McCarron Recaps UFL QB Draft, Reserve List, and Day One of Player Draft

January 13, 2026 - BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

By Jesse Kelley

Head Coach of the Birmingham Stallions, A.J. McCarron, met with the media via Zoom on Tuesday evening to recap the United Football League’s quarterback draft, reserve list, and day one of the 2026 UFL Player Draft.

Coach McCarron began his media availability with much excitement and energy, adamant that the Stallions had landed the majority of their top prospects ahead of the 2026 season. “Super exciting day for us,” said Coach McCarron. “Being new to all of this, I did not plan on the draft going as well as it did. From an offensive line standpoint, we got all of the players that we wanted, and they were either the one or two spots on our big board. Then, going over to our defensive unit, it was pretty much the same story. We got five defensive players: the number one player on our d-line board, the number one linebacker, the number two defensive lineman, the number two defensive end, and the number two linebacker, to wrap up the front seven on defense. For our offensive skill positions, we really had a great day. We secured the number two receiver on our board, the number one running back, and the number four, five, and six receivers. It really was a great day for our team. Looking back on defense, we got the number one STAR, number two safety, and then the number four cornerback on our board. All in all, it was a good day for us. Really, an unbelievable job by my staff.”

Taylor Elgersma will make his way to the Magic City after being drafted by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL in April 2025. “I talked to Taylor (Elgersma) earlier, and he is locked in and ready to go,” said McCarron. “We got that from his CFL agent, which is a different process from his agent here in the U.S. He’s done some training with QB Country, an organization that I have worked with in the past, a guy named David Morris. David is going to move it down to Mobile, and Taylor is going to come down, and I’ll get to see him work out and spend some time with him.”

Coach McCarron is less than two years removed from his playing days in the UFL, giving him the rare opportunity to coach some of his former teammates. The Stallions secured Offensive Guard Steven Gonzalez, who played with McCarron for the St. Louis Battlehawks. “It was huge to get Gonzo,” said McCarron. “He was the number one guard on our board, and I got to play with him for two years in St. Louis, and he is just an unbelievable leader, an absolute workhorse in the trenches, and he will be a major addition to our team, and we are fired up to have him.”

All eight UFL teams have yet to announce the remainder of their coaching staffs. Coach McCarron responded to a question about who his defensive coordinator will be, adding that the announcement to the public will be in February. “That announcement will come in February,” said McCarron. “I have gone out and gotten a lot of coaches that have a ton of experience, who have all coached at both the collegiate and professional level. I am super excited about our entire coaching staff, and I believe that our fans will also be excited.”

Coach McCarron addressed the status of his quarterback room, noting that Matt Corral and Jaren Hall will be joining Elgersma in the QB room this spring. “Both Jaren (Hall) and Matt (Corral) have NFL experience, which is exciting,” said McCarron. “They have played a lot of football in their careers, and that’s the biggest thing for me. I want guys with professional experience. Even a guy like Taylor, who might not have as much experience as the other two, but it gives them all a chance to come in, compete, and grow. We are going to play the best guy, but I believe that I have three excellent competitors, guys that bring different traits, and I am excited to see those guys compete and who eventually wins that job.”

Birmingham secured 12 players on the reserve list. UFL President and CEO Russ Brandon addressed why each team was allowed to reserve up to 12 players. “The Reserve List is designed to promote competitive balance across the league while giving teams clarity and flexibility as they prepare for the Draft,” said Brandon. “At the same time, these selections allow fans to continue cheering for players they already know, strengthening the connection between our teams and their communities.” Coach McCarron was adamant about the importance of bringing familiar faces like Deon Cain and Marlon Williams back to Birmingham for the 2026 season. “It’s massively important for our team and city,” said McCarron. “I want our fan base to continue to grow and be happy with our on-field product. The opportunity to get Deon and Marlon back is really great. Those are big pieces in Birmingham and have been for several years. Even looking at the guys we added today, Daewood Davis, Anthony McFarland Jr., Marcus Simms, Jaydon Mickens, and then Samson Nacua will help us all on offense. We have a ton of firepower with our offensive skill players.”

Kyahva Tezino was a significant piece of the Stallions’ defense that will return in 2026. Coach McCarron praised the standout linebacker who brought down 62 total tackles last season. “He was the number one player on our board,” said McCarron. “Out of all the players, there was one guy that was questionable on our roster protection list, and we were going to draft Tezino with our first pick, but had to change a few things around and go with a defensive lineman to fill a spot there. Then, Tez fell to us, which was huge. The way my staff scouted and the amount of work they put in on this are incredible. We have put in a lot of hours on this, and we are excited about where it is going. To add Tez, and everyone else on defense was either number one or number two on our board, and we got them all.”

The UFL will begin day two of the draft tomorrow in Arlington. The second day of the UFL Draft will follow the same round format and focus on players who are not under contract with another football league:

●      2025 NFL draft-eligible players

●      2025 NFL training camp players

●      2026 NFL draft-eligible players

●      UFL Showcase attendees

●      Players who signed an LOI and did not finish the 2025 season on a UFL roster

●      Other free agents

Tickets for the Birmingham Stallions 2026 season will be available in a few weeks at the link here.