Top Five Players For Each XFL Team

After a stop-and-start return that was affected by the pandemic in 2020 and the sale to new owners, the XFL is officially set to resume on Saturday, February 18. 

There will be eight teams in two divisions, including: 

North Division

1. D.C. Defenders
2. Seattle Sea Dragons
3. St. Louis Battlehawks
4. Vegas Vipers

South Division

1. Arlington Renegades
2. Houston Roughnecks
3. Orlando Guardians
4. San Antonio Brahmas

All eight teams announced their rosters for the coming season this past week. Full rosters can be found here.

Here’s a look at the top five players from each squad: 

Arlington Renegades

Head coach: Bob Stoops

1 – P Marquette King

King was one of the NFL’s better punters at one point, leading the NFL in gross yards per punt in 2013. He was also known for his celebrations after punts and just generally operating differently than most players who played the position. His play earned him a five-year, $16.5 million extension from the Raidersbut he appeared to wear out his welcome. He was cut in 2018 and after a brief stint with the Broncos was put on injured reserve and released again. He hasn’t kicked in the NFL since 2018. 

2 – DL Doug Costin

Costin played a significant role for the Jaguars as an undrafted rookie in 2020 and graded out fairly well per Pro Football Focus. He didn’t follow it up, though, and was cut in 2021. 

3 – DT Bruce Hector

Enough teams have seen flashes from Hector that he’s stuck around on the margins of an NFL roster for four seasons since being an undrafted free agent out of South Florida in 2018. 

4 – CB Cre’Von LeBlanc

As an UDFA out of Florida Atlantic in 2016, LeBlanc latched on with the Bears and ended up starting nine games, picking off two passes, knocking down 10 more and scoring a defensive touchdown. He’s battled a lot of injuries since then but he also had a successful stint with the Eagles as a nickel corner in 2018, stepping in to start six games, including two in the playoffs, after injuries hit Philadelphia’s secondary. 

5 – LB Donald Payne

Payne started five games and had 61 tackles for the Jaguars in 2019. He hasn’t played in the NFL since 2020 but he led the USFL in tackles in 2022. 

D.C. Defenders

Head coach: Reggie Barlow

1 – K Matthew McCrane

There are only 32 starting kicker jobs in the NFL and a host of players floating on the outskirts hoping to get and keep one. McCrane has been one of those guys, though he hasn’t kicked since 2018. In that season, he was 8-12 on field goal attempts and nine for nine on extra points. Improving his distance should be a priority, as he was 0-2 from beyond 50

2 – QB D’Eriq King

King was a prolific college quarterback but his size (5-9, 201) pretty much scuttled any NFL interest in him unless he changed positions. He got a brief look as a wide receiver from a couple of teams, but has a chance to prove he should stick at quarterback in the XFL. His dual-threat abilities make him an exciting prospect for the league. 

3 – TE Kahale Warring

A former third-round pick by the Texans due to his impressive traits for the position, Warring is battling an injury right now. He is out of the NFL due to injuries and because tight end is a position that takes a lot of time to develop. If healthy, he has top-notch athleticism to be a difference-maker though. 

4 – WR Chad Hansen

Another former mid-round pick who washed out of the NFL, the Jets took Hansen in the fourth round out of California due to his size and athleticism for the position. He’s 6-2, 200 pounds and ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash back at the Combine in 2017. He didn’t play much for the Jets but flashed a little bit for the Texans down the stretch of the 2020 season. 

5 – DL Caraun Reid

Reid might have the most NFL experience of everyone on the roster here. He stuck around in the NFL for eight years after being drafted in the fifth round in 2014 as a rotational lineman and has appeared in 55 games. 

Houston Roughnecks

Head coach: Wade Phillips

1 – CB Sean Davis

Drafted in the second round by the Steelers in 2016, Davis was an impressive athlete and contributed all over the secondary for Pittsburgh on his rookie contract. But he wasn’t able to put it all together and washed out of the NFL in 2021. Still, 70 games and 42 starts under his belt makes Davis one of the most accomplished players in the XFL right now. 

2 – DL Trent Harris

Harris has bounced around the periphery of the NFL as a rotational edge rusher. He’s an intriguing fit in the defense Phillips is going to run. 

3 – CB Kary Vincent

In 2021, Vincent declared early for the draft perhaps thinking he’d be more highly thought of than he was coming out of the DB factory that has been LSU in recent years. He has some elite traits, like speed, that did intrigue some in the NFL. After being a seventh-round pick by the Broncos, the Eagles traded a sixth-round pick for him in 2022 to get a look at him in camp. He didn’t make the roster, however. He’s also already been traded in the XFL, funny enough, joining Houston after being drafted by San Antonio. 

4 – LB Duke Ejiofor

Consecutive Achilles and ACL injuries in 2019 and 2020 ended Ejiofor’s time with the Texans after they drafted him in 2018. He showed some pass-rushing flashes as a rookie, though, and like Harris, the fit with Phillips is intriguing given the coach’s long NFL resume. 

5 – QB Cole McDonald

McDonald put up gaudy numbers at Hawaii and tested really well for a quarterback at the Combine. He was drafted by the Titans in the seventh round but couldn’t stick on the roster and hasn’t been able to get another NFL shot. But his skillset for the XFL makes him intriguing. 

Orlando Guardians

Head coach: Terrell Buckley

1 – QB Paxton Lynch

Maybe Lynch isn’t the best player on the roster but he’s certainly the most notable as a former first-round pick. Lynch had all the physical tools to succeed in the NFL but it was the mental side that reportedly let him down. Perhaps he’s figured it out and does enough to earn himself another look

2 – S Matt Elam

Another first-round draft bust, Elam was taken by the Ravens with the last pick of the first round in 2013. Injuries and struggles on the field made it clear by the end of his third season that he wouldn’t be back with the Ravens. He’s also had some legal issues and was suspended by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2019 as he tried to revive his career in the Canadian Football League. Perhaps he’ll have better luck in the XFL.  

3 – OL David Moore

Offensive line and quarterback are the two toughest positions for these spring leagues to address, as even the NFL faces a shortage of talent at those positions. So Moore is notable because he had some fairly high draft grades from some analysts when he was coming out as a prospect, though he ultimately went undrafted and hasn’t been able to stick in the NFL, getting cut by the Panthers, Jets and Browns. 

4 – DL Josh Harvey-Clemons

Harvey-Clemons played safety in college at Louisville, moved to linebacker in the NFL and the Guardians list him as a defensive lineman. 

5 – TE Cody Latimer

Another position change and another former NFL draft bust. The Broncos took Latimer in the second round in 2016 out of Indiana mostly due to his impressive athleticism as a wide receiver. He wasn’t able to put it together in Denver, though. After semi-resurrecting his career as a depth player and special teams contributor with the Giants, he signed a contract with Washington in 2020. But an arrest for misdemeanor assault got him placed on the commissioner’s exempt list and he was later cut. He hasn’t been back in the NFL since. 

San Antonio Brahmas

Head coach: Hines Ward

1 – C Luke Juriga

As mentioned earlier, experienced offensive linemen are at a premium in the NFL and even moreso for lower leagues. Juriga has stuck around with the Eagles, who are known for having an eye for talent on the offensive line and more importantly an ability to develop the position, for the past few seasons. He’s appeared in 13 games for Philadelphia. 

2 – RB Kalen Ballage

Ballage is a terrific athlete for the position and has great size. The catch is his rushing instincts are underdeveloped. Still, his size, athleticism and pass-catching ability (54 receptions in four NFL seasons) could make him an important player in the XFL. 

3 – RB Jacques Patrick

Whereas Ballage is propped up by his athleticism and held back by the finer details of the position, Patrick might still be in the NFL if he were a better athlete. Still, he’s a tough, hard-nosed runner who is looking to try and get beyond the periphery of the NFL where he’s been stuck for a couple of years now. 

4 – OT Derrick Kelly

Kelly showed enough promise as a rookie to make the team as an undrafted free agent in New Orleans, and the team made it a point to bring him back this past season. He doesn’t have a lot of NFL experience but compared to other OL in the XFL, he’s on the plus side. 

5 – P Brad Wing

Wing earned some notoriety in college at LSU as a former Australian Rules football player, and he carved out a decent NFL career after going undrafted. He bounced around a couple of teams but found a home with the Giants for a few seasons after they traded for him and later signed him to an extension. He was cut in 2018 and has been out of the NFL since then. 

Seattle Sea Dragons

Head coach: Jim Haslett

1 – WR Josh Gordon

Yes, that Josh Gordon. We’ve seen from the past few years with various teams that Gordon just doesn’t have the athleticism anymore that made him so dangerous for such a short time early in his career before suspensions derailed him. He’s got plenty to be able to succeed in the XFL if he’s locked in, though, and being a former first-team All-Pro is more success than 99 percent or more of the league has had. 

2 – DT P.J. Hall

Hall was a former third-round pick out of Sam Houston State who drew attention for his athleticism and pass-rushing ability. He finished his first stint in the NFL with just 2.5 sacks in three seasons, however. Injuries played a role, but there’s perhaps more. The Texans were initially willing to put a second-round tender on him in 2021 but withdrew it. He hasn’t played in the NFL since. 

3 – DE Niko Lalos

Injuries can sometimes press undrafted rookies into major roles for a season before teams end up upgrading or moving on to perceived upgrades in future years. That might have happened to Lalos after he flashed a rookie with the Giants, notching a few big plays, but then didn’t make the team the following summer. His limited NFL experience is still notable in the context of the XFL, however. 

4 – CB Bryce Thompson

Coming out of Tennessee, Thompson had a good amount of experience and was pegged as a potential contributor down the road for the Saints even though he was an undrafted free agent. Injuries ruined any chance he had of that in New Orleans, however, and he’s looking for a fresh start in Seattle now. 

5 – C Michal Menet

Menet is a former seventh-round pick of the Cardinals who has yet to appear in an NFL regular season game, but has hung around on the practice squad in Arizona and Green Bay for the bulk of the past three seasons. 

St. Louis Battlehawks

Head coach: Anthony Becht

1 – QB A.J. McCarron

McCarron hasn’t reached the same heights in the NFL as he did at Alabama, but he still had carved out a niche as a backup quarterback until a preseason torn ACL in 2021. He’s looking to get back in the NFL and has a lot of big-game experience to rely on. 

2 – WR Hakeem Butler

There was a contingent of media draft analysts who absolutely loved Butler as a prospect coming out of Iowa State in 2019. The NFL was not nearly as high on him, as he fell to the fourth round. Given the way his career has gone so far, give the point to the NFL. But Butler still has the sheer size and athleticism at 6-5 to be an interesting player if he puts it together. 

3 – RB Brian Hill

Strong athleticism for the position and prolific production at Wyoming got Hill a look from the Falcons as a fifth-round pick. Over the course of his rookie contract, Hill was mostly a reserve, but one that performed at a decent clip when given the opportunity. Life as a running back in the NFL is tough, though, with a ton of talent available. Hill will try and remind the league that he belongs this spring. 

4 – CB Nate Meadors

Meadors has only appeared in three games with the Vikings and has just two tackles to his name in the NFL. But he’s had stints with six different NFL teams, which is an indication there’s a high enough view of his skills to keep him in the mix for a spot. He just needs to play, and the XFL offers another opportunity for that. 

5 – WR Austin Proehl

The son of former longtime NFL veteran WR and current private WR coach Ricky Proehl, the younger Proehl could be an intriguing option as a slot receiver if he’s healthy. 

Vegas Vipers

Head coach: Rod Woodson

1 – DE Vic Beasley

When Beasley’s mind is right and he’s dialed in, he’s shown he can be an impact NFL pass rusher. He led the NFL in sacks with 15.5 in 2016 and had eight sacks in his last year with the Falcons in 2019. But he didn’t report to camp initially with the Titans after signing with them in free agency, and 2020 was the last year he’s played in the NFL. 

2 – WR Martavis Bryant

Bryant is another immensely talented player that was driven away from the NFL due to off-field issues. With terrific size and speed, Bryant looked like a future star his first two seasons before all the suspensions turned him into a “what if.” He hasn’t played in the NFL since 2018 and his most relevant experience since then has been in the Fan-Controlled Football League. At 31, he might not still have that athleticism, but the past production is hard to ignore. 

3 – QB Luis Perez

Perez has become a fixture in the various spring leagues over the past few years, whether it’s the AAF or USFL or the last iteration of the XFL. The former Harlon Hill trophy winner — the Division II equivalent to the Heisman — has regularly been one of the best quarterbacks each spring, but it hasn’t gotten him more than a cup of coffee in the NFL so far. He’ll be looking to change that. 

4 – OT Antonio Garcia

Vegas has some other interesting linemen worth watching like Dohnovan West and Jamil Demby. Garcia’s athleticism makes him stand out, however. It’s what prompted the Patriots to use a third-round pick on him back in 2017. However, an issue with blood clots forced New England to release Garcia after just a year. Since then, he’s bounced around to various teams on futures deals and camp invites. A good spring season would put him back on the NFL radar. 

5 – LB Paul Dawson

Dawson was a decorated defender coming out of TCU in 2015 but there were major questions about his NFL future given a lack of length and athleticism. The Bengals took a gamble on him in the third round and unfortunately he lasted just a couple of seasons in Cincinnati. It actually looks like Dawson has been out of football since playing in the CFL in 2018, so this marks a potential comeback attempt.