As the United Football League (UFL) season kicks off, several former Tigers will hit the field this spring. Clemson has a proven track record of producing football talent, and this year’s UFL rosters feature a handful of familiar names. Here’s a look at alumni to keep an eye on this season:
Amari Rodgers, wide receiver | Birmingham Stallions
Rodgers is one of the most memorable receivers in recent memory for many Clemson fans, finishing top-six in all-time receptions and top-12 in all-time receiving yards for the program.
Following his 1,000-yard senior season in Tigertown, the 5-foot-9 receiver declared for the 2021 NFL Draft and was drafted with the 85th overall pick by the Green Bay Packers.
Ultimately, this pairing wouldn’t work out due to drops and fumble issues on offense and special teams, and Rodgers has now been out of the league since the end of the 2023 season.
However, after joining fellow Clemson alumni Deon Cain on the Birmingham Stallions, Rodgers saw immediate success, winning a championship in the league’s inaugural season.
Deon Cain, wide receiver | Birmingham Stallions
Cain is known for being a consistent, lanky receiver during his time at Clemson, helping the team win the National Championship in 2016.
He also led the 2017 team’s receiving corps in yards with 734, ahead of elite talents like Tee Higgins, Hunter Renfrow and Ray-Ray McCloud. He sits in the top five in all-time receiving touchdowns for the Tigers with 20.
The 6-foot-2 wideout was drafted in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft but couldn’t find his footing as he had multiple short stints with a handful of teams until he joined the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL, at the time, in 2023.
He would see limited targets throughout his first season but prevailed in the USFL Championship game win, breaking out for 70 yards and three touchdowns, earning him MVP of the contest.
In the 2024 season, Cain would go off for 436 receiving yards, finishing No. 9 in the UFL and three touchdowns on 33 catches, leading the team to another championship—but this time in the UFL.
B.T. Potter, kicker | Michigan Panthers
Potter is arguably the best kicker in Clemson history, finishing as the program’s leader in field goals made/attempted, extra points made/attempted, points by a kicker and many more.
While he saw immense success at the collegiate level, he would go undrafted in 2023 and have an extremely short stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But after that, Potter disappeared from the scene. Nobody had seen or heard from him on any playing level for years.
That was until the Michigan Panthers needed a new kicker for the 2025 season, as their former kicker, Jake Bates, had signed a contract with the Detroit Lions and was performing exceptionally well mid-season. These circumstances led to Potter’s signing back in November 2024.
Many eyes will be on the former Clemson standout, who hasn’t seen the official field in over two years.
Cornell Powell, wide receiver | D.C. Defenders
The 27-year-old receiver played five years at Clemson and didn’t see much action to start his career due to multiple star-studded offenses in his time there. However, Powell was able to turn scouts’ heads in his final year, putting up 882 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 53 catches in 2020.
This helped him get drafted in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, where he’d go on to win back-to-back Super Bowls. Unfortunately, the team would release him before the 2024 season started.
He’d find a spot on the Seattle Seahawks practice squad and sign a reserve contract — which means he can’t be signed by another NFL team for the offseason.
In the meantime, Powell signed with the D.C. Defenders to get in some spring ball work. There’s a high chance we’ll see the 205-pound wideout again, whether in the UFL or NFL.
Mario Goodrich, cornerback | Birmingham Stallions
The 6-foot corner didn’t make too significant of an impact his first three years at Clemson but broke out as a senior in the 2021 season, where Goodrichtallied 42 tackles, 10 pass deflections and two interceptions, including a pick six.
This performance earned him First Team All-ACC honors and eyes on him heading into the draft. While Goodrich would go undrafted in a strong defensive back class, he was immediately signed by the Eagles but would only see the field as a practice squad member.
He also had a short stint with the New York Giants before signing with the Birmingham Stallions in early February.
