LaVonta Bentley joined Deion Sanders when he went to Colorado in 2023 and quickly became a major contributor, leading the team with 69 tackles that season.
Bentley started his career at Clemson, where he spent four years but didn't see the field as much as he later did at Colorado.
Bentley was rated as a three-star prospect coming out of high school by 247Sports. He fielded offers from Alabama, Auburn, Oregon, LSU, and Florida, among others, before ultimately committing to Clemson.
Former Colorado LB LaVonta Bentley joining the UFL's St. Louis Battlehawks
🚨Breaking🚨
— Avion Plummer (@Avionp2418) February 28, 2026
The St. Louis Battlehawks have signed former Colorado LB LaVonta Bentley per @UFL_PR.
Bentley was a standout for Colorado during their 9-4 season under Coach Prime and now will be heading to St. Louis.
Like and follow for more UFL updates.#UFL #Springfootball… https://t.co/1vrGljii6X pic.twitter.com/CSkyCA0dDo
Bentley's final season at Colorado was a 9-4 campaign that earned them a trip to the Alamo Bowl. He finished the season with 55 tackles (35 solo), one sack, and one forced fumble.
He will be joining a Battlehawks team that posted an 8-2 record last season, one of the league's best. St. Louis fell in the conference semifinals to the DC Defenders, 36-18.
That same 2025 team included former Colorado players Drew Lewis and Carson Wells, both of whom have since left.
Several former Buffs are on UFL rosters this season, including WR Laviska Shenault Jr. (Birmingham), WR Devin Ross (Columbus), and WR Javon Antonio (DC).
Four Buffs were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft: Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders, LaJohntay Wester, and Jimmy Horn Jr.
Bentley joined several Colorado teammates who went undrafted, including Cam'ron Silmon-Craig, BJ Green III, Shilo Sanders, and Will Sheppard, all of whom signed as undrafted free agents.
Bentley and the Battlehawks will kick off their season at home against the DC Defenders on Saturday, March 28, on ESPN at 10:00pm MST.