Star RB Jacob Saylors was an All-UFL selection in both his seasons with the St. Louis Battlehawks. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
St. Louis Battlehawks standout running back Jacob Saylors signed a contract to join the Detroit Lions, the team announced on Tuesday.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but NFL experts believe the deal is such that Saylors is expected to be on the team and remain on the team throughout this season.
Detroit has had one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses over the last two seasons, led by its dynamite running back combination of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Last season, the Lions were second in total yardage with 6,962 yards.
Saylors tied for the United Football League lead in 2025 with 113 carries and ranked second with 499 rushing yards. Both of those totals were Battlehawks franchise records and he is expected to compete for one of the Lions’ reserve running back roles this season.
Jacob Saylors was one of the top offensive players in the UFL this past spring. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Saylors also topped in the UFL with 55.4 average rushing yards per game and was tied for second with 4.4 average rushing yards per carry. He scored five touchdowns and ranked fifth in the UFL with 744 all-purpose yards, second best on the team only behind quarterback Max Duggan (996).
In Week 8 of the 2025 UFL season, Saylors finished with 118 rushing yards, the second-most by a UFL player in a single-game last season and also a new Battlehawks single-game record.
Saylors, 25, is already in Michigan and expected to join the Lions for practice beginning today.
The Battlehawks will retain Saylors’ rights if he returns to the UFL.
In previous NFL season, Saylors has had tryout opportunites with several teams, including the Atlanta Falcons, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the New York Giants, but he has yet to appear in an NFL game.
“Jacob’s a talented kid and he can do everything you ask him to on the field,” Battlehawks head coach Anthony Becht said. “He just needs the right opportunity with the right team and he’s gonna make it. He’s going to make that team and whatever team he’s on, he’s going to make that team better.”
Detroit will play its first preseason game on Thursday, July 31, against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The NFL regular season will begin on Thursday, September 4, when the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys.