The Dallas Renegades signed wide receivers Brian Hightower and Emmanuel Butler on Wednesday according to the UFL Transactions page.
Brian Hightower is six foot three and weighs 215 pounds. The 26-year-old from Los Angeles, California, attended the Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp in 2024. The Houston Roughnecks signed Hightower on May 7, 2024. He did not play any regular-season games for the Roughnecks in 2024. The Roughnecks released him on October 4, 2024. Hightower did not play in 2025.
Collegiately, Hightower played two seasons at Miami (FL) (2018-19) with 12 catches for 148 yards, one touchdown, and four tackles (3 solos, 1 assist) in 18 games for the Hurricanes.
Next, he transferred to Illinois (2020-22) with 48 catches for 661 yards, five touchdowns, and one tackle (1 solo) in 24 games for the Fighting Illini. Then, Hightower transferred to California in 2023 with 10 catches for 101 yards in 10 games for the Golden Bears.
Emmanuel Butler is six foot three and weighs 221 pounds. The 29-year-old from Phoenix, Arizona, re-signed with the Houston Roughnecks on August 13, 2024. In 2025, he made 11 catches for 182 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games. The Roughnecks re-signed Butler on July 9, 2025. He became a free agent after not being selected in the 2026 UFL Draft.
The New Orleans Saints signed Butler as an undrafted free agent on May 2, 2017. He spent two seasons on the practice squad. Next, Butler signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on March 26, 2021, but was released on July 30, 2021.
Butler re-signed with the Ticats on December 30, 2021. In 2022, Butler made three catches for 30 yards in one game. The Ticats released him on August 2, 2022. After Hamilton, Butler signed with the Ottawa Redblacks on February 9, 2023. Butler signed with the San Antonio Brahmas (XFL) on March 8, 2023, and was released by the Ottawa Redblacks on March 9, 2023.
The Brahmas released Butler on April 28, 2023, and he re-signed with the Ottawa Redblacks on May 8, 2023. Butler played one preseason game against the Toronto Argonauts with two catches for 79 yards. The Redblacks released him on June 3, 2023.
The Houston Gamblers signed Butler on June 6, 2023. He made one catch for 18 yards in one game. In 2024, Butler made 16 catches for 238 yards and one touchdown in 10 games.
Collegiately, Butler played five seasons at Northern Arizona (2014-18) with 187 catches for 3,217 yards, 33 touchdowns, and six tackles in 45 games for the Lumberjacks.
Butler is a two-time All-Big Sky First Team (2015-16), 2015 Sporting News Fab Fifty-First Team, 2015 Associated Press First Team All-America, 2015 STATS Second Team All-America, and 2018 HERO Sports Preseason All-America Third Team.
