It took over a month, but the St. Louis Battlehawks have finally sent a player to the NFL. DB Nick Whiteside signed with the Detroit Lions this morning, bringing some depth to that secondary amidst some injuries and roster movement.
Nick Whiteside was an offseason addition by St. Louis heading into the 2025 UFL season. He entered the year primarily as a rotational piece, but with injuries in the secondary to starting CB’s Brandon Sebastian and Chris Payton-Jones, Nick finished the season as a starter.
Jones ended up posting 17 tackles and three PBU’s, starting in five of 11 games played. He finished the year with a strong 72.5 Defensive Grade, alongside a 74.7 Coverage Grade via PFF. Whiteside allowed just 47.6% completion when targeted.
Now, he gets an opportunity with the Detroit Lions, due to some of the injuries they’re facing on their roster. Whiteside received a workout with the Carolina Panthers earlier this summer, but has instead landed in Detroit. The Lions are no stranger to UFL talent, with star kicker Jake Bates rostered from a season ago.
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Nick previously spent some time in the NFL with the Washington Commanders as an UDFA. In college, he was a standout at the D2 level, earning GLIAC Defensive Back of the Year in 2022.