The NFL is officially back: which means that UFL to NFL watch is in motion. Last night, the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions faced off in the Hall Of Fame Game, to kick off the preseason.
I had the privilege of making the trip down to Canton, Ohio, to cover the game. With a few UFL players on tap, it was an exciting start to the NFL’s preseason; with several familiar faces to watch.
Los Angeles Chargers
OT Ryan Nelson (Michigan)
For the Los Angeles Chargers, their lone UFL signing so far has been Ryan Nelson – the former All-UFL OT with the Michigan Panthers.
Nelson ended up playing all but 10 snaps in the game, as the Chargers rolled over the Lions en route to a 34-7 victory in Canton. Ryan, who primarily played left tackle for the Panthers, took all of his snaps at right tackle for Los Angeles last night.
It was a strong showing for Nelson, who impressed the staff in Los Angeles – including Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. Post-game, we asked Harbaugh about what he’s seen out of Nelson; and he had nothing but high praise for the former UFL tackle:
For Ryan to see as much playing time as he did in this game, plus the post-game comments from Harbaugh, is a great sign for his future with the organization.
Detroit Lions
RB Jacob Saylors (St. Louis)
DB Nick Whiteside (St. Louis)
K Jake Bates (Michigan, 2024)
Detroit didn’t see as much production out of their UFL players, but they were active nonetheless. Former Battlehawks All-UFL RB, Saylors, made his debut with the team. He had two carries for six yards, alongside a catch for six yards. It’s worth noting that Bruce Gradkowski, former Battlehawks OC in 2023-2024, is on Detroit’s offensive staff as an assistant. He coached Saylors in the UFL during the 2024 season.
DB Nick Whiteside, who just signed the team a few days ago, finally saw some action in the fourth quarter. He wasn’t targeted at all, and did record a strong tackle in a RDEF rep…