This article aims to highlight the Rules of the XFL and how they may differ from the NFL product you know. This will also serve as a team-by-team preview of the eight teams taking the field for this 2023 season.
The XFL returns on February 18th and 19th with all eight teams in action across the two days. ESPN has broadcasting rights for the XFL in 2023, so you can expect to find all games across ABC/ESPN networks. In all, all 43 XFL games will be broadcast between ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and FX.
Eight teams return for the 2023 version of the XFL, all playing games in their host cities. Those cities are Vegas, Arlington, Orlando, Houston, St. Louis, San Antonio, Seattle, and Washington D.C.
The eight teams in the XFL are split into two divisions, the North and the South. The North is made up of D.C., Seattle, St. Louis, and Las Vegas. While the South is Arlington, Houston, Orlando, and San Antonio.
If you followed the 2020 version of the XFL, the rulebook is going to look pretty similar to that version of football with a few changes. Below are changes from the 2020 version of the XFL to the 2023, followed by a refresher on some rules of the league in general.
As a refresher of some of the other differences, here are some carried-over rules from the 2020 season that differ from the NFL brand.
Kickoffs:
Extra Points:
Double-Forward Pass
Overtime:
Comeback Period:
Catch Rules:
While there is going to likely be a ton that changes here as time goes on, we should have set rosters moving into the first week of action. Here is a very rough outlook at the eight teams taking to the field as well as a look at their roster after 51-man cutdowns.
Head Coach: Reggie Barlow
QB: Jordan Ta'amu, De'Eriq King, Eric Dungey
RB: Abram Smith, Ryquell Armstead, Artavis Pierce
WR: Josh Hammond, Chris Blair, Pooka Williams, Lucky Jackson, Chad Hansen, Josh Malone, Jaquez Ezzard
Reggie Barlow takes the helm as the Head Coach here after eight years of professional experience and coaching experience at some lesser-known colleges. The Quarterback room here for DC is pretty stacked, with Ta'amu having a ton of experience from his time in the XFL in 2020 with St. Louis and some time with the Kansas City Chiefs. De'Eriq King is an electric dual-threat option from Miami and Eric Dungey is a hard-nosed dual-threat option in his own right and some may remember him from his time at Syracuse and he can be compared to the likes of Taysom Hill. As it stands now, I would expect Ta'amu to be the Defenders week one starter.
Abram Smith was the fifth-leading rusher in the NCAA in 2021 but never caught on with an NFL team. He was the top offensive pick in the XFL Draft and figures to be one of the feature back in the league. But behind him is more talent with Ryquell Armstead who spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Artavis Pierce who spent time with the Chicago Bears.
The interesting name at wide receiver here for me is Pooka Williams who played his college ball at Kansas as a running back and also saw some time in the preseason with the Cincinnati Bengals. Jaquez Ezzard is also a young guy from Sam Houston State who can do damage in the open field. They must think highly of him, spending a third-round draft pick on him. Chad Hansen and Josh Malone also bring some veteran presence to this team. Of course, we do not know exactly how depth charts will shake out come opening day quite yet, but on paper, the Defenders' offense is one that has the proper pieces to compete. As it stands now, I would expect Ezzard to be a focal point of the passing game.
Head Coach: Anthony Becht
QB: AJ McCarron, Nick Tiano
RB: Brian Hill, Kareem Walker, Mataeo Durant
WR: Marcell Ateman, Darrius Shepherd, Gary Jennings, Austin Proehl, George Campbell, Steven Mitchell, Hakeem Butler
Anthony Becht enters as the Battlehawk Head Coach with no head coaching experience. This is his first head coaching experience and his only experience as a coach, in general, was as a tight ends coach in the AAF back in 2019.
AJ McCarron enters as a premier name in the XFL as he spent eight years in the NFL as a backup. McCarron had 109 career completions in the NFL for 1,173 passing yards over his eight-year career. The Battlehawks roster consists of just two quarterbacks, so McCarron enters here as the surefire starter with arguably the most experience of anyone else.
The running back room here will likely be led by Mateo Durant and Brian Hill, who has had a taste of the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and partly with four other teams. As well as a brief stint in the CFL with BC. Mateo Durant saw action with the Steelers this past preseason as a rookie, before being waived at the season beginning. Kareem Walker is an interesting talent whose career took a strange path with an Ohio State commitment way back in 2015, before a de-commitment, and then a commitment to Michigan. He didn't see the field and went the JuCo route before landing with Mississippi State in '19-20. I personally think Durant is the more intriguing name here and a fringe NFL-caliber player right now. But Brian Hill's experience should still net him work. If this is anything like 2020 XFL or the USFL product, we probably shouldn't expect many, if any, bell cow backs.
Marcell Ateman highlights the receiver room here as he was the Battlehawks' first player chosen in the XFL draft. Ateman and McCarron were both on the Raiders at the same time, so there is at least some form of connection here. Ateman never stuck in the NFL, but at 6 foot 4, he has the size to be a mismatch in the XFL. Darrius Shepherd spent time with the Packers and Jennings with the Giants. So this is a wide receiver room with NFL experience and multiple seasons of it. Austin Proehl was drafted in the 11th round and scored the first touchdown in the XFL back in 2020. The Battlehawks open as the slight favorite to win the 2023 title.
Head Coach: Jim Haslett
QB: Ben DiNucci, Harrison Frost, Steven Montez
RB: Brenden Knox, Morgan Ellison, TJ Hammonds, Charlie Taumoepeau
WR: Josh Gordon, Juwan Green, Blake Jackson, Kelvin McKnight, Jahcour Pearson, Jaylon Redd, Jordan Veasy, Damon Willis
Seattle gets the honor of a Head Coach with a ton of experience here as Jim Haslett has spent the last 30 years as a coach somewhere, including Head Coaching stops in the NFL with the Saints and Rams.
Dallas Cowboys fans will know the name of Ben DiNucci who spent two seasons in Dallas as their third-string quarterback who drew a start back in 2020 against the Eagles. DiNucci would finish his NFL career 23-for-43 for 219 yards and no passing touchdowns. Outside of AJ McCarron, DiNucci is one of three quarterbacks in the XFL with an NFL start to their name.
The running back room here is a bit of a wildcard, with Brenden Knox being the most intriguing name here. Knox ran for 2,852 yards at Marshall from 2018-2020. Knox spent a brief time with the Kansas City Chiefs. Morgan Ellison was a one-time running back for Indiana University before being dismissed after being suspended for an alleged sexual assault. TJ Hammonds played his college ball at Arkansas, but never saw more than 32 carries in any season between 2016 and 2020. Upon salary release on DraftKings, Hammonds prices out as the most expensive option for Seattle which I don't necessarily agree with but time will tell.
Josh Gordon, yes, that Josh Gordon highlights the receiver room here. Juwan Green saw time on the Falcons practice squad in 2020, while Kelvin McKnight has seen time with the Broncos and Patriots, as well as a stint in the CFL. Jahcour Pearson last played for Ole Miss in 2021 and Western Kentucky in 2020. Jaylon Redd is a guy we should all be rooting for as after a successful career as an Oregon Duck, his NFL future was dashed after doctors found a cancerous tumor on his pancreas. After successful surgery, Redd is back to continue his football journey.
Head Coach: Rod Woodson
QB: Brett Hundley, Jalan McClendon, Luis Perez
RB: Brian Burt, John Lovett, Rod Smith, DeAndre Torrey
WR: Geronimo Allison, Jeff Badet, Martavis Bryant, Mathew Sexton, Cinque Sweeting
Rod Woodson brings his Hall of Fame NFL career to the coaching side of things as he takes over as the Vegas Vipers Head Coach. This is his first head coaching position.
The Vegas Vipers have one thing going for them in their QB room and that is a cumulative experience. Brett Hundley spent multiple years in the NFL with the Packers and Cardinals most notably. Hundley has 337 career passing attempts in the NFL and 1,902 yards. McClendon saw time with the Los Angeles Wildcats back in 2020 and Luis Perez has played in every in almost every football league I can think of. Perez saw time in the NFL with the Rams, Eagles and Lions. He played for the Birmingham Iron of the AAF, two teams in the 2020 version of the XFL, as well as the New Jersey Generals of the USFL in 2022. Brett Hundley looks like the favorite to start here.
This running room is an interesting one, likely (?) led by Veteran Rod Smith and youngster John Lovett. Smith spent time with six different NFL teams between 2015-2021. John Lovett was drafted in the second round of the XFL Draft, 12th overall. So the draft position here has to put Lovett as a projected premium option in this offense. DeAndre Torrey played one game in the USFL for Michigan last year and spent 13 days as a Philadelphia Eagle over the summer. Torrey was selected in the ninth round of the XFL Draft.
This wide receiver room is quite fun, with former Steeler Martavis Bryant leading the way after being the fifth overall pick for the offensive side of the XFL Draft. Bryant hasn't played in the NFL since 2018 but has 2,183 career receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. Geronimo Allison spent five seasons himself in the NFL, with four of them being with Green Bay. Allison had 89 career receptions for 1,045 yards. Jeff Badet has time across four NFL teams, as well as 2020 XFL and 2022 USFL. It is safe to say that Bryant-Allison-Badet will be the top three options on this team.
Head Coach: Bob Stoops
QB: Kyle Sloter, Drew Plitt, Kevin Anderson
RB: Keith Ford, Adrian Killins, De'Veon Smith
WR: Brandon Arconado, Rannell Hall, Sean Modster, Jordan Smallwood, Tyler Vaughns, Lujuan Winningham
Bob Stoops is the only returning Head Coach from the 2020 XFL season as he led the then Dallas Renegades. Stoops spent seven years as the Head Coach of the Oklahoma Sooners.
Kyle Sloter spent time on the Practice Squad of eight different NFL franchises. Sloter was selected in the first round of the 2022 USFL Draft by the New Orleans Breakers and was named to the All-USFL team in 2022. Sloter passed for 1,798 yards and finished second in the league in passing yards. Drew Plitt went undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Ball State before being signed as a UDFA by the Bengals. Plitt was waived after the second preseason game. Plitt did see some preseason success though, going 6-for-6 for 76 yards and a touchdown in the Bengals' preseason opener. Kevin Anderson has bounced around, playing for the Orlando Apollos of the AAF back in 2019 and some time in the CFL from 2019-2020.
Keith Ford returns to the XFL after spending 2020 with St. Louis, rushing for 52 yards and two touchdowns before the season was shutdown. He saw some limited NFL time between 2018 and 2019. De'Veon Smith has also bounced around after a failed NFL career, having a brief stint in The Spring League, as well as the CFL. Smith was drafted to the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL last year but was cut before the season began for a rules violation. Adrian Killins was traded to Arlington from Houston on February 8th.
This wide receiver room doesn't hold a ton of name talent but definitely has some intriguing names. Lujuan Winningham had a strong 2022 preseason with the Jacksonville Jaguars before being a casualty of a roster crunch. Winningham was praised not only for his hands but his work in run blocking. Jordan Smallwood has time in the CFL as well as XFL 2020. Tyler Vaughns spent the last two years on the Steelers practice squad. Rannel Hall has bounced around since his entry into the NFL in 2015, including stops in the AAF, Arena League, and XFL. This is a receiver room where we will need some more information leading into gameday. If I had to make an early call, Winningham and Vaughns stand the best chances to play big roles. But with that being said Sean Modster is the most expensive option out of this group on DraftKings.
A position I haven't touched on a ton here is tight end, but Arlington spent their first overall offensive pick on Sal Cannella. Cannella played in the USFL with Kyle Sloter on the New Orleans Breakers and was named All-USFL. He was in camp with the Green Bay Packers this last summer. Cannella could develop as the most lethal tight end weapon in the league.
Head Coach: Wade Phillips
QB: Kaleb Eleby, Cole McDonald, Brandon Silvers
RB: Max Borghi, Nick Holley, Dejoun Lee, Brycen Alleyne
WR: Cedric Byrd, Deontay Burnett, Davion Davis, Travell Harris, Jontre Kirklin, Aaron Nelson, Ben Putman, Justin Smith
Wade Phillips brings arguably the most Coaching experience to any team in the XFL. Phillips has been the Head Coach of multiple NFL franchises and was most recently the Rams' Defensive Coordinator.
It is possible that Kaleb Eleby ends up being a diamond in the rough of this 2023 XFL QB class. He will need to beat out the experience of Brandon Silvers for the starting job, but Eleby had a great career at Western Michigan and a strong 2021 with 3,277 yards and 23 touchdowns. Eleby declared for the NFL draft as a Junior which ultimately probably hurt his NFL chances and he went undrafted. At just 22 years old, Eleby is a guy who can still use the XFL as a jumping pad to the NFL. But as mentioned, Brandon Silvers brings a ton of experience here with stints in the NFL, XFL, and Spring League. The last mentioned here in Cole McDonald is just as intriguing after a big collegiate career with Hawaii. With chemistry with Cedric Byrd already, McDonald shouldn't be counted out of this QB room either.
Max Borghi may be my favorite player to watch this XFL season as he turned in over 3,200 cumulative yards in four seasons in college with Washington State. Borghi got a brief shot with the Colts, Broncos, and Steelers this past preseason, but wasn't able to hold on to a roster spot. Borghi was drafted 41st overall in the XFL draft. XFL fans may remember the name Nick Holley as he played for Houston back in 2020. While he only had two total rushes, he was able to catch 21 passes for 267 yards out of the backfield. Dejoun Lee turned in a solid career at Delaware, being named first time in the CAA.
Cedric Byrd highlights the wide receiver room here after being selected 24th overall by Houston. Byrd played his college ball at Hawaii, racking up 2,067 yards on 177 receptions in just two seasons. In the very next round, Houston selected Deontay Burnett who had NFL stops with the Titans, Jets, Niners, and Eagles. Justin Smith made it three WR in a row in the draft. Smith played college ball at Norfolk State, being named All-MEAC first team.
Houston currently carries the worst odds to capture the 2023 XFL title, but every team is between +400 and +750, so this isn't much to look into.
Head Coach: Terrell Buckley
QB: Quinten Dormady, Deondre Francois, Paxton Lynch
RB: Devin Darrington, Jah-Maine Martin
WR: Dontez Byrd, Stephen Guidry, Andrew Jamiel, JaVonta Payton, Charleston Rambo, Eli Rogers, Deddrick Thomas
This is Terrell Buckley's first Head Coaching position after being a positions coach in the NCAA.
The Guardians enter this season with the biggest offensive question marks as after cutting their roster down to 51, only two running backs made the cut. The quarterback position holds a ceiling, but nothing concrete as well. Dormady played his college ball across three different college, eventually leading Central Michigan to a MAC title in 2019. Deondre Francois played for two teams in the Fan Controlled Football League, as well as one season in the TSL. Francois is best known for his 2016 season at Florida State where he led the Seminoles to a 10-3 record and 3,350 passing yards. His Florida State career was cut short due to an alleged domestic dispute with a girlfriend at the time. Francois eventually finished his college career at Hampton. Paxton Lynch signed with Orland in the last week, though his stint with Michigan in the USFL didn't go to well this past year.
As mentioned, just two running backs to discuss currently. Darrington played at Virginia in 2021 as a Grad transfer from Harvard. Darrington rushed for just 237 yards, though he averaged 7.4 yards per carry. Darrington appeared in 22 career games for Harvard. Jah-Maine Martin was a fifth-round pick by Orlando and is most notable for his massive 2019 season at NC A&T in which he scored 23 touchdowns and had 1,446 yards rushing. Martin sat out the 2020 season and his return in 2021 led him to middling numbers that hurt any potential draft stock he had. The XFL seems like a perfect stage for Martin to once again showcase his talents.
Charleston Rambo, Andrew Jamiel, and Stephen Guidry led the Guardians' first three picks in the offensive skill position side of the draft. Rambo went undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft but spent the preseason with the Panthers. Jamiel, a likely unfamiliar name, has spent the last two years playing in the Fan Controlled Football League. Guidry went undrafted in 2020, but spent some time with the Cowboys as a UDFA. Ultimately, there are a lot of question marks in this offense with a ton of unproven talent. That Guardians, like Houston, carry the worst odds to win the XFL title at +750
Head Coach: Hines Ward
QB: Jack Coan, Jawon Pass, Reid Sinnett
RB: Kalen Ballage, Jon Hilliman, Jacques Patrick
WR: Landen Akers, Fred Brown, Travis Jonsen, Darece Roberson, Jalen Tolliver, TJ Vasher
This is Hines Ward's first Head Coaching job but he has some experience as an assistant. Ward played 14 years in the NFL.
It probably isn't a great sign when one of your drafted Quarterbacks doesn't make the final 51 roster, but that is the case as Anthony Russo is nowhere to be found on the 51. That leaves Jawon Pass as the one drafted quarterback for San Antonio. Pass ended his career at Prairie View A&M after being the guy who had to follow Lamar Jackson at Louisville. Pass went undrafted and his numbers at PV were good, but not great when considering the talent level he was playing against. Jack Coan spent time at Wisconsin and Notre Dame in college and made an appearance with the Colts this past preseason. Sinnett was undrafted in 2020, but spent time with the Bucs, Dolphins, and Eagles. Heading into the season, I have no real grasp on who the starter is here.
One thing that can bail out the potentially shaky quarterback situation is a loading running back room. Ballage has four years of NFL experience across four NFL teams, last seeing action with the Steelers in 2021. Ballage has 665 career rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Jon Hilliman made one NFL start for the Giants back in 2019, rushing 11 times for 38 yards. Ultimately, Hilliman should be viewed as a power back here. Patrick spent three years in the NFL as well with the Bengals mostly. Most of his time came on the practice squad, but it is still NFL experience. That gives us a three-deep backfield here that have all had time in the NFL.
Jalen Tolliver is the highest-drafted WR for San Antonio still standing as he was taken in the fourth round. Tolliver spent time across four NFL franchises, as well as time in the CFL, as well as the XFL back in 2020. Landen Akers spent time with the Rams over the past two seasons but was mostly just a preseason flier. TJ Vasher signed as a UDFA to the Cowboys in 2021 but was waived due to injury. It is really hard to know what we are getting with this team as on paper it appears to be one that is better suited in the running game.
That is it for the team previews. Between now and kickoff on the 18th I am sure there will be a lot more to talk about.
League Overview
The XFL returns on February 18th and 19th with all eight teams in action across the two days. ESPN has broadcasting rights for the XFL in 2023, so you can expect to find all games across ABC/ESPN networks. In all, all 43 XFL games will be broadcast between ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and FX.
Eight teams return for the 2023 version of the XFL, all playing games in their host cities. Those cities are Vegas, Arlington, Orlando, Houston, St. Louis, San Antonio, Seattle, and Washington D.C.
The eight teams in the XFL are split into two divisions, the North and the South. The North is made up of D.C., Seattle, St. Louis, and Las Vegas. While the South is Arlington, Houston, Orlando, and San Antonio.
XFL Rules
If you followed the 2020 version of the XFL, the rulebook is going to look pretty similar to that version of football with a few changes. Below are changes from the 2020 version of the XFL to the 2023, followed by a refresher on some rules of the league in general.
- The play clock runs for 35 seconds starting at the end of the previous play.
- Teams can convert a 4th and 15 to keep the ball in the fourth quarter in lieu of an onside kick attempt.
- Teams have one coach's challenge that can be used to review any officiating decision without any restrictions.
- All replays come from a hub, similar to the MLB.
As a refresher of some of the other differences, here are some carried-over rules from the 2020 season that differ from the NFL brand.
Kickoffs:
- The kicker kicks from the 30-yard line and must kick the ball in the air and in play between the opponent’s 20-yard line and the end zone.
- Out-of-bounds kicks and kicks that fall short of the 20-yard line will result in an illegal procedure penalty.
- Players can move when the ball is touched by the returner or 3 seconds after the ball touches the ground.
- Surprise onside kicks are not allowed and an onside kick must be relayed to the officiating team prior to it happening.
Extra Points:
- After a touchdown, a team must run a play from the 2, 5, or 10-yard line. These are worth 1, 2, and 3 points respectively. There are no kicking extra points.
Double-Forward Pass
- If a team completes a forward pass behind the line of scrimmage, that team may throw a second forward pass, as long as the ball has at no time crossed the line of scrimmage.
- Once the ball has passed the line of scrimmage, no forward passes are permitted.
Overtime:
- Overtime consists of 3 rounds (down from 5 in 2020). A round consists of one offensive play per team. Each possession (round) starts at the opponent's five-yard line. The defensive team can not score. Only prevent a stop. Think of it like an NHL / Soccer shootout.
Comeback Period:
- Occurs after the 2-Minute Warning in each half.
- On plays that end in the field of play, the game clock will be stopped until the ball has been spotted and 5 seconds have run off of the play clock.
- On incomplete passes and out-of-bounds plays, the game clock will stop completely until the ball is snapped.
- This rule prevents teams from running out the clock at the end of the game.
Catch Rules:
- The XFL is a one-foot inbounds league. The receiver needs to secure control and have one foot or body part in the field of play. This rule still remains up for interpretation, though one-foot mimicking college is personally preferred.
Team Previews
While there is going to likely be a ton that changes here as time goes on, we should have set rosters moving into the first week of action. Here is a very rough outlook at the eight teams taking to the field as well as a look at their roster after 51-man cutdowns.
DC Defenders
Head Coach: Reggie Barlow
QB: Jordan Ta'amu, De'Eriq King, Eric Dungey
RB: Abram Smith, Ryquell Armstead, Artavis Pierce
WR: Josh Hammond, Chris Blair, Pooka Williams, Lucky Jackson, Chad Hansen, Josh Malone, Jaquez Ezzard
Reggie Barlow takes the helm as the Head Coach here after eight years of professional experience and coaching experience at some lesser-known colleges. The Quarterback room here for DC is pretty stacked, with Ta'amu having a ton of experience from his time in the XFL in 2020 with St. Louis and some time with the Kansas City Chiefs. De'Eriq King is an electric dual-threat option from Miami and Eric Dungey is a hard-nosed dual-threat option in his own right and some may remember him from his time at Syracuse and he can be compared to the likes of Taysom Hill. As it stands now, I would expect Ta'amu to be the Defenders week one starter.
Abram Smith was the fifth-leading rusher in the NCAA in 2021 but never caught on with an NFL team. He was the top offensive pick in the XFL Draft and figures to be one of the feature back in the league. But behind him is more talent with Ryquell Armstead who spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Artavis Pierce who spent time with the Chicago Bears.
The interesting name at wide receiver here for me is Pooka Williams who played his college ball at Kansas as a running back and also saw some time in the preseason with the Cincinnati Bengals. Jaquez Ezzard is also a young guy from Sam Houston State who can do damage in the open field. They must think highly of him, spending a third-round draft pick on him. Chad Hansen and Josh Malone also bring some veteran presence to this team. Of course, we do not know exactly how depth charts will shake out come opening day quite yet, but on paper, the Defenders' offense is one that has the proper pieces to compete. As it stands now, I would expect Ezzard to be a focal point of the passing game.
St. Louis Battlehawks
Head Coach: Anthony Becht
QB: AJ McCarron, Nick Tiano
RB: Brian Hill, Kareem Walker, Mataeo Durant
WR: Marcell Ateman, Darrius Shepherd, Gary Jennings, Austin Proehl, George Campbell, Steven Mitchell, Hakeem Butler
Anthony Becht enters as the Battlehawk Head Coach with no head coaching experience. This is his first head coaching experience and his only experience as a coach, in general, was as a tight ends coach in the AAF back in 2019.
AJ McCarron enters as a premier name in the XFL as he spent eight years in the NFL as a backup. McCarron had 109 career completions in the NFL for 1,173 passing yards over his eight-year career. The Battlehawks roster consists of just two quarterbacks, so McCarron enters here as the surefire starter with arguably the most experience of anyone else.
The running back room here will likely be led by Mateo Durant and Brian Hill, who has had a taste of the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and partly with four other teams. As well as a brief stint in the CFL with BC. Mateo Durant saw action with the Steelers this past preseason as a rookie, before being waived at the season beginning. Kareem Walker is an interesting talent whose career took a strange path with an Ohio State commitment way back in 2015, before a de-commitment, and then a commitment to Michigan. He didn't see the field and went the JuCo route before landing with Mississippi State in '19-20. I personally think Durant is the more intriguing name here and a fringe NFL-caliber player right now. But Brian Hill's experience should still net him work. If this is anything like 2020 XFL or the USFL product, we probably shouldn't expect many, if any, bell cow backs.
Marcell Ateman highlights the receiver room here as he was the Battlehawks' first player chosen in the XFL draft. Ateman and McCarron were both on the Raiders at the same time, so there is at least some form of connection here. Ateman never stuck in the NFL, but at 6 foot 4, he has the size to be a mismatch in the XFL. Darrius Shepherd spent time with the Packers and Jennings with the Giants. So this is a wide receiver room with NFL experience and multiple seasons of it. Austin Proehl was drafted in the 11th round and scored the first touchdown in the XFL back in 2020. The Battlehawks open as the slight favorite to win the 2023 title.
Seattle Sea Dragons
Head Coach: Jim Haslett
QB: Ben DiNucci, Harrison Frost, Steven Montez
RB: Brenden Knox, Morgan Ellison, TJ Hammonds, Charlie Taumoepeau
WR: Josh Gordon, Juwan Green, Blake Jackson, Kelvin McKnight, Jahcour Pearson, Jaylon Redd, Jordan Veasy, Damon Willis
Seattle gets the honor of a Head Coach with a ton of experience here as Jim Haslett has spent the last 30 years as a coach somewhere, including Head Coaching stops in the NFL with the Saints and Rams.
Dallas Cowboys fans will know the name of Ben DiNucci who spent two seasons in Dallas as their third-string quarterback who drew a start back in 2020 against the Eagles. DiNucci would finish his NFL career 23-for-43 for 219 yards and no passing touchdowns. Outside of AJ McCarron, DiNucci is one of three quarterbacks in the XFL with an NFL start to their name.
The running back room here is a bit of a wildcard, with Brenden Knox being the most intriguing name here. Knox ran for 2,852 yards at Marshall from 2018-2020. Knox spent a brief time with the Kansas City Chiefs. Morgan Ellison was a one-time running back for Indiana University before being dismissed after being suspended for an alleged sexual assault. TJ Hammonds played his college ball at Arkansas, but never saw more than 32 carries in any season between 2016 and 2020. Upon salary release on DraftKings, Hammonds prices out as the most expensive option for Seattle which I don't necessarily agree with but time will tell.
Josh Gordon, yes, that Josh Gordon highlights the receiver room here. Juwan Green saw time on the Falcons practice squad in 2020, while Kelvin McKnight has seen time with the Broncos and Patriots, as well as a stint in the CFL. Jahcour Pearson last played for Ole Miss in 2021 and Western Kentucky in 2020. Jaylon Redd is a guy we should all be rooting for as after a successful career as an Oregon Duck, his NFL future was dashed after doctors found a cancerous tumor on his pancreas. After successful surgery, Redd is back to continue his football journey.
Las Vegas Vipers
Head Coach: Rod Woodson
QB: Brett Hundley, Jalan McClendon, Luis Perez
RB: Brian Burt, John Lovett, Rod Smith, DeAndre Torrey
WR: Geronimo Allison, Jeff Badet, Martavis Bryant, Mathew Sexton, Cinque Sweeting
Rod Woodson brings his Hall of Fame NFL career to the coaching side of things as he takes over as the Vegas Vipers Head Coach. This is his first head coaching position.
The Vegas Vipers have one thing going for them in their QB room and that is a cumulative experience. Brett Hundley spent multiple years in the NFL with the Packers and Cardinals most notably. Hundley has 337 career passing attempts in the NFL and 1,902 yards. McClendon saw time with the Los Angeles Wildcats back in 2020 and Luis Perez has played in every in almost every football league I can think of. Perez saw time in the NFL with the Rams, Eagles and Lions. He played for the Birmingham Iron of the AAF, two teams in the 2020 version of the XFL, as well as the New Jersey Generals of the USFL in 2022. Brett Hundley looks like the favorite to start here.
This running room is an interesting one, likely (?) led by Veteran Rod Smith and youngster John Lovett. Smith spent time with six different NFL teams between 2015-2021. John Lovett was drafted in the second round of the XFL Draft, 12th overall. So the draft position here has to put Lovett as a projected premium option in this offense. DeAndre Torrey played one game in the USFL for Michigan last year and spent 13 days as a Philadelphia Eagle over the summer. Torrey was selected in the ninth round of the XFL Draft.
This wide receiver room is quite fun, with former Steeler Martavis Bryant leading the way after being the fifth overall pick for the offensive side of the XFL Draft. Bryant hasn't played in the NFL since 2018 but has 2,183 career receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. Geronimo Allison spent five seasons himself in the NFL, with four of them being with Green Bay. Allison had 89 career receptions for 1,045 yards. Jeff Badet has time across four NFL teams, as well as 2020 XFL and 2022 USFL. It is safe to say that Bryant-Allison-Badet will be the top three options on this team.
Arlington Renegades
Head Coach: Bob Stoops
QB: Kyle Sloter, Drew Plitt, Kevin Anderson
RB: Keith Ford, Adrian Killins, De'Veon Smith
WR: Brandon Arconado, Rannell Hall, Sean Modster, Jordan Smallwood, Tyler Vaughns, Lujuan Winningham
Bob Stoops is the only returning Head Coach from the 2020 XFL season as he led the then Dallas Renegades. Stoops spent seven years as the Head Coach of the Oklahoma Sooners.
Kyle Sloter spent time on the Practice Squad of eight different NFL franchises. Sloter was selected in the first round of the 2022 USFL Draft by the New Orleans Breakers and was named to the All-USFL team in 2022. Sloter passed for 1,798 yards and finished second in the league in passing yards. Drew Plitt went undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Ball State before being signed as a UDFA by the Bengals. Plitt was waived after the second preseason game. Plitt did see some preseason success though, going 6-for-6 for 76 yards and a touchdown in the Bengals' preseason opener. Kevin Anderson has bounced around, playing for the Orlando Apollos of the AAF back in 2019 and some time in the CFL from 2019-2020.
Keith Ford returns to the XFL after spending 2020 with St. Louis, rushing for 52 yards and two touchdowns before the season was shutdown. He saw some limited NFL time between 2018 and 2019. De'Veon Smith has also bounced around after a failed NFL career, having a brief stint in The Spring League, as well as the CFL. Smith was drafted to the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL last year but was cut before the season began for a rules violation. Adrian Killins was traded to Arlington from Houston on February 8th.
This wide receiver room doesn't hold a ton of name talent but definitely has some intriguing names. Lujuan Winningham had a strong 2022 preseason with the Jacksonville Jaguars before being a casualty of a roster crunch. Winningham was praised not only for his hands but his work in run blocking. Jordan Smallwood has time in the CFL as well as XFL 2020. Tyler Vaughns spent the last two years on the Steelers practice squad. Rannel Hall has bounced around since his entry into the NFL in 2015, including stops in the AAF, Arena League, and XFL. This is a receiver room where we will need some more information leading into gameday. If I had to make an early call, Winningham and Vaughns stand the best chances to play big roles. But with that being said Sean Modster is the most expensive option out of this group on DraftKings.
A position I haven't touched on a ton here is tight end, but Arlington spent their first overall offensive pick on Sal Cannella. Cannella played in the USFL with Kyle Sloter on the New Orleans Breakers and was named All-USFL. He was in camp with the Green Bay Packers this last summer. Cannella could develop as the most lethal tight end weapon in the league.
Houston Roughnecks
Head Coach: Wade Phillips
QB: Kaleb Eleby, Cole McDonald, Brandon Silvers
RB: Max Borghi, Nick Holley, Dejoun Lee, Brycen Alleyne
WR: Cedric Byrd, Deontay Burnett, Davion Davis, Travell Harris, Jontre Kirklin, Aaron Nelson, Ben Putman, Justin Smith
Wade Phillips brings arguably the most Coaching experience to any team in the XFL. Phillips has been the Head Coach of multiple NFL franchises and was most recently the Rams' Defensive Coordinator.
It is possible that Kaleb Eleby ends up being a diamond in the rough of this 2023 XFL QB class. He will need to beat out the experience of Brandon Silvers for the starting job, but Eleby had a great career at Western Michigan and a strong 2021 with 3,277 yards and 23 touchdowns. Eleby declared for the NFL draft as a Junior which ultimately probably hurt his NFL chances and he went undrafted. At just 22 years old, Eleby is a guy who can still use the XFL as a jumping pad to the NFL. But as mentioned, Brandon Silvers brings a ton of experience here with stints in the NFL, XFL, and Spring League. The last mentioned here in Cole McDonald is just as intriguing after a big collegiate career with Hawaii. With chemistry with Cedric Byrd already, McDonald shouldn't be counted out of this QB room either.
Max Borghi may be my favorite player to watch this XFL season as he turned in over 3,200 cumulative yards in four seasons in college with Washington State. Borghi got a brief shot with the Colts, Broncos, and Steelers this past preseason, but wasn't able to hold on to a roster spot. Borghi was drafted 41st overall in the XFL draft. XFL fans may remember the name Nick Holley as he played for Houston back in 2020. While he only had two total rushes, he was able to catch 21 passes for 267 yards out of the backfield. Dejoun Lee turned in a solid career at Delaware, being named first time in the CAA.
Cedric Byrd highlights the wide receiver room here after being selected 24th overall by Houston. Byrd played his college ball at Hawaii, racking up 2,067 yards on 177 receptions in just two seasons. In the very next round, Houston selected Deontay Burnett who had NFL stops with the Titans, Jets, Niners, and Eagles. Justin Smith made it three WR in a row in the draft. Smith played college ball at Norfolk State, being named All-MEAC first team.
Houston currently carries the worst odds to capture the 2023 XFL title, but every team is between +400 and +750, so this isn't much to look into.
Orlando Guardians
Head Coach: Terrell Buckley
QB: Quinten Dormady, Deondre Francois, Paxton Lynch
RB: Devin Darrington, Jah-Maine Martin
WR: Dontez Byrd, Stephen Guidry, Andrew Jamiel, JaVonta Payton, Charleston Rambo, Eli Rogers, Deddrick Thomas
This is Terrell Buckley's first Head Coaching position after being a positions coach in the NCAA.
The Guardians enter this season with the biggest offensive question marks as after cutting their roster down to 51, only two running backs made the cut. The quarterback position holds a ceiling, but nothing concrete as well. Dormady played his college ball across three different college, eventually leading Central Michigan to a MAC title in 2019. Deondre Francois played for two teams in the Fan Controlled Football League, as well as one season in the TSL. Francois is best known for his 2016 season at Florida State where he led the Seminoles to a 10-3 record and 3,350 passing yards. His Florida State career was cut short due to an alleged domestic dispute with a girlfriend at the time. Francois eventually finished his college career at Hampton. Paxton Lynch signed with Orland in the last week, though his stint with Michigan in the USFL didn't go to well this past year.
As mentioned, just two running backs to discuss currently. Darrington played at Virginia in 2021 as a Grad transfer from Harvard. Darrington rushed for just 237 yards, though he averaged 7.4 yards per carry. Darrington appeared in 22 career games for Harvard. Jah-Maine Martin was a fifth-round pick by Orlando and is most notable for his massive 2019 season at NC A&T in which he scored 23 touchdowns and had 1,446 yards rushing. Martin sat out the 2020 season and his return in 2021 led him to middling numbers that hurt any potential draft stock he had. The XFL seems like a perfect stage for Martin to once again showcase his talents.
Charleston Rambo, Andrew Jamiel, and Stephen Guidry led the Guardians' first three picks in the offensive skill position side of the draft. Rambo went undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft but spent the preseason with the Panthers. Jamiel, a likely unfamiliar name, has spent the last two years playing in the Fan Controlled Football League. Guidry went undrafted in 2020, but spent some time with the Cowboys as a UDFA. Ultimately, there are a lot of question marks in this offense with a ton of unproven talent. That Guardians, like Houston, carry the worst odds to win the XFL title at +750
San Antonio Brahmas
Head Coach: Hines Ward
QB: Jack Coan, Jawon Pass, Reid Sinnett
RB: Kalen Ballage, Jon Hilliman, Jacques Patrick
WR: Landen Akers, Fred Brown, Travis Jonsen, Darece Roberson, Jalen Tolliver, TJ Vasher
This is Hines Ward's first Head Coaching job but he has some experience as an assistant. Ward played 14 years in the NFL.
It probably isn't a great sign when one of your drafted Quarterbacks doesn't make the final 51 roster, but that is the case as Anthony Russo is nowhere to be found on the 51. That leaves Jawon Pass as the one drafted quarterback for San Antonio. Pass ended his career at Prairie View A&M after being the guy who had to follow Lamar Jackson at Louisville. Pass went undrafted and his numbers at PV were good, but not great when considering the talent level he was playing against. Jack Coan spent time at Wisconsin and Notre Dame in college and made an appearance with the Colts this past preseason. Sinnett was undrafted in 2020, but spent time with the Bucs, Dolphins, and Eagles. Heading into the season, I have no real grasp on who the starter is here.
One thing that can bail out the potentially shaky quarterback situation is a loading running back room. Ballage has four years of NFL experience across four NFL teams, last seeing action with the Steelers in 2021. Ballage has 665 career rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Jon Hilliman made one NFL start for the Giants back in 2019, rushing 11 times for 38 yards. Ultimately, Hilliman should be viewed as a power back here. Patrick spent three years in the NFL as well with the Bengals mostly. Most of his time came on the practice squad, but it is still NFL experience. That gives us a three-deep backfield here that have all had time in the NFL.
Jalen Tolliver is the highest-drafted WR for San Antonio still standing as he was taken in the fourth round. Tolliver spent time across four NFL franchises, as well as time in the CFL, as well as the XFL back in 2020. Landen Akers spent time with the Rams over the past two seasons but was mostly just a preseason flier. TJ Vasher signed as a UDFA to the Cowboys in 2021 but was waived due to injury. It is really hard to know what we are getting with this team as on paper it appears to be one that is better suited in the running game.
That is it for the team previews. Between now and kickoff on the 18th I am sure there will be a lot more to talk about.
