Former Purdue Player in 2024 UFL

The 2024 UFL season is underway and just one former Purdue player 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 Purdue player participating in the 2024 UFL season.

One Former Purdue Player

Heading into the 2024 UFL season, it did seem as though there would be a couple of former Boilermakers participating. Instead, there is only one player. On March 21st, offensive lineman Greg Long was cut by the D.C. Defenders. Long played with Purdue in 2020 after transferring from UTEP. He earned All-Big Ten honorable mention in his one season. Now there is just one former Purdue player in the league this year. Keep an eye out for Long to be signed to a team later in the season though. For now, here is a look at the one Boilermaker in the league, and his time at Purdue.

DaMarcus Mitchell – DE

Defensive end, DaMarcus Mitchell is the lone former Purdue player participating in the UFL this year. Mitchell is currently playing on the Birmingham Stallions, a team from the USFL. He started his collegiate career at Southwest Mississippi Community College. He played there for one year then went to Purdue to play the remainder of his college football career. In two seasons, he had 59 combined tackles, 38 solo, 13 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks, according to Sports Reference. He also defended four passes and forced three fumbles. Mitchell started as a linebacker in 2020 but switched to defensive end in 2021. Following that season, he moved on to the NFL.

Mitchell in the NFL

Following the 2022 NFL Draft, Mitchell entered the league as an undrafted free agent. Despite not being drafted, he was signed by the New England Patriots that summer. It worked out well for Mitchell anyway. He ended up making the Patriots’ active roster. He was active for 16 games, even if he did not play much on the defensive line. While with the Patriots in 2022, Mitchell had eight total tackles, three solo, according to Pro Football Reference. The Patriots ended up waiving Mitchell in August of 2023. He then signed with the Seattle Seahawks before being waived just two days later. This was the last time that Mitchell

Now, Mitchell is starting his journey in the UFL. Mitchell is playing for the Birmingham Stallions, a team that is 1-0, in first place in the USFL Conference. In week one, Mitchell recorded two total tackles, according to the UFL. Expect more tackles to come soon for Mitchell. He may not have been a top edge rusher, but he is a dedicated athlete. Mitchell is still a young player and could use his time in the UFL to show NFL teams that he can still play. Last year it was seen that the NFL teams do pay attention to spring football. If players stand out, they can at the least get a workout with an NFL team.

To Watch Mitchell Play:

For those who would like to watch the former Purdue player, the Birmingham Stallions will face the Michigan Panthers. The Stallions are currently 1-0, defeating the Arlington Renegades in week one, and looking to stay undefeated this year. The Panthers are also 1-0, looking for the same thing. Michigan is coming off of a win against the St. Louis Battlehawks. The game will take place on Saturday, April 6th at 1 P.M. Eastern. Be sure to watch this former Purdue player compete.