Week 1 of the UFL is in the books. Offenses weren’t at peak performance, as all four games went under, but we saw some good quarterbacking and I expect offenses get on track after some more time together. The running games for the most part were bad, meaning the quarterbacks had to truly take on the brunt of the scoring. Let’s take a look at where they stand in my rankings heading into Week 2.
1. A.J. McCarron, St. Louis Battlehawks (0-1)
McCarron was my No. 1 QB coming into Week 1 after he was objectively the best QB over both the XFL and USFL last season. This season didn’t start off that well for the Battlehawks and McCarron though, as his offensive line was suspect against an improved Michigan Panthers defense. The former Bengals quarterback did step up late though, as he and WR Marcell Ateman connected often, and almost won the game, as they hooked up for a game-leading touchdown with 46 seconds left in the game. Unfortunately for the Battlehawks, Jake Bates came in and nailed a 64-yard field goal to win the game.
On the day, McCarron completed 24-of-37 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns. He and Chase Garbers are the only QBs to throw for two touchdowns and his 216 yards ranked second on the day.
2. Matt Corral, Birmingham Stallions (1-0)
Corral started off shaky, but the man hasn’t started a real football game for years. He did turn things around and showed why he was named starter, leading his team into enemy territory more often than not. Corral had just the one touchdown pass, a beauty to Deon Cain, but was integral in getting them set up for their two rushing touchdowns by C.J. Marable and Ricky Person Jr. He ended up only completing 12 passes, but those went for 201 yards, for a healthy 9.6 yards per attempt. Add in probably the best offensive line in the league and Corral should settle in for a strong season.
3. Chase Garbers, San Antonio Brahmas (1-0)
Garbers got high praise from OC A.J. Smith when named the starter, as he likened his abilities to P.J. Walker, who Smith helped to a huge 2020 XFL season. With Smith running the offense, Garbers was set up well, but he still had to execute and he did just that. He ended up completing 19-of-25 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns, as well as a rushing touchdown and the highest QBR of the weekend in a win over the D.C. Defenders.
4. Luis Perez, Arlington Renegades (0-1)
Perez and company were beaten fairly soundly by Matt Corral and the Stallions, who proved they are the best team in the league at this point. But, Perez was still accurate, completing 68% of his passes, while also throwing for 7.6 yards per attempt, which was the second best on the day. Perez is a solid quarterback, but he’s going to have ups and downs like most quarterbacks at this level. If I were basing this ranking on just this season, he’d be lower, but his track record keeps him in the Top 4 for now.
5. Jordan Ta’amu, D.C. Defenders (0-1)
I debated where to put the XFL’s 2023 Offensive Player of the Year, but in the end I dropped him down for an ugly game. Ta’amu didn’t throw or rush for a touchdown, while throwing a bad interception that cost them in a critical spot. I expect he can rebound and move up this list, but he did not look good on Sunday. The good news is that he’s had games like this before and come back with a vengeance.
6. Case Cookus, Memphis Showboats (1-0)
Cookus looked okay on Sunday, better than Ta’amu, but I still think Ta’amu is the better overall quarterback. Cookus was under pressure a lot and was working at getting the ball deep, which did not work out well. He ended up completing 1-of-6 passes over 20 yards, per PFF. With the pressure he was facing, the offense should have given him more chances to make quick throws.
7. E.J. Perry, Michigan Panthers (1-0)
Perry ran for two touchdowns and Jake Bates kicked a 64-yard field goal to beat the St. Louis Battlehawks. Sounds pretty good, but Perry also threw two interceptions and completed just 50% of his passes. He rushed six times for 17 yards and was graded poorly as a runner by PFF. We probably can’t rely on him being a consistent plus rusher for his team, so he’ll need to start throwing the ball much better.
8. Jarrett Guarantano, Houston Roughnecks (0-1)
Guarantano, on paper, didn’t look awful. He completed 16-of-21 passes for 152 yards and didn’t throw an interception or touchdown, and he added a 22-yard touchdown run. The thing is, his average distance of each target was just 3.3 yards! He also lost a fumble and just wasn’t playing like a quarterback who wanted to throw the ball.
