Green Bay Packers’ Marquez Valdes-Scantling catches a long pass in front of Oakland Raiders’ Gareon Conley - AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps
The 2024 UFL season is underway and there are a couple of former Ohio State players participating. 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 Ohio State players participating in the 2024 UFL season.
Former Ohio State Players in the UFL
There are currently six former Ohio State players playing in the UFL. Of the six, two of them are playing on the same team as of now. Here is a look at the former Buckeyes, and how they ended up playing in the 2024 UFL.
Cameron Brown – CB
Cornerback Cameron Brown is one of the many former Buckeyes playing in the UFL this year. Brown spent five seasons with Ohio State, playing from 2018 until 2022. In 2020 he suffered an injury that shortened his year, but he played the majority of games throughout the remainder of his time there. Brown earned honorable mention All-Big Ten by the coaches and media in 2021, according to Ohio State Athletics. In his time with Ohio State, Brown had 55 total tackles, 40 solo, and 2.5 tackles for loss, according to Sports Reference. He also had one interception which came against Penn State, a game Ohio State won.
Brown entered the 2023 NFL draft but went undrafted. He ended up signing with the Los Angeles Chargers, but he never made the active roster. This led him to sign with the Arlington Renegades in the 2024 UFL. In early March he was placed on Injured Reserve. The Renegades are currently 0-1 in the UFL, still looking for their first win.
Marcus Baugh – TE
Tight end Marcus Baugh is another one of the former Ohio State players participating in the UFL this year. Baugh spent four years with the Buckeyes, playing from 2014 until 2017. He only played in one game in 2014 and two games in 2015. His playing time increased in 2016, playing in ten games, followed by 14 games in 2017. In four years, Baugh had 55 receptions for 607 yards and eight touchdowns, according to Sports Reference. His final season was in 2017, then he moved on to the NFL.
Baugh went undrafted in 2018, signing with the Raiders. His first stint with the NFL was short, being waived prior to the 2018 season. In 2019, there was another spring league called the Alliance of American Football (AAF). Baugh signed with the San Diego Fleet in 2019. He even scored two touchdowns, but the league only lasted until April of that year. In 2019 the tight end signed with the Carolina Panthers but was placed on Injured Reserve before the season began and was waived in February 2020. In the 2020 season, Baugh signed with Washington and even made it to the active roster. The last time he was in the NFL was with the Pittsburgh Steelers, before being Waived.
In 2022, the USFL held a draft and Baugh was selected by the Michigan Panthers. He ended up dealing with a hand injury limiting his time. Following the 2022 season, Baugh did sign with the New Orleans Breakers, but then the USFL split and merged with the XFL to make the UFL. Now he is playing with the Birmingham Stallions. There are no stats for him this year as of now. The Stallions are currently 1-0 on top of the USFL Conference.
Binjimen Victor – WR
Wide receiver, Binjimen Victor is another former Buckeye in the UFL. Not just that, he is also playing on the Birmingham Stallions this year. Victor was with the Buckeyes from 2016 until 2019, playing at Ohio State for four years. In his four years, Victor had 82 receptions for 1,312 yards and 18 touchdowns, according to Sports Reference. Following the 2019 season, Victor headed to the NFL.
Following the 2020 NFL Draft, Victor did go undrafted. That season, he signed with the New York Giants, spending the time on the practice squad. Victor then went to the Baltimore Ravens in 2021 and spent two seasons on the practice squad there. He did get elevated to the active roster in 2022 due to other injuries on the team. Now, Victor is with the Birmingham Stallions. In week one he had two receptions for 37 yards, according to the UFL. The Stallions are currently 1-0 this season, and Victor is taking part in the game action.
Gareon Conley – DB
Defensive back, Gareon Conley is spending the 2024 UFL season with the D.C. Defenders. Conley played with Ohio State for three seasons, and was named second-team all-Big Ten by coaches in 2016. He was named a captain that same season, according to Ohio State Athletics. In three years, he had 91 combined tackles, 66 solo, one tackle for loss, and 0.5 sacks, according to Sports Reference. He also defended 15 passes and had six interceptions, four of them being in 2016. Conley then declared for the 2017 NFL Draft.
Conley ended up getting drafted in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft with the 24th overall pick by the Oakland Raiders. He stayed with the Raiders until 2019, when he was traded to the Houston Texans. In 2020, Conley was placed on Injured Reserve, and that was the last time he played in the NFL. Now he is will the D.C. Defenders in the 2024 UFL. The Defenders are currently 0-1, looking for their first win.
Antwuan Jackson – DT
Defensive tackle, Antwuan Jackson is playing on the St. Louis Battlehawks this year. He, being one of the former Ohio State players in the UFL, played with the Buckeyes from 2018 until 2021. He earned a fifth year of eligibility due to the COVID year. In five years there, he had 47 total tackles, 24 solo, nine tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks, according to Sports Reference. When he left Ohio State, he did not get drafted into the NFL.
Jackson ended up signing with the Seattle Sea Dragons in the 2023 XFL. Following a year there, he earned a tryout and signed with the Carolina Panthers, but was waived before the season began. Now he is back in spring football, this time with the St. Louis Battlehawks. The Battlehawks are currently 0-1, still looking for their first win of the season.
Taron Vincent – DL
The final player to discuss is Taron Vincent. The defensive lineman is currently on the San Antonio Brahmas. Vincent spent five years with the Buckeyes. He was ther from 2018 until 2022. In his time he had 58 total tackles, 22 solo, 8 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, according to Sports Reference. He also had one fumble recovery. Vincent then headed to the NFL in 2023.
His NFL career was short lived as he was signed by the Los Angeles Rams in the summer of 2023, and waived before the season began. Before the UFL merger, Vincent was set to sign with the Houston Roughnecks. Then the merger happened and now he is with the San Antonio Brahmas. He recorded one tackle in week one, according to the UFL. The Brahmas are currently 1-0, in first-place in the XFL Conference.
To Watch These Former Buckeyes:
Taron Vincent (Brahmas):
The San Antonio Brahmas will face the Memphis Showboats on Saturday April 6th at 12 P.M. Eastern.
Cameron Brown (Renegades) & Antwuan Jackson (Battlehawks):
The Arlington Renegades will face the St. Louis Battlehawks on Saturday April 6th at 8 P.M. Eastern.
Marcus Baugh & Binjimen Victor (Stallions):
The Birmingham Stallions will face the Michigan Panthers on Sunday April 7th at 12 P.M. Eastern.
Gareon Conley (Defenders):
The D.C. Defenders will face the Houston Roughnecks on April 7th at 4 P.M. Eastern.
