In the days leading up to the playoffs this weekend, the United Football League released its first All-UFL list on Wednesday, June 5.

Four St. Louis Battlehawks players (RB Jacob Saylors, WR Hakeem Butler, OT Jaryd Jones-Smith, and C Mike Panasiuk) made the offensive list while linebacker Willie Harvey was the team’s lone defensive representative.

“Incredibly proud of those guys,” Battlehawks head coach Anthony Becht said, “not only great players but great human beings, high character guys, culture guys, guys that you want to build a team around. They all deserve to be in the NFL.”

Saylors led UFL running backs with 461 rushing yards while averaging 4.9 yards per carry and five touchdowns. He scored eight total touchdowns and led skill-position players in scoring with 54 points.

The Battlehawks’ ground game was shaky early in the season. Saylors was actually benched at one time while Becht was shuffling the deck to find his feature back.

It seemed like it would be Mateo Durant after he rushed for over 100 yards in Week 2 but his injury gave Saylors another opportunity to shine.

With a couple of 100+ yard games of his own, and his contributions to the passing game, Saylors secured the running back position on the starting offense and his All-UFL honor represents the fruit of his labor.

“A hundred percent guaranteed he will be in an NFL camp this year,” Becht said. “I know that for a fact. He’s been great.”

Harvey led the UFL in tackles with 78 and had 10 tackles with a sack in a 13-12 win over the San Antonio Brahmas on June 1 to secure home-field advantage in the XFL Championship Game against them on Sunday, June 9.

“Personally, this is the biggest game for me,” said Harvey, who previously played for the Cleveland Browns in the NFL. “In my professional career, I haven’t been to the playoffs, I haven’t touched anything, it’s nothing like this. So it’s great to be on a big stage like this. I’m ready to show out.”

Butler was quarterback AJ McCarron’s top target last year and this year, he led the UFL in receiving yards with 652 and was second in receiving touchdowns with five. He was named UFL Offensive Player of the Year for his efforts.

Jones-Smith and Panasiuk have been key protectors in an offensive line that has stayed together not just this season, but also last year in the XFL.

All these players have played a crucial role in bringing playoff football back to St. Louis after a 20-year drought.

“To bring playoff football back here, I mean, it’s something remarkable,” Harvey said. “It’s something why a lot of us came back.”