Sacramento, CA - Wednesday, June 2, 2010 - The United Football League 2010 Player Draft brought 12 new players to the roster of each of the league’s five teams.

With the third selection of the 2010 UFL Draft, Sacramento Mountain Lions Head Coach Dennis Green selected Justin Goltz, quarterback from Occidental College. In the second round, Green added Tavita Thompson, offensive tackle from Oregon State University. In the third round, Green added Tim Clark, defensive back from Oregon State University.

The Mountain Lions draft day continued in with the addition of Udeme Udofia, defensive end from Stanford University; Ryan McFoy, safety, converting from linebacker while at Arizona State University; and NFL Free Agent wide receiver Antonio Chatman, originally from the University of Cincinnati, and having played for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals, as well as the Arena Football League’s Chicago Rush.

The UFL Draft had 12 rounds. Going into the second half of the event, the order no longer left Sacramento with the third choice in each round. With the second choice in the seventh round, the Mountain Lions selected Carl Spitale, offensive tackle out of Florida Atlantic University. With the first pick in the eighth round, the Mountain Lions selected NFL Free Agent and former Arizona Cardinals safety Dennis Keyes, originally from the University of California – Los Angeles. In the ninth round, the Mountain Lions selected Bobby Guillory, defensive back from the University of Central Missouri.

Heading into the final three rounds, the Mountain Lions selected Curtis Young, defensive end from the University of Cincinnati, who was also selected for free agent tryouts with the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals; Willie Glasper, defensive back from the University of Oregon; and Terrence Blevins, running back from Eastern Michigan University.

All of the Mountain Lions picks are intriguing. Fans will surely have their favorites. A quick poll reveals strong favorable ratings for Udofia, Glasper, and Chatman, followed closely by McFoy, Thompson and Clark. This seems to signal a fan preference for players with ties to the west. The true head turner of this group, however, is Goltz. Many people simply don’t know who he is.

Justin Goltz came out of Occidental college in 2009. He was an undrafted NFL rookie free agent quarterback. A training camp contributor with the Detroit Lions, he received good reviews despite his lack of big university playing experience. Those good reviews were heard all the way in San Francisco, where it was reported that Goltz was offered a spot on the UFL’s California Redwoods – now known as the Sacramento Mountain Lions.

Unfortunately, today’s outcome did not bode well for local prospects, the exception being Guillory, who is from Vallejo, and who played for Solana Community College before transferring to Central Missouri.

All of the players drafted today (see list below) will join those already protected by the teams on which they were active last season, or those who were chosen during the special expansion draft opportunity given to the new Omaha Nighthawks. With 12 drafted players, 20 protected players, and 20 additional unsigned free agents, the provisional rosters will be set at the maximum 52 players allowed. As of June 3, however, teams may increase that number by an additional 18 players as they head into minicamps. That would bring the total number to 70 players heading into the June 8 minicamps in Arizona.

As a technicality, players selected during today’s draft will remain identified as “Reserved Unsigned” until contracts have been successfully negotiated. Once that process is complete, each team’s updated roster will be released to the public. Those updates should be published next week, by or before June 7. Minicamps begin on June 8.

Who got drafted:

Round 1
1. Omaha - DE - DeWayne Wright
2. Hartford - RB - Andre Dixon
3. Sacramento - QB - Justin Goltz
4. Florida - LB - Weston Dacus
5. Las Vegas - LB - Dominic Payne

Round 2
6. Omaha - DE - Chike Okeafor
7. Hartford - DT - Anthony Montgomery
8. Sacramento - OT - Tavita Thompson
9. Florida - LB - Arnold Harrison
10. Las Vegas - CB - Michael Ray Garvin

Round 3
11. Omaha - OG - Shawn Andrews
12. Hartford - WR - Shawn Bayes
13. Sacramento - CB - Tim Clark
14. Florida - WR - John Standeford
15. Las Vegas - DE - Brian Coulter

Round 4
16. Omaha - OT - Adrian Jones
17. Hartford - OL - Andre Barbour
18. Sacramento - DT - Udeme Udofia
19. Florida - LB - Erik Penderson
20. Las Vegas - OT - Ryan Considine

Round 5
21. Omaha - DT - Kenny Peterson
22. Hartford - LB - Simoni Lawrence
23. Sacramento - S - Ryan McFoy
24. Florida - S - Tyrrell Herbert
25. Las Vegas - WR - Jovonte Taylor

Round 6
26. Omaha - WR - Ronald Curry
27. Hartford - OL - Tim Mattran
28. Sacramento - WR - Antonio Chatman
29. Florida - OG - Adrien Clarke
30. Las Vegas - FB - Russ Weil

Round 7
31. Hartford - WR - Robert Ortiz
32. Sacramento - OT - Carl Spitale
33. Florida - FB - Kevin Harris
34. Las Vegas - OT - Cliff Washburn
35. Omaha - CB - DeMarcus Faggins

Round 8
36. Sacramento - S - Dennis Keyes
37. Florida - WR - Cortez Hankton
38. Las Vegas - WR - Eddy Newton
39. Omaha - WR - Devard Darling
40. Hartford - FB - Asaph Schwapp

Round 9
41. Florida - Cb - Corey Small
42. Las Vegas - S -Tony Parrish
43. Omaha - LB - Nate Webster
44. Hartford - DL - Brandon Drumgoole
45. Sacramento - WR - Bobby Guillory

Round 10
46. Las Vegas - S - Lewis Baker
47. Omaha - CB - Frank Walker
48. Hartford - OL - Ben Benshoof
49. Sacramento - DE - Curtis Young
50. Florida - DE - Chris Perri

Round 11
51. Omaha - DT - Hollis Thomas
52. Hartford - LB - Clint McPeek
53. Sacramento - CB - Willie Glasper
54. Florida - DE - Greg Middleton
55. Las Vegas - RB - Alex Henderson

Round 12
56. Hartford - DT - Kendall Briscoe
57. Sacramento - RB - Terrence Blevins
58. Florida - C - Melvin Fowler
59. Las Vegas - DT - Gabe Long
60. Omaha - S - Nick Ferguson

If some of the names on the list above seem familiar, that’s because they are. There are a number of well-known former NFL players who will certainly make a difference to their teams. NFL and 49er fans will certainly recognize Chike Okeafor, who is now with the Omaha Nighthawks. Another Nighthawk, Ronald Curry, is also well known. Former 49er Tony Parrish plays for the Las Vegas Locomotives. DeMarcus Faggins, now with Omaha, also had a long NFL career.

The UFL game experience will be competitive, and it will provide fans with an excellent source of professional sports entertainment. Four-game season ticket packages start as low as $60, and go as high as $140 for the season. Single game tickets start as low as $15, and go as high as $35 per game. These prices do not include handling and transaction fees. Customer service questions should be directed to the Mountain Lions by calling (916) 383-5466. People with disabilities should call to discuss season ticket locations.