The UFL season is fast approaching! On Monday, the league held the final phase of their dispersal draft, where teams could add any available player who played in the league last year. This is the final step in the XFL-USFL merger before the season begins. Here are the results for the Memphis Showboats dispersal draft.
Memphis Showboats Dispersal Draft Results
The Memphis Showboats selected 14 players in the dispersal draft on Monday, January 15th.
Memphis Showboats Dispersal Draft Analysis
I love what the Memphis Showboats have done in the dispersal draft in all three phases. The team finished 5-5 last season and knew they needed to make changes. Throughout this process, the Showboats have been active, garnering talent to compete with each other in training camp. They have balanced their attack, focusing on all aspects of the game. One interesting note from Monday’s draft is the team did not pick up a quarterback. This signals they are happy with who they have on the roster currently and are looking to build up other areas of the roster. Memphis could sign someone in free agency, but in this pool of players, they are happy with the position.
Player To Know: Christian McFarland
Getting McFarland in the third round was a steal for the Showboats. He has spent the last two seasons with the back-to-back USFL champions, the Birmingham Stallions. In those two seasons, he had a total of 98 tackles. The Stallions decided to protect other players and let McFarland hit the open market. Memphis was happy to get him on the team. He should immediately compete for the starting safety spot and solidify the back end of the defense.
If the Memphis Showboats were able to get him in the dispersal draft, is he really that good? Analyzing this type of draft is tricky. In a perfect world, teams would have every high-level player, but that isn’t possible. The Stallions needed to make some sacrifices and ultimately let McFarland go.
Player To Know: Max Roberts
This might be one of my favorite picks for the Memphis Showboats in the dispersal draft. The team took Roberts in the fourth round of the draft, and initially, the pick may not jump off the page. However, he could do much on the field with limited playing time. Roberts played in all ten games for the Vegas Vipers but only started two. He was more of a rotational piece but was a problem for offensive lines.
In those ten games, Roberts tallied five sacks and 25 tackles. While he wasn’t a full-time player, he made the most of his time on the field. Keeping the pass rush fresh is essential for any team. Roberts, who has the upside of becoming a starting-caliber player, will be a nice rotational piece for the Showboats.
2024 Outlook
The Memphis Showboats are primed for a jump after the dispersal draft. They made many savvy moves with their roster that have set them up for success. Memphis didn’t have much talent jump off the page last season, and they want to change that. In the first year of a new league, the expectation is the teams who dominated before will dominate again. However, the Showboats are hoping they can buck that trend and surprise some teams in the UFL in 2024.
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Matt has been following sports since he was a kid. While football is his primary focus, Matt can talk about any sport anytime. He is a banker in Wisconsin and hosts two podcasts, Beers and Ears & Discontinued on Display.
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