Top 5 Players the San Antonio Brahmas Need to Re-Sign for 2026
It’s only July, and other UFL teams have started announcing new signings for the 2026 season, so what better time than now to start discussing who the Brahmas’ top five targets should be this off-season? Before we overreact to a slow start to the off-season and a lack of Brahmas signings, remember that the teams with announced signings have their head coaches in place and ready for 2026. The Brahmas still have some questions on that topic, and no formal announcements have been made about who the head coach will be in 2026. The San Antonio Brahmas went through a season mired by coaching changes and swaps that played a part in their disappointing 1-9 season in 2025. They must prioritize which players they want to re-sign and who they want to leave off the roster to make room for new talent as the team works to rebuild to the standard of their 2024 XFL conference championship team. Here are my top five players I think the Brahmas should focus on re-signing.
The number one player on my list is WR Jontre Kirklin. Kirklin was big for the Brahmas’ 2024 championship push and led the UFL in targets and receptions that season. 2025 wasn’t so kind as he saw a significant drop in targets, down to just 5.4 targets per game from the 8 targets per game in 2024. His speed and historically good hands have proven reliable and set him up as the team’s top pass catcher in team history. Kirklin currently leads the team in career targets, catches, and receiving yards. The Brahmas may want to look for WR1 to help out and play opposite Kirklin, possibly pulling some coverage off of him, and if he sees more single coverage next season, it will pave the way for him to put up his 2024 numbers. It would be interesting to see what happens if the team focuses on keeping Kirklin, but as a WR2 or slot wideout. Kirklin is a passionate player with an axe to grind in 2026 due to his subpar 2025 season, and that will be something to watch.
For my number two player, we will jump to the defensive side of the ball and go with Tavante Beckett. Beckett earned All-UFL honors as a linebacker in 2024 and 2025. He has played 1,047 snaps in two seasons with the Brahmas and recorded 107 total tackles. Even though the Brahmas’ defense struggled in 2025, Tavante was his usual consistent self. Not only has he been a durable player playing tons of snaps, he has also been a tremendous asset to the team, leading them in tackles while simultaneously setting a good example off the field. Beckett is well known for interacting with the fans and having a team-first, proactive attitude. When asked what motivates him, he stated it’s “appreciation for the UFL for providing him the opportunity to play” and the strong desire to “show the fans that same appreciation for their support.” For a team that struggled last season, there is no better way to turn things around than having guys like Tavante on the roster, loaded with talent and who bring a good attitude to work every day.
For my third pick, I am going with RB John Lovett. One reason I went with Lovett is due to the fact Jashuan Corbin signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Corbin was the league’s regular-season rushing leader, so his jump to the NFL has left the team with a big hole to fill. I wouldn’t be too concerned because when Lovett is healthy, he can bully his way through the gap and get those hard-nosed yards between the tackles. Lovett’s 2025 season was derailed by injury, but in 2024, he was second in the league in rushing yards and average yards per attempt while being tied for first place in rushing touchdowns. Lovett’s presence in the Brahmas’ backfield will be the key to maintaining a potent rush offense. I expect to see an all-new Brahmas’ offense scheme in 2026 with significant adjustments in style and strategy since former offensive coordinator AJ Smith’s messy breakup with the team will undoubtedly result in a new offensive coordinator and playbook. I may be dating myself, but I wouldn’t mind seeing an old-school up-the-middle lead draw type of running game next season, and Lovett is just the type of running back we need to make that happen.
On to number 4, if you read my article about the top Brahmas players of all time, you know there was no way I would not leave linebacker Jordan Williams off my top players to re-sign list. Williams was all XFL in 2023 and has been with the Brahmas all three years of the team’s existence. Jordan ranked 3rd in total tackles for the XFL in 2023, 3rd in total tackles for the UFL in 2024, and 5th in total tackles for the league in 2025. Re-signing him ensures continuity and a physical presence at linebacker, especially as the team looks to rebound. Having two of the best linebackers in spring history is truly a luxury and will be a great starting point for the Brahmas’ defense next season.
Finally, on to my number five selection must-sign player for 2026. Before I get there, I would be remiss not to mention key players likely to re-sign with the team, like Sam Tecklenburg, Anthony McFarland, Justin Smith, Caeveon Patton, Jordan Mosley, or Willie Tyler, and the profound impact they would all have on this Brahmas roster next year. I hope they all get a chance to prove that the 2025 1-9 season was the exception, not the rule. But this is a top-five list; nobody has time to read a top 10 or 22 list, so I had to leave some key players out of the top 5!
The UTSA fans that might stumble across this article will be happy to hear my final selection of must re-signs for 2026 is none other than Corey Mayfield Jr. Mayfield has played CB for the Brahmas the last two seasons and has improved his game and emerged as an underrated asset for the defense that ranked seventh out of eight teams in PFF’s grade for defensive coverage against receivers so ensuring there is some consistency in the secondary will be a good thing. And it doesn’t hurt that Mayfield is a local product from UTSA. I, for one, am a huge proponent of keeping players in their home markets to help drum up fan support. Corey has seen significant playing time at CB and on special teams while proving he is a player maker by blocking punts, grabbing interceptions, and scoring touchdowns on defense and special teams in his first two seasons. He is a young and upcoming player that I expect to see do big things in 2026.
And before you jump into the comment section and call me a hypocrite for not listing the local quarterback from San Antonio, Kellen Mond, as a must-sign player after my “keep players close to home” soapbox speech earlier in this article, I excluded the quarterback position from my list of players because, let’s be honest, selecting a returning quarterback in any list like this is just grabbing low hanging fruit and taking the easy way out. Obviously, consistency at the QB position is imperative for success at any level of football, and maybe even more so for the UFL.
Thanks for reading, and feel free to let me know who I left out!
Stats and ratings taken from PFF.com
References
PFF Football News & Analysis. (2025). Premium Stats. Retrieved from PFF: www.pff.com/