall by the New York Giants out of Georgia as one of the top cornerbacks in the class.
During his final collegiate season, Baker allowed just 175 yards and a 40.2 passer rating to opposing receivers, ranking among the best in the nation for defensive backs with at least 300 coverage snaps. He was named an All-American and won the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the nation’s top defensive back. Over his four-year career, he allowed just one touchdown.
The 2017 draft class was loaded with current UFL talent, beginning early in the first round.
Wide receiver John Ross of the Birmingham Stallions was selected ninth overall by the Cincinnati Bengals following an All-American season at Washington. Ross also made history at the NFL Combine, posting a 4.22-second 40-yard dash, breaking Chris Johnson’s record and still ranking as the second-fastest time ever.
Later in the first round, DC’s Gareon Conley was selected 24th overall by the Oakland Raiders. Conley was widely regarded as one of the top cornerbacks in the class, ranking behind only his former Ohio State teammate Marshon Lattimore.
A member of Ohio State’s 2014 national championship team, Conley had his best collegiate season in 2016, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors. He went on to make an immediate impact in the NFL, highlighted by a pick-six in his second season off Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Just a few picks later, Taco Charlton of the Dallas Renegades was selected 28th overall by the Dallas Cowboys out of Michigan.
Charlton capped off a strong four-year career with his best season as a senior, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors after recording 9.5 sacks, good for tenth-most in a single season in program history. He entered the draft ranked among the top edge rushers and was selected accordingly on opening night.
Five former first-round picks, now sharing the same stage in the UFL, each looking to make the most of their next opportunity while elevating the level of play across the league.