2023 XFL rookie draft explained

2023 XFL rookie draft
Date:June 16, 2023
Time:11:00 AM ET
League:XFL
Prev:2023
Next:2024
Rounds:35

The 2023 XFL rookie draft was the player selection process to fill the rosters of the eight teams for the 2024 XFL season, and the only rookie draft in the rebooted version of the XFL's history.

The draft was held on June 16, 2023,[1] with results released through the XFL's social media channels later that evening, with 80 players being selected.

Eligibility

The XFL 2023 "rookie" draft pool consisted only player who were eligible to have been drafted in the 2023 NFL draft and who are not under contract by a professional football team (players under contract with Indoor Football League are eligible to be drafted).

Drafted rookies will be placed on XFL rosters with players who finished the 2023 season on active and reserve lists and teams will hold exclusive rights with the players they select in the draft.

Selection order

The draft was to consist up to 10 rounds. XFL team rosters will be expanded from 51 to 90 players to allow for the increased number of players.

The selection order was follows (the selection order for subsequent rounds followed the order of the first round):

SelectionTeam2023 recordPlayoff result
1Orlando Guardians1-9Did not qualify
2Vegas Vipers2-8Did not qualify
3San Antonio Brahmas3-7Did not qualify
4St. Louis Battlehawks7-3Did not qualify
5Seattle Sea Dragons7-3Div Championship
6Houston Roughnecks7-3Div Championship
7DC Defenders9-1Lost Championship
8Arlington Renegades4-6Won Championship

Before the draft, the Renegades and Sea Dragons complete a trade, with Arlington receiving linebacker Tuzar Skipper and the 46th overall pick and Seattle receives offensive lineman George Moore and the 40th overall pick.[2]

Draft results

On the evening of the event, the XFL announced that the following 80 players were selected in the rookie draft. The league didn't published selection order and just announced the selections in alphabetical order by team.[3]

Arlington Renegades

PlayerPositionCollege
Sy BarnettWRDavenport
Connor DegenhardtQBNew Haven
Ami FinauDLMaryland
Jalen GreenDBMississippi State
Charles HallWRArizona State
James JacksonOLSouth Alabama
Jordan RhodesOLArkansas State
Merlin RobertsonLBArizona State
Chris WhittakerLBIncarnate Word
Jordan WrightLBKentucky

DC Defenders

PlayerPositionCollege
Paxton BrooksPTennessee
Matt CarrickOLMichigan State
Alex JensenOLSouth Dakota
C. J. JohnsonWREast Carolina
Kaleb OliverLBWestern Kentucky
Jack PlumbOLIowa
Bentlee SandersDBNevada
Mohamed SanogoLBLouisville
Ty ScottWRMissouri State
Trea ShropshireWRUAB

Houston Roughnecks

PlayerPositionCollege
Jayson AdemilolaDLNotre Dame
Austin AjiakeLBUNLV
Michael AyersLB
Quinton BarrowDBGrand Valley State
Momar FallDLColorado State Pueblo
Ahofitu MakaOL
Alijah McGheeDBMinnesota State-Mankato
Marcus MinorOLPittsburgh
Marvin PierreLBKent State
Lindsey Scott Jr.QBIncarnate Word

Orlando Guardians

PlayerPositionCollege
Jeremy CooperOLCincinnati
Kosi EldridgeLBTexas Tech
Terry HamptonDLArkansas
K.D. HillDLOle Miss
Jarrett HorstOLMichigan State
Darius JoinerDBDuke
Jacquez JonesLBKentucky
Keyron KinslerDBAlcorn State
Brock MartinDLOklahoma State
Laquinston SharpOLMississippi State

San Antonio Brahmas

PlayerPositionCollege
Jahleel BillingsleyTETexas
Brendan BordnerOLFlorida Atlantic
Carlos CarriereWRCentral Michigan
Darrious GainesDB
R.J. HubertDBUtah
Lorenzo McCaskillLBKansas
Dylan O'QuinnOLCincinnati
J.C. SantanaWRTulsa
Chris SmithRBLouisiana
Dillon ThomasDBMissouri State

Seattle Sea Dragons

PlayerPositionCollege
Sam BurtDLKansas
Des HolmesOLArizona State
Malcolm LeeDLKansas
Wes MoeaiDLRocky Mountain
Colby ReederLBIowa State
Titus SwenRBWyoming
Destin TalbertDBNorth Dakota State
Chad TownsendWRTexas Tech
Jazston TurnetineOLFlorida State
Payton WilgarLBBYU

St. Louis Battlehawks

PlayerPositionCollege
Nico BoldenDBKent State
James BosticRBOhio
Johnny BuchananLB
Darion ChafinWRIncarnate Word
Jaocb GallOLBaylor
Kemore GambleTEUCF
Matthew JesterDLPrinceton
Kevo LatulasRBMissouri State
Jadrian TaylorDLUTEP
Anthony WitherstoneDBMerrimack

Vegas Vipers

PlayerPositionCollege
Nick AmoahOLUC Davis
Desmond BessentOLBuffalo
Dwayne BoylesLBSouth Florida
Stacy ChukwumezieWRNorthern Arizona
Jamare EdwardsDLJames Madison
Lorenzo FauateaDLBYU
T.J. GreenRBLiberty
Robert MitchellOLNorth Carolina Central
Darrius NashDBUtah Tech
Naasir WatkinsOLLiberty

Undrafted players

On June 20, the XFL announced that the rights to 44 undrafted players have been claimed by teams.[4]

Arlington Renegades

PlayerPositionCollege
Tyrell AijanDBKentucky
Connor BlumrickQBVirginia Tech
Noah HendersonOLEast Carolina
Ike IraborRBUnion
Todd SimmonsWRDubuque
Noah TaylorLBNorth Carolina

DC Defenders

PlayerPositionCollege
Adonis BooneOLLouisville
Jahlil BrownDBCentral Connecticut State
Warren EricsonOLGeorgia
Josh FaloTEUSC

Houston Roughnecks

PlayerPositionCollege
Isaiah BowserRBUCF
Cody ChrestWRSam Houston State
Christian EaleyOLKentucky Wesleyan
Dalton GodfreyLSSouth Dakota
Braydon JohnsonWROklahoma State
Destin MackDBThe Citadel
Christian MorganDBBaylor

Orlando Guardians

PlayerPositionCollege
Bo BauerLBNotre Dame
Daetrich HarringtonRBAppalachian State
Stacey MarshallWRMarshall
Shea PittsDBUCLA
Zane PopeWRFresno State
Tre'Mond ShortsOLLSU
Bryson SpeasOLNorth Carolina State

San Antonio Brahmas

PlayerPositionCollege
Luke FordWRIllinois
Micahh SmithDBIncarnate Word
Nazier WrightLBWilliam Paterson

Seattle Sea Dragons

PlayerPositionCollege
Dillon DoyleLBBaylor
Beau KellyWRPortland State
Luke LoecherPOregon State
N'Kosi PerryQBFlorida Atlantic
Morgan VestDBNorthern Arizona
Dawson WeberDBNorth Dakota State
Lazarius WilliamsDLNew Mexico State

St. Louis Battlehawks

PlayerPositionCollege
Kemari AverettWRBethune–Cookman
Eric BlackDLStony Brook
Aidan BorguetRBHarvard
Marcus CushnieLBUMass
Jaylen HallWRWestern Kentucky
Dom PetersonDLNevada
Justin RaginDLJackson State

Vegas Vipers

PlayerPositionCollege
Trey CobbLBAppalachian State
Alfred EdwardsOLUtah State
Victor JonesDLAkron

Other undrafted players were invited to XFL player showcases, with a chance to exhibit their skills in front of XFL coaches and personnel directors. Players were evaluated based on performance for inclusion in the XFL player pool for the upcoming 2024 season. The top performers were invited to the XFL Combine, which was held July 25-27 in Arlington, Texas.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: XFL to Host 2023 Rookie Draft on Friday, June 16. XFL . June 14, 2023 . en-US.
  2. Web site: XFL Trade: Renegades and Sea Dragons Complete Trade in Advance of 2023 XFL Rookie Draft. xflnewshub.com. 16 June 2023 . en-US.
  3. Web site: XFL Rookie Draft 2023. XFL.com. en-US.
  4. Web site: XFL Teams Claim Rights to 44 Undrafted Rookies. XFL.com. en-US. June 20, 2023.
  5. Web site: XFL Completes Rookie Draft. XFL.com. en-US.