Team-by-team breakdown and analysis of XFL Rookie Draft picks and undrafted free agents – XFL North

The XFL’s Rookie Draft is complete and teams were able to add several players to their off-season roster. The XFL also announced each team’s undrafted free agent signings as well. Below you will find a chart with information on all of the players added during this process, including any post-season all-star games they attended; their positional ranking in Dane Brugler of The Athletic’s draft guide; and if they were signed as a free agent or attended an NFL rookie minicamp as a tryout player. You’ll also find my analysis of the picks and free agent additions, along with the losses each team has incurred so far this off-season. This edition will feature teams in the XFL North division.

My XFL South draft article can be found here.

DC Defenders

Subtractions: WR Chris Blair (NFL), WR Brandon Smith (NFL), WR Lucky Jackson (NFL), P Daniel Whelan (NFL), LB Ferrod Gardner (NFL)

Whether or not it was their intention, DC nabbed replacements for all of the players they’ve lost to the NFL so far: They chose three receivers to make up for the three that were promoted; they selected a punter to replace Whelan; and LB/S Kaleb Oliver, at 6’1″ and 219 pounds, is in the mold of Gardner, a LB/S hybrid who goes 6’1″ and 215. Director of Player Personnel Von Hutchins, who had a successful draft last November to put DC in a position to play in the championship game, seemed to nearly ace this one as well. He chose the only two players taken that participated in the NFL Combine. DC drafted three players initially signed after the NFL Draft as undrafted free-agents. And four players were selected who took part in multiple rookie minicamps as tryout players, indicating a demand for those players at the NFL level. He took a little risk, too, taking two players drafted into the USFL (Jensen, Shropshire).

Most intriguing pick: Signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent, WR CJ Johnson was released earlier this month. He broke out in a big way for East Carolina in 2022, netting over 1,000 receiving yards and leading the team in touchdowns. He started for four years there and per Brugler, projects as a slot receiver at the next level. There are opportunities at the position for the Defenders if one or more of their NFL signees stick. Johnson could be in demand this summer during training camps as NFL teams turn over the bottom of their rosters and they look for injury replacements. It’s fair to wonder whether he’ll even make it to XFL training camp in January or if an NFL squad will keep him around.

Most likely to contribute in 2024: When NFL teams want to save money against the salary cap, they often look to special teams to trim their cap hits. Daniel Whelan is competing against 32-year old Pat O’Donnell for the punter spot in Green Bay, and the younger Whelan could very well win the job. If that happens, it opens up P Paxton Brooks to have a clear shot at replacing Whelan in DC. Brooks was another NFL Combine invitee drafted by the Defenders, and he attended minicamp with the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans. Reggie Barlow’s team could always add another player at the position to create competition for training camp, but Brooks has the pedigree to start and be productive. He also kicks off, an added benefit of his selection.

Undrafted gem: DC loaded up on interior offensive linemen, taking three of them combined in the draft and undrafted free agency. One of those undrafted, G Adonis Boone, could prove to be the best choice. Unlike most XFL teams in 2023, DC’s offensive line was a strength. Yet, it hasn’t translated to their linemen getting NFL opportunities. That could change over the summer and if it does, the Defenders will need an influx of bodies. Boone’s versatility (he played almost the same amount of snaps at guard and tackle during his career) is something that teams are valuing more and more. If he keeps his penalties down, Boone can be a factor at least in training camp.

Seattle Sea Dragons

Subtractions: LB Tuzar Skipper (traded), OT Colin Kelly (CFL), OT Barry Wesley (NFL), S Bryce Thompson (NFL), DE Niko Lalos (NFL), DT Antwuan Jackson (NFL), DE Austin Faoliu (NFL), QB Ben DiNucci (NFL)

Seattle has faced a lot of attrition when it comes to players signing onto NFL teams. While not all of them have an equal chance at sticking, one imagines Ben DiNucci has a better-than-even chance of making it in Denver. Notably, Seattle opted not to take a QB here, instead signing N’Kosi Perry in undrafted free agency. That gives the team three relatively young QBs in Perry, Steven Montez and Harrison Frost. Director of Player Personnel Randy Mueller could pick up a fourth, more veteran hand in one of the later drafts. OT George Moore was brought over from Arlington in a draft-day trade to make up for two losses to the NFL at that position. The Sea Dragons took a couple of projects at that spot in the draft. Mueller, himself from Idaho, drafted several players that went to college in the Pacific Northwest and the surrounding area. The priority seemed to be help in the trenches, with two offensive linemen taken and five players along the defensive front seven.

Most intriguing pick: There aren’t many Sea Dragon picks that would fit into what I would consider “intriguing” territory; one that does is RB Chad Townsend. Townsend is your prototypical June Jones running back whose ability to catch the ball is probably more important than his ability to run it. While at Texas Tech, Townsend was a jack-of-all-trades, playing RB, WR, and returning and covering kicks on special teams. Seattle finished near the bottom of the league in kick return average, so there may be an opening there for Townsend. In addition, Townsend ran a 4.45 40-yard dash and led all participants in the vertical jump and broad jump at Texas Tech’s pro day. If he can get past the injuries that have plagued him the last few years, this Alabama transfer could be a weapon on the field for Seattle.

Most likely to contribute in 2024: Seattle struggled with injuries at the linebacker position as the season wore on, and Head Coach Jim Haslett expressed displeasure after the Orlando game with how some of the backups had played there. It’s all the more interesting, then, that the team traded away Tuzar Skipper on the day of the draft. They may have selected someone who can step in and contribute right away in LB Payton Wilgar. He’s been limited the last two years due to injury, but his toughness, versatility, and aggressiveness will be welcome in Ron Zook’s defense.

Undrafted gem: There are a few UDFAs that could fit this bill as Seattle did a nice job in this phase. For some NFL draft observers, speed was a concern for S Morgan Vest coming out. Then he ran a 4.43 40 at his pro day. Vest checks a lot of boxes: He has size (6’0″, 190 lbs), college production (two straight years of 100+ tackles), he can play the run (nine tackles for loss the last two years) as well as the pass (21 pass break-ups the last two years). The question is going to be the jump in competition from an FCS school, and whether or not he’ll be able to excel at special teams enough to earn a longer look in the secondary. I’m not betting against it.

St. Louis Battlehawks

Subtractions: WR Darrius Shepherd (NFL), WR Marcell Ateman (NFL), DT LaCale London (NFL), OT Jarryd Jones-Smith (NFL), WR Gary Jennings (NFL), S Lukas Denis (NFL), WR Hakeem Butler (NFL)

St. Louis has lost a staggering four receivers to the NFL already and they made two draft picks to replace them, though neither seem ready to contribute immediately. In fact, their undrafted pick-up at the position, Jaylen Hall, was ranked higher by Dane Brugler than his drafted counterparts. The Battlehawks chose several defensive players who seem to have positional flexibility as end/outside linebacker or safety/linebacker. In some ways that’s a positive for defensive coordinator Donnie Abraham’s ability to give teams multiple looks on defense. However, it could also be a negative in that the player ends up not fitting at either position. It’s a gamble, for sure. St. Louis chose three players initially signed as undrafted free agents and four others invited to multiple rookie minicamps. That said, there isn’t a lot to get excited about in this group in terms of players that can help right away.

Most intriguing pick: There are a couple of small-school players who put up big-time stats that could be eligible for this category. But I’ll go with RB Kevon Latulas, whose eye-popping rushing numbers are hard to ignore. Latulas signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL in May, only to be released before the season began. He wasn’t even a full-time starter at Missouri State, earning the nod in just 12 of 22 games the past two seasons. He’s making a big leap to the professional ranks from the FCS level and he’s doing so with a team that has a crowded backfield already. His pass-catching ability (39 receptions in three seasons) will be a plus for an offense that uses the backs in the pass game.

Most likely to contribute in 2024: This coincides with what was probably the team’s best pick, C Jacob Gall. Mike Panasiuk made a terrific transition from defensive line to center, grabbing the starting role in training camp last year and never looking back. However, St. Louis could look to upgrade the guard positions next to him and that’s where Gall enters the picture. He spent the last two years of his career playing center at Baylor but prior to that, he started at both left and right guard for the University of Buffalo, even grading out as PFF’s top left guard in all of Division I in 2020. Gall is another player selected with positional versatility that could at least help him nab a backup interior role in 2024.

Undrafted gem: The XFL has made a concerted effort to get eyes on HBCU players, including holding a showcase event both last year and this year exclusively for these players. The HBCU Combine and HBCU Legacy Bowl all-star game are ways in which the broader football community has attempted to present these players in front of scouts from all leagues. DE Justin Ragin out of Jackson State played in that all-star game in 2023. Ragin created havoc behind the line of scrimmage in his time at JSU. In his first year in 2010, he made 25 tackles on the season but more than half of them (13.5) were tackles for loss. He played just six games each of the next two seasons before breaking out in a big way in 2022 with 16 tackles for loss and 10 sacks to go along with three forced fumbles and a blocked kick. Ragin is raw and with no practice squads to develop players in the XFL, it may be tough for him to stick initially. But someone, at some point, could be getting a major disruptive force on the defensive side of the ball.

Vegas Vipers

Subtractions: TE Brandon Dillon (NFL)

Vegas had few holes to fill as they have just one player who has signed with an NFL team to this point – and they didn’t draft anyone at the TE position to replace Brandon Dillon. That doesn’t mean they don’t have places on the roster to upgrade, however. The difficulty is in the lack of a coaching staff – Head Coach Rod Woodson lasted just one season and it’s unlikely his assistants return. That put a lot of pressure on the shoulders of Director of Player Personnel Joey Clinkscales, who couldn’t rely on the team’s coaches to help him vet players and build a draft board. Not only that, but he wasn’t drafting players to fit a specific scheme, which can be troublesome if the players don’t fit what the new staff wants to run on offense and defense. Once again, Vegas finds itself behind the eight-ball, only in a different way than last year.

Most intriguing pick: Vegas didn’t exactly blow me away with their draft. What they did do smartly was stock up on offensive linemen, picking four out of their 10 selections and then adding another in undrafted free agency. Of those linemen, G Nick Amoah stands out to me. The UC-Davis alum is coming from the FCS level to the pros, which is always challenging. The Chicago Bears thought highly enough of him to sign him as an UDFA, though he was later released. At 6’2″, Amoah doesn’t have the requisite height for offensive tackle so he’ll likely have to learn to play guard, and that can be a steep curve. He’ll be mentally up to the task: Amoah majored in Aerospace Science & Engineering in college. Of the offensive linemen taken by the Vipers, he was the only player that projects to the interior, giving him a clearer path to compete for playing time.

Most likely to contribute in 2024: Vegas ran a 3-4 defense last year under coordinator Cris Dishman. They have the personnel to run it again in 2024 with a new staff. That means they’ll need numbers at the LB position to fill out a depth chart and contribute on special teams. Enter LB Dwayne Boyles. In a draft where Vegas took a lot of inexperienced players or those who did not start full-time, Boyles played in 54 games with 43 starts during his college career. In his true freshman season, Boyles even earned two starts in 10 games played at South Florida. His stats show continued improvement each year. His Relative Athletic Score was a 7.33 out of 10, showing consistency across each category. Vegas has some veterans at LB who could be in the NFL or out of the league next year, making depth a priority at that position. Boyles could step in and provide just that.

Undrafted gem: “Gem” might be the perfect word to describe OT Alfred Edwards, someone I had projected to go in the first round of my Rookie Mock Draft – to Vegas, by the way. I wrote extensively in that article why I think this would be a good fit for both player and team. I can’t seem to figure out how Edwards even slipped out of the draft. Were teams wary of him being on NFL radars and potentially not available to them for XFL training camp? Have there been indications he may end up in the USFL, another league that drafted him? Are draft observers like me simply higher on him than the football scouting community? Whatever the reason, Edwards seems like the best player Vegas acquired during this process.