To answer your first question: Yes, I am an insane person.
To answer your second, which is probably, “why?”: Mock drafts are inevitably an exercise in futility. You’re more likely to look like a bumbling boob than a football genius when the actual picks are made. But for me they’re fun. It allows me to know a little bit more about the potential players and teams in researching matches. It’s full of strategy. And as the draft unfolds, it makes you want to pay attention a little more knowing you have some skin in the game – emphasis on “some.”
By now, we should all be familiar with the rules of this draft: Only players eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft are under consideration. They have to be players NOT under contract to any other professional football league. Players were not required to “opt-in” for this draft, meaning the pool of potential draft candidates is vast. There are no phases so all positions are free to be drafted at any time over the 10 rounds.
So without further ado, I present my one round XFL Rookie mock draft.
1. Orlando Guardians – ED Noah Taylor, North Carolina
The Player: Taylor began his career at Virginia before transferring to North Carolina for his graduate season. In eight games as a Tar Heel playing their “Jack” position (basically a 3-4 edge defender), Taylor finished with 3.5 sacks and six tackles for loss. His year was cut short in October due to a season-ending knee injury. He was seen as a potential day three NFL draft pick (rounds 4-7) prior to the injury. Taylor was invited to the NFL Combine in February where he did the bench press only. The fact that he hasn’t signed as an undrafted free agent likely means he’s not yet ready to hit the field – but he should be healthy by the time XFL training camp rolls around. A twist: Taylor was also a second-round draft pick in the USFL back in February. That means the team that drafted him, the New Orleans Breakers, hold his rights for that league. But as long as he has not signed a contract there, he should be eligible to get drafted by the XFL as well.
The Fit: Orlando could bank on Taylor being “out of sight, out of mind” for NFL teams even when he is healed and ready to go. Players returning from college injuries is an area in which XFL teams could exploit. The Guardians desperately need some playmakers on defense, especially those that can rush the passer. Taylor has the size and length to be a force off the edge for the Guardians. I scouted Taylor back in 2021 in a game against Illinois when he played for Virginia. From my notes: “Will rush off the edge, but can get swallowed up by big linemen…experience rushing and covering…two sacks vs. Illini.”
2. Vegas Vipers – OT Alfred Edwards, Utah State
The Player: Edwards took advantage of the extra year provided due to the COVID-19 pandemic to set the school record in games started (53) and bowl games started (four). He’s been a bedrock for the Aggies at left tackle since his redshirt freshman season and in 2022 was named First-Team All-Mountain West. Edwards attended rookie minicamps for the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos last month, but remains unsigned. Like Taylor, Edwards was drafted into the USFL – in the first round – but has not signed on with the league.
The Fit: The two players who saw the most starts at tackle for the Vipers last year finished among the three lowest-graded offensive players on the team per Pro Football Focus. Vegas needs to upgrade their offensive line to protect whomever will start at quarterback next season. Being able to get someone the caliber of Edwards, with his experience, would be huge heading into training camp next season. The recent coaching change in Vegas makes finding a style or scheme fit impossible for Director of Player Personnel Joey Clinkscales, who will be making these picks. More than any other team here, Vegas could end up going best player available and letting the chips fall where they may when the new coaching staff is put together.
3. San Antonio Brahmas – WR Braydon Johnson, Oklahoma State
The Player: Averaging nearly 18 yards per reception as a 10-game starter for the Cowboys in 2022, Johnson also blazed a 4.38 40-yard dash at his pro day. Career highs in receptions and receiving yards in his final season earned Johnson an invitation to play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl post-season all-star game. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Buffalo Bills a few weeks after the draft, but was released on June 1.
The Fit: San Antonio could go offensive line here; however, it was hard to pass up Johnson, who would add a needed deep threat to the Brahmas’ offense. Their receivers averaged a league-low yards per reception last season, in part due to poor offensive line play, but in part because San Antonio built its receiver room around size as the top priority. Johnson, at 5’11”, will give defenses a different look from what the Brahmas already have.
4. St. Louis Battlehawks – TE Daniel Barker, Michigan State
The Player: Staying in the Big Ten after transferring from Illinois to Sparty for his final season, Barker has the size and pass-catching ability to create mismatches on offense. Rated as the 23rd best TE in the 2023 NFL Draft class by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, Barker tried out with the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants at rookie minicamp after taking part in the East-West Shrine Game, one of the top postseason all-star games. My notes on Barker this year after watching him against Minnesota and Indiana: “Traditional TE…good hands, but drop vs. Indiana…struggles blocking speed rushers on end in run game…a downfield target.”
The Fit: St. Louis tight ends managed just 10 receptions in 2023. Several of their receivers will get NFL opportunities this year so instead of trying to restock there, they could look to make the TEs more active in the passing game. Barker (6’3″, 243 lbs) matches up size-wise with the other two players at the position currently on the roster in Jake Sutherland (6’4″, 241 lbs) and Jovani Haskins (6’4″, 252 lbs). Barker offers more receiving upside than either of them, however.
5. Seattle Sea Dragons – S Joe Foucha, LSU
The Player: LSU is known for historically strong defenses – the Tigers finished 17th out of 131 teams in Football Outsiders’ Defensive EFI Rating in 2022 – and Foucha was a big part of that this past season. An Arkansas transfer, Foucha started eight games, compiling five passes defensed and an interception. Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline referred to Foucha as an “underrated safety with an explosive style.” Measuring in small (5’9″) and slow (4.70 40) likely led to him still being available at this point. He did try out at rookie minicamp with both the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills. Among my scouting notes on Foucha from the last two years: “(w/Arkansas): Captain…good timing on hits with ball in air…active vs. run and pass…sure tackler…(w/LSU): one-handed INT vs. Ole Miss.”
The Fit: Unlike their fellow Lumen Field residents, the Seattle Seahawks, the Sea Dragons aren’t turned off by smaller defensive backs: None of their safeties are over six-feet tall, so it’s unlikely Seattle would remove Foucha from their board due to his size the way some teams might. Foucha’s smarts and toughness may allow him to overcome his physical shortcomings. Defense still matters at LSU, just as it does with defensive-minded head coach Jim Haslett and the Sea Dragons.
6. Houston Roughnecks – DT Jason Dumas, Southern University
The Player: Dumas is somewhat of a unicorn at the defensive line position. He’s just 5’9″ and weighs 281 pounds. There really isn’t a great comp for him given those numbers. He had a decent senior season at Southern with 2.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss. It was in the HBCU Legacy Bowl where he really stood out: Dumas had three sacks and was named Outstanding Defensive Player of the Game. It wasn’t just his impressive perfomance in the game that put him on scouts’ radar; rather, he performed at a high level all week according to the game announcers on TV.
The Fit: Because there’s no comp for Dumas, it’s hard to fit him into a defensive scheme at the pro level. Veteran defensive coaches like Roughnecks HC Wade Phillips and defensive line coach Bill Johnson would love to have a piece of clay like Dumas to mold. Phillips had another undersized defensive tackle that worked out okay for him when he was defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams – Aaron Donald. Dumas could play outside in Houston’s 3-4 alignment, perhaps moving inside on pass-rushing downs. Houston is without DE CJ Brewer, who was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so they’ll need depth at that position.
7. DC Defenders – G Loic Ngassam Nya, Wake Forest
The Player: Born in France and raised in Cameroon, Nya played 55 games with 38 starts across both guard positions in five seasons with the Demon Deacons. He was an All-ACC Honorable Mention for his final two years. Nya earned minicamp tryouts with both the New York Jets and Los Angeles Chargers.
The Fit: Nya played in an RPO-style offense at Wake Forest, a similar system to which the Defenders employ under offensive coordinator Fred Kaiss. It would be a smoother transition than most for Nya to step in and be effective. DC’s interior offensive line was a relative strength last year and though they haven’t lost any offensive guards to the NFL yet, there’s a good chance they might. This could be an example of the Defenders drafting from a position of strength.
8. Arlington Renegades – C Grant Gibson, North Carolina State
The Player: Like Taylor, Gibson hasn’t worked out for NFL teams in the aftermath of his collegiate career due to a late-season injury. At NC State’s March pro day, Gibson indicated he had four months of rehab remaining. Prior to getting hurt, Gibson played well enough to earn first-team All-ACC accolades and was the top graded center in the ACC by PFF. The college’s website also labeled Gibson a “team captain and leader of the team.” He played in 59 games for the Wolfpack during his tenure there. I scouted Gibson during two games this season, against Clemson and Virginia Tech: “Captain…quick to get ball out and engage with defender…gets his pads underneath his man when pass blocking…four-year starter…gave up sack vs. Clemson…two early snaps vs. Clemson.”
The Fit: By the end of the season, 33-year old Brian Folkerts had taken hold of the starting center position. Looking ahead, Arlington could move Cameron Hunt back to center or decide to keep him at guard. If they choose the latter, the Renegades could be looking for Folkerts’ eventual successor – and that eventuality could come as soon as 2024 as it sounds like Folkerts could be hanging up his cleats. Had he been healthy, Gibson likely would’ve been signed as an undrafted free agent (he was Brugler’s 22nd ranked center at The Athletic). He still might get signed by an NFL team when he’s healthy but that may not be until July or August. Showing his wares in a full season of the XFL might help him prove to NFL teams he’s healed up and ready to go for 2024.
Final Thoughts
It wasn’t my intention to pick eight different players at eight different positions; as well-prepped general managers would tell reporters, that’s just how the board happened to fall. I tried to marry need or potential need with picks, which could end up being folly. It’s hard to know what each team’s draft strategy will be – will they take need into account or just take the best player available to fill out their offseason roster? Will they put a premium on acquiring currently injured players, like Taylor and Gibson, who they feel may slip through the NFL cracks? This particular draft is uncharted territory for the teams and the league itself.
A couple of observations through my research: It will be interesting to see how many players drafted by the USFL a few months ago that remain unsigned will get drafted on Friday. XFL teams have not shied away from former USFL players in previous drafts. Will they want to work to convince a player to choose the XFL over the alternative, or will they try to avoid that situation altogether?
Also: Keep an eye on how many players drafted attended a post-season all-star game, like the Hula Bowl, HBCU Legacy Bowl, or NFLPA Bowl. I noted a few players in my mock draft who attended these games. It’s important because XFL scouts were present at all of these events. It appears they did not attend individual college pro days as they did in 2022. Will seeing these players live, and getting scouting reports from the league on them, nudge a team in the direction of selecting those players?
While there are thousands of players the XFL could draft on Friday, it was relatively easy to narrow down the field of those most likely to be drafted. Every NFL team but one – the Los Angeles Rams – held a rookie minicamp in May after the NFL Draft. Among those players participating were rookie draft picks and undrafted free agents, select first-year players under contract with that team, and both veteran and rookie tryout players. Many of the veteran tryouts were players who participated in the XFL in 2023.
Teams invited anywhere from just a few to upwards of 40 rookie tryout players to camp. Twenty-six teams made their rookie minicamp rosters public. I used that as a resource to narrow down my list of potential first-round picks; especially valuable were those tryout players who were invited to multiple minicamps, as there were two weekends teams could hold their camps and some players tried out for one team one weekend, and then for another team the next weekend.
Finally, it surprised me when I pared down my list of draftable players to about 50 or so (a pool I then used to mock the eight first-rounders) to see what positions showed up most often. Offensive line seems like a position of strength in this draft, along with the defensive front seven. I found cornerbacks and wide receivers to be pretty shallow. That could be because the number of players drafted by the NFL and signed as undrafted free agents are higher at those than any other position. With the offensive line, I discovered quite a few players available who have 40+ starts during their careers. This could be attributed to the extra COVID season afforded to all players who were active in 2020. That experience could be valuable to XFL DPPs in setting their boards.
