Birmingham Stallions make a bad bet on Saints rookie in UFL college draft

This is a little unusual — a New Orleans Saints player who is actively under contract with the black and gold heard his name called in the UFL college draft. Rookie tight end Dallin Holker, who played college football at Colorado State, was the Birmingham Stallions’ fifth pick in the spring league draft. So what does that mean?

For now, nothing. Holker has already reported for training camp with the rest of the Saints’ rookies and is preparing to hit the practice field at UC Irvine next week. And he has a great opportunity to make their 53-man roster in September and be active on game days.

With Juwan Johnson sidelined after foot surgery, the only players in front of him are Foster Moreau, Michael Jacobson and Tommy Hudson. The Saints also brought in Jesper Horsted after Johnson’s procedure, and Taysom Hill is also moonlighting at tight end and fullback, among other positions.

The Stallions are betting that Holker won’t make the team, and that the spring league presents a better opportunity than he’d fine on an NFL practice squad. But the Saints have made a sizable investment in him, and it sure looks like Holker is in their plans.

Holker received more guarantees in his rookie contract ($235,000) than two  Saints draft picks, sixth-round defensive tackle Khristian Boyd ($178,828) and seventh-round offensive lineman Josiah Ezirim ($98,416). That suggests the Saints plan on him at least signing with their practice squad if he doesn’t  make the 53-man roster.

So the Stallions own his rights if he becomes available. It’s not a bad fallback plan. We’ve seen other players excel at the USFL and in the XFL before their merger into the UFL and return to New Orleans like practice squad defensive linemen Niko Lalos and Jack Heflin. But Holker will likely only play for Birmingham if he doesn’t sign a reserve/future contract with a team in January, and that will only happen if he doesn’t remain with the Saints on their practice squad. If he’s on the roster ( as is very likely ) it’s out of the question entirely.

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