The UFL hasn’t proven to be the springboard to the NFL its founders may have hoped it would eventually be — no spring football league really has — but that doesn’t mean there can’t be a few success stories to come out of the league.
Bleacher Report suggests that a group of current UFL stars should receive another chance at playing in the NFL, including former Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler, who starred for the St. Louis BattleHawks in 2024.
Butler was a fourth-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2019 but missed the season with a broken hand and was released before the 2020 season.
From B/R: “(In 2023), Butler offered a reminder of his talent with the St. Louis Battlehawks. He hauled in 51 passes for 599 yards and eight touchdowns. Butler parlayed that into a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he didn't make the final roster.
Hopefully for him, this season will be different. Butler is a near-certainty to land another NFL shot after gathering 45 receptions, a UFL-best 652 yards and five touchdowns for St. Louis.”
Butler played three seasons at Iowa State from 2016 to 2018 and was an All-American his final year with 60 receptions for 1,318 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns.
HAKEEM BUTLER‼️
— United Football League (@TheUFL) May 4, 2024
@410Keem with a BIG touchdown in the fourth quarter 👏 pic.twitter.com/cvD52WrqxZ
