College hoops may be the king of March sports, especially with strong performances from both Virginia’s men’s and womens’ teams. This month will also see the beginning of the 2026 United Football League season. Virginia fans tuning in will have the chance to see some of their favorite players from past UVA football teams take the field in the professional ranks.
The UFL begins its season this weekend on Friday, March 27th with five Virginia Cavaliers on UFL rosters hoping to turn a strong performance
this spring into a spot in the NFL. The Columbus Aviators lead the league with three ‘Hoos on their roster, with the Louisville Kings and St. Louis Battlehawks each having one on their team. The league has become a viable option for players to continue their pro football aspirations, with multiple players making the jump from the spring league stars to key contributors on fall Sundays.
Columbus Aviators
Ryan Nelson
Ryan Nelson started on Virginia’s offensive line from 2018 through 2022 at both tackle and guard, with the Hoos reaching bowl eligibility in three out of those four seasons. Nelson proved highly versatile and productive at both tackle and guard, protecting Bryce Perkins and Brennan Armstrong during their most productive seasons in Charlottesville.
After brief stints with the New York Giants and the Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Nelson has found consistent playing time and success in spring football. In 2023 with the Michigan Panthers, Nelson appeared in eight games with two starts. In 2024, Nelson started all ten regular season games at right guard and helped the Panthers reach the postseason. 2025 saw continued success for Nelson and the Panthers, with the team reaching the UFL Championship Game and Nelson spending time at left tackle.
Nelson will be donning a new uniform this year, with UFL discontinuing the Michigan Panthers and transferring players under contract to the new Columbus Aviators. Nelson will be aiming to maintain his high level of play in this spring in Columbus.
Entering his 4th season of professional football, Ryan Nelson has established himself as a quality professional offensive lineman. The relative stability of spring football leagues in the 2020s has provided players like Nelson the ability to play pro football at a high level and keep the dream of playing on fall Sundays alive. With NFL rosters constantly churning and teams always on the lookout for players who can immediately contribute on a 53-man roster, another season of quality play might be exactly what Nelson needs to make the jump to the NFL.
Chris Glaser
The Columbus Aviators roster includes another Cavalier who played a key part in ending Virginia’s Commonwealth Clash drought in 2019, with Chris Glaser joining the Aviators this January.
Glaser entered professional football as an un-drafted free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022. Glaser joined the Jets for the majority of the 2022 season after being released by the Chiefs prior to the season. Glaser saw limited action in parts of the 2022 and 2023 season with the Jets, starting his first NFL game with in 2023. Glaser signed with the Bears practice squad in 2024 and remained with the team until he was released during final roster cuts prior to the 2025 season.
For Glaser, the UFL presents an opportunity for the most consistent playing time he has seen since he entered professional football, and a successful season could see him back in the NFL in 2026. Team chemistry on the offensive line should lead the league with Glaser and Nelson back on the same team, and both will be eager to put their skills on display for both fans and the scouts.
Payton Bunch
Rounding out the Aviators roster is long snapper Payton Bunch, who arrived in Charlottesville in 2024 after 5 seasons at Coastal Carolina University. Bunch was Virginia’s primary long snapper for the 2024 season and enters his first season of professional football with Columbus.
The UFL has developed a history of getting specialists to the NFL, most notably kickers Brandon Aubrey and Jake Bates, but also long snappers Rex Sunahara and Mitchell Fraboni who both made NFL rosters after stints in the UFL. A successful season for Bunch could very well land him on an NFL roster this fall and hopefully a long career in the NFL.
Louisville Kings
Bryce Hall
Bryce Hall was a critical part of Virginia’s resurgence in the late 2010s. Hall was one of the best corners in the ACC and all of college football in 2018 and the first half of his senior year in 2019 when unfortunate ankle injury sidelined Hall for the back half of the season. Hall’s impact on the field was only matched by his leadership, which set the tone for the ‘Hoos performances even after his injury in 2019.
The New York Jets selected Hall in the 5th round of the 2020 draft. Hall’s biggest contributions to the Jets came in 2021, starting in all 17 games with 16 pass breakups. Outside of 2021, Hall served mainly in a reserve role with the New York before signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2024. Hall was sidelined by an ankle injury in week one of the 2024 season and served on Tampa Bay’s practice squad in 2025.
This spring season with the Louisville Kings is a chance for Hall to play consistent snaps at corner and display the skills that Virginia fans saw on display every Saturday during his time in Charlottesville. A productive and healthy spring could see Hall play himself right back into a significant role in the NFL this fall.
St. Louis Battlehawks
Tyler Neville
Tyler Neville arrived in Charlottesville in 2024 after three productive seasons with the Harvard Crimson at tight end. Neville’s best performance in orange and blue came in Virginia’s week two thriller in Winston-Salem against Wake Forest, going for 68 yards on four receptions and scoring two touchdowns.
Neville went un-drafted in 2025 before signing with the Dallas Cowboys as an un-drafted free agent. Neville caught three passes for 11 yards in the preseason before his release prior to the regular season.
The St. Louis Battlehawks signed Neville prior to the 2026 spring season and this spring will be an opportunity to prove that Neville was overlooked by the NFL last season. The Battlehawks have been one of the best spring football franchises of the 2020s, with success and high levels of fan support throughout the 2020s. With a successful spring season, Neville could see himself competing for a roster spot this fall in the NFL.
