Spring is here, and that means spring football is set to start over the next couple of weeks. The United Football League has evolved into the premier spring football league, but there are other leagues that play football in the spring, like several arena leagues.
After taking a look at the former Tigers playing in the NFL in the fall, it’s time to take a look at the guys who are taking the field in the spring. Three players will suit up in the UFL, while Paxton Lynch is starting in an arena football league.
CB Davion Ross (Birmingham Stallions)
Ross, who started his career as a receiver, spent his first three seasons at Eastern Kentucky before transferring to Memphis. The cornerback spent three years at Memphis, but he was limited to only two games in 2023 due to a season-ending injury.
In his final season, he was named First-Team All-AAC, and he led the team in interceptions and ranked No. 11 in the country in passed defended.
Ross was picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Tennessee Titans, but he was waived before the start of the season. This will be his first season in the UFL, and he’ll play for the Birmingham Stallions, who won the championship in 2024.
WR Roc Taylor (Columbus Aviators)
Taylor spent his entire career in Memphis, and he finished his career with 2,375 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 163 receptions over four seasons. As a junior, he recorded 1,083 yards and four touchdowns, and he was named a First-Team All-AAC following his senior season.
Taylor was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine before being signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The wide receiver became a fan favorite during the preseason, but he was waived prior to the season.
Taylor joins the Columbus Aviators, which is one of the three new teams to the UFL this season.
EDGE Jaylon Allen (Louisville Kings)
Allen spent all six collegiate seasons at Memphis, and he finished his career with 150 total tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in five years after redshirting as a freshman. Allen was named Second-Team All-AAC following his senior season, and he signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2024.
He was waived with an injury settlement before the start of the season, and he played for the Memphis Showboats during the 2025 UFL season. Allen recorded 23 tackles, a tackle for loss and 1.5 sacks last season and was picked up by the San Francisco 49ers in the offseason.
Allen was waived by San Francisco before the start of the season and returned to the UFL. This season, he will play for the Louisville Kings, who took most of the Showboats’ roster as a new team.
QB Paxton Lynch (Colorado Spartans)
Paxton Lynch spent three seasons at Memphis before being drafted in the first round by the Denver Broncos. Lynch recorded 8,863 passing yards, 59 touchdowns and only 23 interceptions in three seasons with the Tigers, and he was a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award.
The quarterback spent two seasons with the Broncos before spending brief stints with the Seahawks and Steelers in 2019. After struggling to find a spot in the NFL, Lynch spent time in the CFL, USFL and XFL between 2021 and 2023.
On November 1, 2025, it was announced that Lynch signed with the Colorado Spartans of the National Arena League, and he entered the season as the team’s starting quarterback. In two games, Lynch has thrown for 373 yards and three touchdowns, and his team is currently 1-1.