Former Northwestern DL Jordan Thompson - Allie Goulding/The Daily Northwestern
The 2024 UFL season is underway and there are a couple of former Northwestern players participating this year. The UFL kicked off just this past weekend. It is the new spring league in its first season, following the merger of the USFL and the XFL. Here is a look at the former Northwestern players participating in the 2024 UFL season.
Former Northwestern Players in the UFL
Three former Northwestern players are participating in the UFL this year. They may not have all played at the same time as each other at Northwestern, but they are all in the new UFL together. Here is a look at each player, their time with the Wildcats, and how they ended up playing in the new spring football league.
Jordan Thompson – DL
One of the former Northwestern players participating in the UFL this year is defensive lineman Jordan Thompson. Thompson played with the Wildcats from 2015 until 2018. He was active for every game in 2015, and only missed one game in 2016. In four years he had 89 total tackles, 34 solo, 13 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks, according to Sports Reference. He also forced three fumbles.
Thompson never really played in the NFL. He signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted rookie free agent in May of 2019 and then was waived a couple of weeks later. The San Francisco 49ers also signed him, but he never played with the team.
In 2020, Thompson signed with the Seattle Sea Dragons, and played in five games, starting in four. In those games, he had 14 total tackles, eight solo, and one sack, according to The Football Database. Following his time with the Sea Dragons, in 2022, Thompson signed with the Birmingham Stallions in the USFL, also playing with them in 2023. In his two years with the Stallions, Thompson had 33 total tackles, 18 solo, and 1.5 sacks. This year, Thompson is still with the Stallions. In week one he had three total tackles, two solo, according to the UFL. The Birmingham Stallions are currently 1-0, looking to continue to start undefeated.
Hunter Niswander – P
Punter, Hunter Niswander is another one of the former Northwestern players participating in the UFL this year. Niswander played with the Wildcats from 2013 to 2017. He did not play in 2013, as he was red-shirtted. Niswander was named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List in 2016. During his time at Northwestern, he punted the ball 230 times averaging 40.5 yards per punt, according to Sports Reference.
Niswander’s time in the NFL is fairly limited. He earned a workout with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018. The punter ended up signing with the D.C. Defenders in 2020, appearing in five games. This is before the league shut down. Niswander then signed to the Dallas Cowboys practice squad in 2020 and got to play in eight games. He ended up punting the ball 26 times with an average of 47.2 yards per punt, according to Pro Football Reference.
Now, Niswander is a member of the Houston Roughnecks. In week one he punted the ball for 76 yards, averaging 25.3 yards per punt, according to the UFL. His longest was for 44 yards and one landed in the 20. The Houston Roughnecks are currently 0-1 looking for their first win of the season.
Jared Thomas – OL
Jared Thomas is an offensive lineman in the UFL this year. He is the final one of the former Northwestern players here. Thomas played with the Wildcats from 2015 until 2019. In his time, he played as both left tackle and center. Following his five years at Northwestern, Thomas never really had an NFL career.
Thomas signed with the New Orleans breakers in 2022. In 2023, he joined the Seattle Sea Dragons in the XFL, playing in all ten regular season games as a starter. The Sea Dragons did not carry over in the merger and now he is with the Memphis Showboats in the UFL. The Memphis Showboats are currently 1-0, looking to get a win streak going.
To Watch These Players
The Memphis Showboats will face the San Antonio Brahmas this Saturday April 6th at 12 P.M. Eastern
The Birmingham Stallions will face the Michigan Panthers this Sunday, April 7th and 12 P.M. Eastern.
The Houston Roughnecks will face the D.C. Defenders this Sunday, April 7th at 4 P.M. Eastern.
