Quarterback Jalan McClendon, 2023 Las Vegas Vipers
The D.C. Defenders continued adding to their roster ahead of training camp with Monday’s Super-Dispersal Draft, selecting 12 players in total. While the Defenders picked up some new talent, there were a lot of familiar faces drafted who either spent last season with D.C. or got picked up by the team during the offseason. These players initially went “unprotected” by the Defenders during Phase I of the Merger Allocation Process, but landed back with D.C. via yesterday’s draft.
With yesterday’s selections, the Defenders now stand at 65 players rostered. And with training camp rosters maxed out at 75 players per team, they’ll have room to add up to 10 more players during free agency – which opened today.
The following is a player-by-player breakdown of each of the Defenders’ selections from yesterday’s draft.
QB Jalan McClendon
With their first-round pick, the Defenders took former Vegas Vipers quarterback Jalan McClendon.
McClendon joins former Guardians quarterback Deondre Francois in a revamped quarterback room without the starter or backup from a year ago. Jordan Ta’amu, the 2023 XFL Offensive Player of the Year, is currently not listed on the roster, and D’Eriq King, Ta’amu’s backup, has already confirmed that he will not be returning after accepting a full-time coaching position at SMU.
McClendon started the last four games of the season for the Vipers in 2023. While he led the Vipers to an underwhelming 1-3 record over that stretch, he showed flashes – tallying 67 for 112 passing (59.8% completion rate) with 873 yards and five touchdowns. The Charlotte, NC native also had 137 rushing yards on 30 attempts. Before the Vipers, his last professional football stint had been with the Los Angeles Wildcats in the 2020 XFL, where he was a backup.
During his collegiate career at North Carolina State and Baylor, McClendon played 29 career games but only started in one. He netted 927 passing yards and 102 rushing yards over five seasons at the power-five collegiate level.
Both McClendon and Francois have similar strengths as dual-threat quarterbacks. Although Francois, a former Florida State standout, definitely had more success at the collegiate level compared to McClendon, my prediction is that McClendon will be the starter. That is assuming the Defenders don’t bring in another quarterback who can compete for the job.
Francois struggled with the Guardians last season despite being given multiple opportunities to prove himself. However, I can see the Defenders using him as a facet in their read-option game, as they did with D’Eriq King last season.
WR Chris Rowland
The Defenders dipped into the USFL talent pool by selecting former Philadelphia Stars receiver Chris Rowland in the second round. With all the potential turnaround in the Defenders’ receiving corps, Rowland can be a productive slot receiver along with Josh Hammond, a returning starter from last year.
Currently, the Defenders’ top two receivers from last season are with NFL teams. Chris Blair has already signed a futures contract with the Atlanta Falcons, while All-XFL receiver Lucky Jackson’s status with the Minnesota Vikings remains in limbo.
Rowland’s most recent season with the Stars was limited to just one game after sustaining a season-ending injury in last year’s opening contest. His usage had looked like it would increase from the prior season, where Rowland only started two games – recording 21 receptions for 215 yards and one touchdown.
Rowland was a Deacon Jones Trophy recipient (most outstanding HBCU player) in 2019 while at Tennessee State. He also earned OVC Offensive Player of the Year during his final season of college eligibility.
DT T.J. Barnes
Less than two weeks ago, the Defenders added All-XFL edge rusher Trent Harris, defensive end Tim Ward, and defensive tackle Donovan Jeter via the Mini-Dispersal Draft. Yesterday, they selected former Arlington Renegades nose tackle T.J. Barnes, with their third-round pick to further fortify their defensive line.
Barnes was a key piece on the Renegades’ defense that helped upset the Defenders in the 2023 XFL Championship, recording 18 tackles, including five for a loss and two sacks during the season. He has a staggering 6-7 358 lbs frame.
At 33 years old, Barnes brings a veteran presence to the Defenders’ defense. Since going undrafted in the 2013 draft, he has spent time with six different NFL teams, the AAF Atlanta Legends, the IFL Massachusetts Pirates, and the XFL.
OT Chidi Okeke
Chidi Okeke was one of the two offensive tackles selected by the Defenders yesterday. He joins a stacked D.C. offensive line, which allowed a league-least ten sacks and returns four of its five starters from last season. The Nigerian native has an exceptional mix of strength and athleticism with his big 6-6 315 lbs frame.
Okeke started six games for the San Antonio Brahmas in 2023. He allowed just one sack on Brahmas quarterback Jack Coan last season, along with 12 quarterback hurries and three hits. Before his time with San Antonio, Okeke played with the Pittsburgh Maulers, starting all ten games during their 2022 season.
Okeke started his collegiate career at LSU, where he spent two seasons contributing mainly on special teams, before transferring to Tennessee State for two more collegiate seasons. He earned first-team All-OVC honors for his performance during his senior season in 2018.
OT Adonis Boone
The Defenders followed up on taking Okeke by selecting another tackle, Adonis Boone. Boone was claimed as an undrafted free agent by the Defenders following the XFL Rookie Draft last year. His 6-5 307 lbs frame and 33.7-inch arms are pluses he brings to the Defenders from a physical standpoint.
Boone was a three-year starter at Louisville and has experience playing both the tackle and guard positions with the Cardinals, logging 1,076 career snaps at guard and 927 snaps at guard. He gave up just one sack over his last two seasons at Louisville.
RB Pooka Williams
With their sixth-round pick, the Defenders selected running back Pooka Williams. The past year has been a rollercoaster for Williams, both on and off the field.
The Defenders first drafted Williams in the seventh round during the November 2022 XFL Draft, and he was able to stick with them through training camp. However, he didn’t play much and was released a few weeks into the regular season. He landed on his feet with the St. Louis Battlehawks but was released again about two weeks later. He then re-signed with the Defenders late during the regular season and remained with them through the championship.
After going unprotected by the Defenders ahead of the player allocation process, he now technically rejoins them for a third stint.
During his collegiate days, Williams was a standout through three seasons at the University of Kansas, where he earned 2018 Big-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and two-time first-team All-Big 12 honors. He finished his collegiate career with 2,363 rushing yards, ranked ninth all-time in program history.
Following his junior season, Williams chose to forgo his final year of eligibility and entered the 2021 NFL Draft. However, he went undrafted, primarily due to his lack of size (5-9 175 lbs) and ongoing legal issues. Unfortunately, he has continued to have trouble with the law, as he was arrested just last month after a police chase.
While Williams didn’t see much offensive action in the XFL last season, most of his value comes as a speedy return specialist.
DB Nydair Rouse
Nydair Rouse played a platoon role in the Defenders’ secondary last season, recording eight tackles with them in three games. D.C. retained him with one of their late picks in yesterday’s draft.
It will be tough for Rouse to grow his role from one season ago, especially with newcomer cornerbacks like Adam Sparks and Elijah Blades in the mix. But his experience in Gregg Williams’ defense certainly helps him out.
WR C.J. Johnson
The Defenders initially selected wide receiver C.J. Johnson during the 2023 XFL Rookie Draft. At 6-1 224 lbs, Johnson brings size and physicality to the Defenders’ receiving corps and can be an option to replace Lucky Jackson or Chris Blair on the outside.
Johnson broke records at East Carolina, setting the program’s single-game receiving yardage record against Cincinnati in 2019 with 283 yards on 12 catches. He also tied both the ECU and AAC single-game records with four receiving touchdowns against South Florida in 2022. That same season, he earned second-team All-AAC honors, as he recorded an exceptional 67 receptions for 1,016 yards and ten touchdowns.
DT Boogie Roberts
After initially signing with the Brahmas a few weeks ago, defensive tackle Boogie Roberts went unprotected and fell to the Defenders with their ninth-round pick. Roberts was a starter and fan favorite with the Pittsburgh Maulers over the past two seasons before they dissolved with the merger. He recorded 32 tackles and three sacks this past season with the Maulers on their way to a USFL Championship berth.
Roberts was with the Los Angeles Wildcats during the 2020 XFL, tallying eight tackles and one sack in five games. He joins a crowded interior defensive linemen group and will compete for a roster spot against newcomers Donovan Jeter, Dennis Johnson, and T.J. Barnes during training camp.
OL Anthony Hines
Anthony Hines was a key contributor for the Defenders as an outside linebacker last season and was surprisingly not protected before this whole process. Nonetheless, D.C. was able to retain him with the tenth pick in yesterday’s draft.
Out of Texas A&M, Hines recorded 33 tackles, including three for a loss and one sack with the Defenders last season. He made up the D.C. linebacking corps along with Francis Bernard and Reggie Northrup – both are returning for the 2024 season.
RB Tabyus Taylor
The Defenders claimed Tabyus Taylor’s rights earlier during the offseason, and he re-landed with the team via yesterday’s draft.
Originally committed to Virginia Tech, Taylor never enrolled due to disciplinary issues. He instead landed at Virginia Union in 2017, totaling 2,800 yards and 31 touchdowns on 509 carries through three seasons before transferring to Notre Dame College.
During his final collegiate year, Taylor notched an impressive 1,013 yards and 12 touchdowns on 104 attempts in just five games during a COVID-shortened season. After, he declared for the NFL Draft but has not received a professional opportunity until now.
During training camp, Taylor will compete against Cam’Ron Harris and Pooka Williams to be the spellback for Abram Smith.
The Defenders selected Enrique Yenny Romero with their last pick in yesterday’s draft. He joins the Defenders’ kicking mix alongside Matt McCrane and Paxton Brooks. While he’s yet to play American football in the U.S., he and his powerful leg have quite a rich history with the sport in Mexico.
Romero has drilled field goals as long as 60 yards and punted balls distances as deep as 94 yards (both the longest in LFA history). Among his accolades, he is a two-time LFA all-star (2019, 2022) and was the LFA scoring leader in 2022.
