Former ETSU star running back, Jacob Saylors has officially begun his professional career for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League.

This past weekend was the first week of action for the newly merged UFL, which recently was purchased by Dwyane “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia.

In this opening weekend, the St. Louis Battlehawks played the Michigan Panthers at Ford Field.

Saylors primarily played special teams on kickoffs and as the second-string running back behind Wayne Gallman. The former ETSU Buccaneer finished the game with 8 touches for 31 yards, including a 19-yard reception from former Alabama QB, AJ McCarron.

St. Louis would lose the game 16-18, thanks to a 64-yard field goal from Michigan’s kicker, Jake Bates. This kick was Bates’ first field goal since 2017, when he was in high school.

Saylors played for the Bucs from 2018-22 and is third on the ETSU All-Time Rushing list. Trailing only to Quay Holmes (4,264) and Brandon Walker (4,095), finishing his ETSU career with 3,851 yards on 608 carries (6.3 avg.) and 33 touchdowns.

Photo of Jacob Saylors at ETSU. (Contributed/pfnewsroom.com)

Following his historic career with the Buccaneers he was onto the NFL Draft where he was selected as an UDFA by the Cincinnati Bengals. Saylors got some playing time during the preseason, rushing for 29 yards on nine carries and hauling in two catches for 14 yards. Saylors would ultimately be waived during the final stage of roster cuts.

After going on workouts with Arizona, New England, Cleveland, and Atlanta, the Marion County prospect would get another opportunity with the Atlanta Falcons as a member of the practice squad.

Due to injuries, Saylors would be released by the Falcons back in November.

Now, Saylors is healthy and ready to officially start his pro career for the St. Louis Battlehawks. The former Buccaneer standout is accompanied in the running backs room by Wayne Gallman (Clemson) and Mataeo Durant (Duke).

Other notable college-standouts signed with St. Louis include DT Antwuan Jackson (Ohio State), QB AJ McCarron (Alabama), WR Marcell Ateman (Oklahoma State) and Defensive Coordinator Donnie Abraham (ETSU).

Abraham played college ball at ETSU and would be selected in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft resulting in a nine-year career for Tampa Bay (6 seasons) and the New York Jets (3 seasons).

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