The Detroit Lions have not been shy about bringing in talented players from the UFL over the last few years to compete for spots on the 53-man roster. Jake Bates, Jacob Saylors, and Nick Whiteside have all made a name for themselves playing spring football and have found ways to help out the Lions this season.
That being said, you better believe that Lions GM Brad Holmes will be keeping his eye on what’s happening in the UFL this season, especially knowing that there will be many former Lions playing, including defensive end Mitchell Agude.
The 26-year-old Agude was taken by the Houston Gamblers in the defensive front seven portion of the 2026 UFL Free Agent Draft on Wednesday.
This is a perfect opportunity for the 6-foot-4, 262-pound defender, who has four games of NFL regular-season experience under his belt, to receive consistent playing time and reps to show not only the Lions but also other teams that he can compete for a spot on the 53-man roster in the NFL.
Former Lion Mitchell Agude Selected by Houston Gamblers in 2026 UFL Free Agent Draft
Agude surprisingly didn’t pick up any practice squad or reserve/future deals opportunities this season after the Lions waived him at the end of preseason. The former Miami Hurricanes pass rusher had five total tackles in the Lions’ four preseason games.
Detroit brought back Agude this past offseason on a one-year deal after playing in four games as a rookie. The Lions used Agude a little bit on defense (40 snaps) and special teams (55 snaps) as their pass rush unit was in shambles due to injury.
Despite getting limited snaps, Agude accumulated three total tackles and a forced fumble, which happened in the Lions’ Week 16 win over the Bears during that season.
The Lions’ coaches likely believed they found a gem in Agude, whom they picked up after his release by the Miami Dolphins in August 2023. Agude spent the entire 2023 season on Detroit’s taxi squad and was ultimately given a reserve/futures deal.
Even though things didn’t pan out for him this season in Detroit or the NFL in general, his story is not complete yet.
Agude has an outstanding chance to make a name for himself in the UFL, which has become a pipeline for the NFL. Teams like the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys are better than others when it comes to finding talent in the UFL. However, teams are always watching to see who they can bring in for training camp.
Therefore, if Agude can put together a good first year in spring football and show that he’s made strides since his time in Detroit, the Lions might be giving him a call. We know Holmes will be looking for more pass-rush depth in the coming months.
And who knows, maybe Agude becomes the next Jalen Redmond, who took advantage of his opportunity in spring ball and has become an integral part of the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive line.