By: David Connors @DConBlitz
This article marks the first in a series of positional breakdowns for the Memphis Showboats, where I will go into detail about the plan for each position as we gear up for the 2025 UFL season. Each article will start with the offseason plan for the position, as played out through the draft and offseason acquisitions. The players on the roster will be given comprehensive scouting reports, along with a prediction of how the depth chart will break down. Finally, the articles will close by comparing each positional group to its peers, power-ranking the Showboats' group compared to the rest of the UFL. What better way to kick off this series than by looking at the most important position in all of team sports: the quarterback?
The Offseason
The Memphis Showboats finished 2024 with the second-worst record in the league and the top draft pick in this year’s rookie draft. Although the Showboats' regime under Dennis Polian stepped down in August of 2024, they left the team in good shape with a revamped QB room for the new coaching staff. The only returning QB is Troy Williams, who started 5 games for the Showboats in 2024. He is joined by E.J. Perry from the Michigan Panthers and Spring League veteran Quinten Dormandy from the San Antonio Brahmas. The Showboats tried to complete the QB room by drafting Jason Bean out of the University of Kansas with the first overall pick in the UFL draft. Unfortunately, Bean was picked up by the Indianapolis Colts for a preseason deal and later a futures contract.
Even though Jason is no longer on the roster, it's clear why he was the Showboats' target going into the draft. This dual-threat QB has the size to see the whole field and 4.65 speed. Bean confirmed his talents by flashing in the Colts' 2024 preseason. In 3 preseason games, he completed 15 of 19 passes for 197 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, adding 2 touchdowns on the ground. The most impressive stat: 4 out of 6 drives led by Bean turned into touchdowns. Nevertheless, Jason Bean will be a tale of what could have been, as he is now securely on the Colts' roster—at least for now.
Scouting Reports
E.J. Perry
Height: 6’1” (NFL Combine 2022)
Weight: 211 lbs (NFL Combine 2022)
40-yard: 4.65s (NFL Combine 2022)
10-yard Split: 1.55s (NFL Combine 2022)
Vertical Jump: 34 ½” (NFL Combine 2022)
Broad Jump: 123” (NFL Combine 2022)
Bio
E.J. Perry was born with football in his DNA. He played for his father at Andover High School in Massachusetts. After one year at Boston College, EJ transferred to Brown, where he played for his uncle, James Perry. Just in case the Thanksgiving table didn’t already have enough football minds, EJ’s other uncle, John Perry, coached WR/TEs for the Houston Texans from 2014 to 2020. With that kind of pedigree, it’s hard to believe EJ doesn’t have a strong football mind.
Perry had a prolific career at Brown, earning first-team All-Ivy League honors in both of his starting seasons. In his senior year, he won the Bushnell Cup as the Ivy League’s top offensive player and the George H. Lowe Cup for the best offensive player in New England. Perry was also a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, given to the FCS MVP. He continued to impress by being named the offensive MVP of the East-West Shrine Bowl, completing 13 of 18 passes for 241 yards and 3 touchdowns. At the NFL Combine, Perry posted the highest athletic score, ranking in the 91st percentile for the 10-yard split, 93rd percentile for the broad jump, 83rd percentile for the 40-yard dash, and 82nd percentile for the vertical jump.
Perry has been on and off the rosters of the Jaguars and Texans over the last two seasons, with a few game snaps in preseason. He was named the starter for the Michigan Panthers in the 2024 UFL season, but his time as the starter was cut short due to an injury in Week 4. Before going down, Perry completed 55 of 89 passes for 664 yards, 2 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and added 4 touchdowns on the ground. Perry is healthy and ready to compete for the starting QB role with the Showboats.
Strengths
Perry’s top trait is his drive to win. He’s not afraid to play through contact and possesses the athleticism to be a weapon with the ball in his hands. He has the frame to be effective, and he can throw with anticipation, often leading receivers on quick routes. Perry also has the ability to extend plays.
Weaknesses
Perry's size can make it difficult for him to see the middle of the field. His throwing motion is suboptimal, and he can be prone to putting the ball in harm’s way. At times, he also escapes the pocket prematurely before a play fully breaks down.
Troy Williams
Height: 6’2” (FOX UFL bio)
Weight: 208 lbs. (FOX UFL bio)
40-yard: 4.58s (Utah Pro Day 2018)
10-yard Split: 1.6s (Utah Pro Day 2018)
Vertical Jump: 33 ½” (Utah Pro Day 2018)
Broad Jump: 10’3” (Utah Pro Day 2018)
3-Cone Drill: 6.89s (Utah Pro Day 2018)
Bio
Troy Williams committed to the University of Washington as a 4-star recruit out of high school, according to ESPN. After redshirting his freshman year, he transferred to Santa Monica College, where he dominated the Western State Conference. Williams went 11-0 as a starter and led his offense to 60 or more points in 4 games. He threw for 2,750 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions, adding 7 touchdowns on the ground. After that standout season, Williams transferred to Utah.
At Utah, Williams won the starting job and led the Utes to a 9-4 record. He threw for 2,757 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions while adding 235 yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground. Williams lost the starting job in his senior year to future NFL Pro Bowler Tyler Huntley, though he still started 3 games, going 1-2. One of those losses came in a nail-biting contest against #13 USC, where Williams nearly led the Utes to a last-second win.
After graduation, Williams bounced around the CFL and Spring League, battling injuries and the effects of a COVID year. In 2024, he had the opportunity to lead the Showboats for a portion of the season. Although he went 0-8 in games played, Williams completed 58 of 106 passes for 591 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. He remains the only returning QB from last season.
Strengths
Although Williams is 30, his experience has helped him become accurate on short-area first reads. He is still capable of making plays with his legs when there’s open space.
Weaknesses
Williams tends to put the ball in harm’s way and is too quick to exit the pocket. His accuracy wanes on intermediate routes.
Quinten Dormandy
Height: 6’4” (FOX UFL bio)
Weight: 217 lbs. (FOX UFL bio)
Bio
Unlike Perry and Williams, Dormandy is a taller, pocket-passer type. Although he is the son of a coach like E.J. Perry. A 4-star recruit out of high school, Dormandy earned the starting job at the University of Tennessee as a junior, where he went 3-2 as a starter. He suffered a shoulder injury in a game against #24 Florida and was shut down two weeks later in a game against #7 Georgia. Dormandy transferred to Houston but faced further shoulder issues and eventually took a redshirt season before transferring to Central Michigan.
Dormandy had a solid senior year at CMU, completing 190 of 294 passes for 2,312 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. He led CMU to the MAC Championship game, where they lost to Miami (Ohio). Dormandy went undrafted in the 2020 NFL draft but got a tryout with the Green Bay Packers. He spent the 2020 season on the Montreal Alouettes' practice squad before the COVID season disrupted his progress.
In 2023, Dormandy played for the Orlando Guardians in the XFL. He was suspended for part of the season after allegations of leaking team plays to a rival squad, though there wasn’t enough evidence to prove the allegations. He eventually returned to the team and started 4 games due to an injury to Paxton Lynch. Dormandy had a career game when the 0-6 Guardians faced off against the undefeated Defenders. He led the Guardians to an upset victory, throwing for 328 yards, 3 touchdowns, and rushing for 3 more touchdowns. Dormandy completed 130 of 205 passes for 1,507 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions in the season, with 4 rushing touchdowns.
Strengths
Dormandy boasts a traditional 6'4" frame, giving him a better view of the entire field than the other two QBs on the roster. He has a big arm and can make any throw. While he can be streaky, when Dormandy is on, his ball placement is excellent. He is tough and can take a hit, and although he’s not a dual-threat QB, he can convert on 3rd-and-1 or 4th-and-1 situations.
Weaknesses
Dormandy can be flat-footed in the pocket and tends to get wild with the football under pressure. While he’s not expected to be a rushing threat, he doesn't add value to the run game. Additionally, his inconsistency can be an issue.
Prediction for the Depth Chart
It’s clear that the Showboats wanted to revamp their QB room in 2025, bringing in two spring league veterans to provide leadership. At this stage in his career, Troy Williams is best suited as an experienced backup.
The starter position will likely come down to E.J. Perry and Quinten Dormandy, with the decision depending on what kind of offense Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt wants to run. Whisenhunt previously used a traditional pocket passer like Kurt Warner when the Cardinals made a Super Bowl appearance in 2009.
He also coached QBs like Jake Locker and Zach Mettenberger in 2014, though the team later drafted Marcus Mariota, which aligns more with Perry’s style. Given the UFL’s level of competition and the dominance of defensive lines at this level, I believe a QB like Perry—who can use his mobility to buy time—will be the Week 1 starter.
Depth Chart
E.J. Perry
Quinten Dormandy
Troy Williams
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