Demarquis Gates Bio
DeMarquis Larenz Gates is an American professional football linebacker. Born on March 7, 1996, in Hampton, Georgia, he has built a long professional résumé across the National Football League (NFL), spring football leagues, and the Canadian Football League (CFL). Gates played college football at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), where he earned recognition as one of the conference’s most consistent tacklers. He currently plays for the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League (UFL).
Early Life and Background
DeMarquis Larenz Gates grew up in Hampton, Georgia, a community south of Atlanta. He attended Lovejoy High School, where he developed into a dependable defensive player. As a junior, Gates recorded 132 tackles and was honored with an All-Region selection, signaling his potential as a college-level linebacker.
His senior season was cut short by a torn ACL, an injury that kept him off the field during a critical recruiting year. Despite the setback, recruiting analysts at 247Sports ranked him as the No. 16 outside linebacker in his class. On March 28, 2013, Gates committed to Ole Miss, choosing the SEC program over other suitors.
Path to American Football
Gates arrived at Ole Miss as a multi-year project at linebacker. By his sophomore season in 2015, he earned his second career start against LSU, filling in for the injured Denzel Nkemdiche. Gates delivered 14 tackles, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hurry, earning SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the performance.
From 2015 to 2017, he led the Rebels in tackles three straight seasons, becoming the first Ole Miss defender to accomplish that feat since Abdul Jackson (1992–1994). Before the 2017 season, he appeared on the Dick Butkus Award watchlist, a national recognition for top linebackers.
Demarquis Gates Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
After going undrafted in the 2018 NFL draft, Gates signed with the Cleveland Browns on May 22, 2018. He was waived less than a month later on June 14. He then joined the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) in 2019, where he became one of the league’s most productive defenders. Gates was named AAF Defensive Player of the Week on March 28, 2019, and finished the shortened season as the league’s leader in tackles (52) and forced fumbles (5) before the AAF folded on April 2.
Following the AAF’s collapse, Gates signed with the Washington Redskins on April 11, 2019, but was waived on June 11. Those stops, though brief, showcased his ability to contribute quickly in new systems.
XFL Breakthrough (2020)
Gates was selected by the Houston Roughnecks in Phase 3, Round 8 of the 2020 XFL draft. Before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he produced 32 tackles (second on the team) and 2.0 sacks (tied for the team lead). He also recovered a game-winning fumble against the Dallas Renegades and forced a late fumble versus the Seattle Dragons, cementing his role as a defensive playmaker.
On March 25, 2020, Gates signed with the Minnesota Vikings. He was waived on August 13. Later in the year, he was selected by the Blues of The Spring League during its October 2020 player draft, keeping his professional career moving forward.
CFL Stint (2021)
On December 17, 2020, Gates signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. During the CFL’s shortened 2021 regular season, he played in five games and recorded five defensive tackles along with three special teams tackles. The experience added an international dimension to his professional background.
Birmingham Stallions Era (2022–Present)
The Birmingham Stallions selected Gates with the second pick in the 29th round of the 2022 USFL draft. Although he was briefly inactive, he returned to the active roster and helped the Stallions capture the 2022 USFL championship. He was also named to the All-USFL Team that year. After a brief return to the NFL with the Chicago Bears in 2022 and 2023, Gates re-signed with the Stallions in 2024, now competing in the UFL. The team went on to win the 2024 UFL championship, adding a second spring league title to Gates’s résumé.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gates’s game is built on football instincts, tackling consistency, and the ability to force turnovers. At 6 feet 2 inches and 230 pounds, he has the size to play in the box while maintaining the range to chase plays sideline to sideline. Throughout his career, his capacity to produce tackles in bunches and create fumbles has been his defining trademark.
Notable Events and Milestones
Gates became the first Ole Miss player to record more than 100 tackles in a season since Patrick Willis in 2006. He also led the AAF in tackles and forced fumbles during its lone 2019 season, and later helped the Birmingham Stallions win championships in both the USFL (2022) and UFL (2024).
Demarquis Gates Career Wins
DeMarquis Gates’s professional résumé features two spring league championships and a series of standout individual performances across multiple leagues. His trophy case includes a 2022 USFL title and a 2024 UFL title, both won with the Birmingham Stallions.
Birmingham Stallions Highlights
Gates joined the Birmingham Stallions as a 2022 USFL draftee and quickly became part of a championship roster. After his NFL detour, he returned to the Stallions in 2024 and helped the franchise claim the UFL championship. His selection to the 2022 All-USFL Team underscored his value to the Stallions’ defensive identity.
Other Wins & Performances
Earlier in his career, Gates earned AAF Defensive Player of the Week honors and finished as the league’s top tackler and forced-fumble producer. He also earned a Midseason All-XFL Team nod during the 2020 XFL season with the Houston Roughnecks, reinforcing his reputation as a productive linebacker in any league he joined.
Demarquis Gates Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public records about DeMarquis Gates’s family background are limited. What is widely documented is his connection to the Ole Miss defensive tradition, where he was the first player since Abdul Jackson (1992–1994) to lead the team in tackles three straight seasons. His high school mentor lineage at Lovejoy helped shape his development into an SEC-level linebacker.
Personal Life
Gates has kept much of his personal life private, and verified public details about his spouse, children, or close relatives are not widely available. His professional journey, however, reflects a player committed to longevity, with stints in the NFL, CFL, and multiple spring football leagues across a single calendar year at times.
2025 Season Performance
DeMarquis Gates entered the 2025 season as a key veteran presence on the Birmingham Stallions’ defense. The team was working to extend its championship window after winning the 2024 UFL title, and Gates was expected to contribute tackles, leadership, and situational pass-rush production on a defense that has consistently ranked among the spring league’s most disciplined units.
Through the early portion of the 2025 campaign, Gates remained a steady tackler and a respected voice in the linebacker room. The Stallions continued to build their identity around physical defense and opportunistic turnovers, an approach that fits Gates’s career strengths.
Looking ahead, Gates’s experience across the AAF, XFL, NFL practice squads, CFL, USFL, and UFL gives him a unique perspective few of his peers can match. If Birmingham can stay healthy, Gates should remain in the mix for another spring football championship and continue adding to one of the most traveled résumés in modern professional football.