DETROIT -- The Michigan Panthers are ready for the spring football season.
The United Football League team announced its final 50-man roster on Thursday, 68% of which finished the regular season 7-3 and had an appearance in the USFL Championship game last season.
There are six players on the roster with ties to Michigan on the roster including offensive lineman Brian Dooley (Eastern Michigan), quarterback Rocky Lombardi (Michigan State), defensive back Keni-H Lovely (Western Michigan), running back Nate McCrary (Saginaw Valley State), tight end Gunnar Oakes (Eastern Michigan) and defensive end Kenny Willekes (Michigan State).
Former Michigan cornerback Gemon Green and former Michigan State offensive lineman J.D. Duplain were among several players placed on waivers.
RELATED: Michigan Panthers set coaching staff ahead of spring football season
The Michigan Panthers are one of eight teams in the spring professional league, which was formed last year after the rebooted United States Football League and XFL merged.
They will kick off their 2025 campaign on the road at the Memphis Showboats on Sunday, March 30 at 12 p.m. on ESPN.
Home games will be played at Ford Field in Detroit. The Panthers complete schedule can be seen here.
Below is the complete roster breakdown.
Quarterback:
- Rocky Lombardi – Michigan State
- Danny Etling – LSU
- Bryce Perkins - Virginia
Running back:
- Matthew Colburn II - Wake Forest
- Nate McCrary - Saginaw Valley State
- Jaden Shirden - Monmouth
Wide receiver:
- Xavier Malone - Henderson State
- Siaosi Mariner - Utah State
- Jaylon Moore - Tennessee-Martin
- Samson Nacua – BYU
- Devin Ross – Colorado
- Marcus Simms - West Virginia
- Malik Turner - Illinois
Tight end:
- Cole Hikutini – Louisville
- Gunnar Oakes - Eastern Michigan
- Jalen Wydermyer - Texas A&M
Offensive line:
- Jake Burton - Baylor
- Cohl Cabral - Arizona State
- Victor Curne – Mississippi
- Brian Dooley - Eastern Michigan
- Noah Johnson - Kansas State
- Ryan Nelson – Virginia
- Chim Okorafor - Benedictine College (KS)
- Keith Russell - Missouri Western
Defensive end:
- Levi Bell - Texas State
- T.J. Carter - Kentucky
- Ron’Dell Carter - James Madison
- Breeland Speaks - Mississippi
- Ron Stone Jr. - Washington State
- Mika Tafua – Utah
- Kenny Willekes - Michigan State
Defensive tackle:
- Garrett Marino – UAB
- Walter Palmore - Missouri
Linebacker:
- Noah Dawkins – The Citadel
- Frank Ginda - San Jose State
- Donavan Mutin – Houston
- Javin White - UNLV
Cornerback:
- Adonis Alexander - Virginia Tech
- Keni-H Lovely - Western Michigan
- D.J. Miller Jr. - Kent State
- Levonta Taylor - Florida State
Safety:
- Akeem Dent - Florida State
- Tyree Gillespie – Missouri
- Kai Nacua – BYU
- Arnold Tarpley III – Vanderbilt
- Bryce Torneden – Kansas
- Kedrick Whitehead Jr. - Delaware
Specialists:
- Jordan Ober - LS - Nebraska
- B.T. Potter – K – Clemson
- Seth Vernon – P - Portland State
Most Popular Stories by Brandon Champion
- Father dies after being repeatedly punched by son during argument, officials say
- Teen son of former Yankees OF may have died of ‘food intoxication,’ officials say
- New Mexico star enters transfer portal days after loss to Michigan State
- Bryant, New Mexico coaches take new jobs after losing to Michigan State
- Where Michigan’s coldest temperatures were recorded this winter