The Colorado Buffaloes didn’t have your usual, consistent pipeline to the NFL until Deion Sanders took over. In Deion Sanders’ best season with the team in 2024, four players were selected in the 2025 NFL draft. Those who weren’t and remained undrafted, like Shilo Sanders, were picked by NFL teams as free agents. The remaining others, though, completed their pro ambitions elsewhere, somewhere with less glamour. One such former Buffs linebacker is now taking a big leap in charting his way back to the NFL.

Former Buffs linebacker LaVonta Bentley signed with the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks on March 1 and has now made the final cut into the team’s 50-man roster. Bentley’s selection to the main roster came after a strong camp performance for the UFL team, even as many other players were released. Those included CB Nate Brooks, WR Jha’Quan Jackson, DT Nesta Jade Silvera, and OT Tyler Nebelung.

The Battlehawks are coming off an 8-2 record last year, one of the best in the league. However, they were knocked out in the XFL conference finals against the DC Defenders after losing 36-18. LaVonta Bentley would hope that his exploits with the team come in handy to make a final title push this year. He will kick off the season with the team at home against the DC Defenders on March 28 and will have an opportunity to redeem his new team.

Apart from LaVonta Bentley, several other Buffs players are also on the UFL teams’ roster. Those include WR Laviska Shenault Jr (Birmingham), WR Javon Antonio (DC), and Devin Ross signing with Columbus. As for Bentley, he had a remarkable 2024 campaign with Deion Sanders in 2024, accumulating 54 tackles and a sack. The performances helped Colorado to finish with a 9-win season and also make the Valero Alamo Bowl game against BYU.

LaVonta came in as a four-star recruit to Clemson in 2019 and was the No. 8 inside linebacker in the country. He stayed at Clemson till 2022 and featured in 40 games, accumulating 73 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Upon Deion Sanders’ arrival at Colorado in 2023, Bentley transferred to CU, hoping for an NFL move, and he exhibited some of his best performances.

“Coach Prime talks about you want to come here, it’s about the NFL, not NIL,” Bentley said about transferring to Colorado. “Everything that he’s been saying boils down to this moment… like every little gem that he dropped… Not just for a football player, but as a man… he definitely keeps pushing us to be the great leaders that we are.”

Despite a 4-win season in 2023, Bentley accumulated 69 tackles, made 5 sacks, and defended two passes in the season. The Birmingham, Alabama native’s performance against ASU was quite pivotal as he notched 11 tackles and a sack, leading his team to a 27-24 win. Finishing up his Colorado tenure, Bentley entered the NFL draft but had no takers. Nevertheless, he persisted and gave several tryouts with NFL teams, hoping for a place as an undrafted free agent.

LaVonta Bentley might just make his way to the NFL after several rejections

The Denver Broncos, on their way to finalize their 90-man roster in May last year, invited Bentley to their rookie minicamp. The 6-foot and 235 lb linebacker joined rookies like Que Robinson, Jahdae Barron, and Sa’vion Jones. But the Broncos’ move never panned out, and he searched elsewhere for opportunities. That’s when the Cincinnati Bengals invited him to their free agent rookie minicamp.

Cincinnati didn’t agree to a UDFA deal right away, and after his rookie minicamp performance, Bentley was again looking for other opportunities. The UFL move now seems like his attempt to redeem his career and finally make his way back to the NFL. Many other players have done the same, and that’s exactly what would have been in Bentley’s mind.

Last year, defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey played for the Birmingham Stallions and was an All-UFL candidate. His performances earned him a call back to the NFL, and the Cowboys finally named him to their active roster.

A similar case was that of Jalen Redmond, who played for the Arlington Renegades in 2024, but his performance earned him a spot on the Minnesota Vikings’ roster. The stories would surely give Bentley the required inspiration as he looks to put in dominant performances this year for the Battlehawks.