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

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.

Arlington Renegades

Subtractions: OT George Moore (traded), LB Aaron Donkor (released), LB Willie Taylor (NFL), DT TJ Barnes (retired), RB Kenneth Farrow (retired), C Brian Folkerts (retired)

The Renegades fortified their linebacker room with three selections. Five of their LBs currently rostered are at least 28 years old, so Arlington clearly wants to get younger there. Of the trio taken at that position, keep an eye on Arizona State’s Merlin Robertson: From the traditional outside linebacker position, Robertson was active and didn’t miss tackles in the ASU games I scouted the last two years. The team also added another QB to a crowded group in New Haven’s Connor Degenhardt. Wide receiver depth was addressed with two picks, including Sy Barnett from Division II Davenport. Across the board, the Renegades did well to grab relatively highly-rated available players.

Most intriguing pick: In my one-round mock draft, I had Arlington taking a center to replace the retiring Brian Folkerts. They did take one, just not the one I had in mind. C James Jackson transferred from Mississippi State to South Alabama for his final two seasons and played well there, earning an invitation to the NFLPA Bowl after the season. With Folkerts expected to hang up his cleats, there’s a path for Jackson as a developmental rookie. He was the 14th ranked center in the 2023 NFL Draft according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, so to get him here is a steal.

Most likely to contribute in 2024: Another area the Renegades will need to shore up due to retirement is the interior of the defensive line. TJ Barnes went out a champion, but Arlington will miss his girth in the middle – they have just one player on their roster at D-Line over 300 pounds. Enter DT Ami Finau. At his pro day, he weighed 283 pounds – he’s listed on Maryland’s website at 320, so it appears he can carry more weight if the scheme calls for it. Finau was a three-year starter at Maryland and played at a high level against the best competition: His career-highs in tackles, tackles for loss, and sacks all came against top-10 ranked opponents.

Undrafted gem: He was also picked in the USFL draft, but LB Noah Taylor was the #1 pick in my Rookie mock draft for a reason: His talent is undeniable and he would’ve been in the conversation as being a late-round NFL draft selection had he been healthy. Reports are that he won’t be ready to go until August, which may be too late for him to get an honest look in an NFL camp. This is where playing in the XFL could be just what the doctor ordered to get Taylor back on NFL radars in 2024.

Houston Roughnecks

Subtractions: OT Ryan Pope (released), DT Jack Heflin (NFL), DT CJ Brewer (NFL), K Austin Jones (released)

Six of Houston’s ten picks went to the defensive side of the ball, while three of the offensive players selected were to fortify the line. The Roughnecks made out well, drafting six players in the top 35 rankings at their position for this past April’s draft according to Brugler. Those would be in the draftable/priority free agent range most years. OT Quinton Barrow was a part of the East-West Shrine Game, the second-biggest post-season all-star game behind the Senior Bowl. Also notable is that Houston didn’t draft a kicker despite not having one currently on their roster. It’s hard to ignore Lindsey Scott, Jr.’s production but it’s also hard to see where he fits in on Houston’s QB depth chart. The Roughnecks mined several small schools for their picks.

Most intriguing pick: It has to be QB Lindsey Scott, Jr., one of only two quarterbacks taken in the XFL Rookie Draft. Houston’s QB room is full, but a closer look tells a different tale: Brandon Silvers was erratic as a starter and wilted down the stretch; Cole McDonald was brought in as more of a change-up and it remains to be seen whether the team trusts him to start and play every snap; Kaleb Eleby got some playing time in the final regular season game but is still an unknown commodity. If the Roughnecks really want to shake up this position in 2024, Scott could be a part of that.

Most likely to contribute in 2024: Based on the positions of need, DT Jayson Ademilola could sneak onto the roster. He was sought after enough to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars after the draft, though he was cut after rookie minicamp. He played a lot as a stand-up rusher in a two-point stance for the Fighting Irish, making a kick inside something to which he’ll need to adjust. Houston could decide to play him on the end as well; that versatility will serve him well and make him a multiple-down player.

Undrafted gem: WR Braydon Johnson was another player I had in my Rookie Mock Draft who ended up as an undrafted free agent here. Houston didn’t draft a wide receiver so Johnson will have an opportunity if he makes it to XFL camp next year. Like Silvers, the team’s Air Raid offense was hit or miss, making it possible the Roughnecks will want to make some changed at the WR position. An infusion of speed may be just what this offense needs.

Orlando Guardians

Subtractions: TE Jordan Thomas (NFL), WR Charleston Rambo (NFL)

Orlando wisely sought reinforcements for its weak offensive line play in 2023, drafting three players and bringing in another two as free agents. Each of the three draft picks along the line have a real shot at making the team, pending any other future draftees or signings. Hampton and Hill will help Orlando get more stout up the middle of their defense where they struggled at times. On paper, the Guardians seemed to do much better in this draft than they did in stocking their squad last November. There were still picks, like Kinsler, that were off the beaten path. Four of their 10 picks participated in the Hula Bowl. They’ve only officially lost two players this off-season so they didn’t have to patch spots beyond increasing the talent level at many positions.

Most intriguing pick: The eyes of three professional football leagues will be on OT Jarrett Horst. Horst was the first pick of the USFL Draft in February, a Michigan State product drafted by the Michigan Panthers. His USFL career was put on hold when he signed with the Miami Dolphins after the NFL Draft. He was released following rookie minicamp and chose not to enter the USFL at the time. Horst will probably continue trying to get back into the NFL this summer; if he’s still a free agent once the regular season begins, then he may decide to go the secondary league route. While Horst was the #1 pick in the USFL, and the round of his selection in the XFL Draft was not made public, there’s no financial benefit to being the #1 pick so that won’t be a factor.

Most likely to contribute in 2024: It could be any of the offensive linemen, but I’ll go with C LaQuinston Sharp. ZeVeyon Furcron started at center for much of the season before being moved to guard with Jalen Spady replacing him at the pivot. Neither played well enough to have their jobs guaranteed for 2024. Sharp’s ability to play center or guard gives him the chance to compete at multiple positions along the line during camp. Expect Orlando to keep bringing in bodies in an attempt to improve the depth here, so Sharp may have to also compete with players not yet on the roster.

Undrafted gem: Orlando had an unusual philosophy when it came to undrafted free agents. None of the seven signed were full-time starters in college. It’s hard to imagine this wasn’t done purposefully, for whatever reason. Nevertheless, while kick returns continue to be de-emphasized in the NFL, their importance remains in the XFL. Teams will be looking for coverage players to prevent the big play, and LB Bo Bauer can do just that. The fact that he’s added long snapping to his repertoire gives him a better chance to stick. The Guardians cycled through three long snappers from the time camp began last year to the end of the season, and two of them were multi-positional players like Bauer. He could end up a core special teamer, which appears to be the ceiling for the majority of the undrafted signings.

San Antonio Brahmas

Subtractions: LS Rex Sunahara (NFL), K Parker Romo (NFL), DT Kobe Smith (NFL), TE Alize Mack (NFL), RB Jacques Patrick (NFL), CB Luq Barcoo (NFL), CB Divine Buckrham (released), WR Emmanuel Butler (released)

The Brahmas took a few more risks than other teams during the course of the draft. One player was not ranked by Brugler’s draft guide and another was not invited to NFL minicamps (at least to those that made their rosters available). While the team picked up a few extra tight ends with Alize Mack in the NFL, they didn’t fill the hole left behind by DT Kobe Smith nor either of the specialists who moved on. There should be plenty of other opportunities for San Antonio to add players at those positions, though. Somewhat surprisingly, only two offensive linemen were taken by a team that struggled at that position throughout the season. The Brahmas continued to stack size at WR with Carriere. Santana is the outlier at under 6’0″.

Most intriguing pick: The Brahmas ran back the only kick return for touchdown in the XFL in 2023 courtesy of WR Fred Brown. Yet, they could be upgrading with RB Chris Smith. Smith ran a 4.49 40-yard dash at his pro day and is an accomplished kick returner, having brought two back for touchdowns. As a back, Smith averaged over 5.0 yards per carry in all four of his seasons at Louisiana, while also catching double-digit passes out of the backfield in three of those years. Jacques Patrick will continue to look for NFL work this summer while Kalen Ballage recovers from a mid-season torn Achilles. They were San Antonio’s top two RBs last year. Smith’s all-around play makes him an interesting chess piece for whomever will be coordinating the Brahmas’ offense in 2024.

Most likely to contribute in 2024: By a sizable margin, TE Jahleel Billingsley was the best player drafted by the Brahmas, and at a position of need. Those factors combined to make Billingsley a slam-dunk in this category…if he’s got his head on straight. Billingsley sat out the first six games of the season for Texas in 2022 due to an NCAA suspension after transferring from Alabama. Then, he left the program prior to the end of the season (“he wore out his welcome” one scout told Brugler). For NFL scouts eyeing XFL talent, Billingsley’s ability to get through the 2024 season without incident could be just as important, if not more so, than the stats he piles up in terms of him getting an NFL opportunity next year. Alize Mack was a big part of San Antonio’s passing offense and Billingsley could shine stepping into that role.

Undrafted gem: With one of the most roster openings of any team in the XFL, San Antonio tied Vegas for the fewest undrafted free agent signings. That leaves few options for this spot. The more I dug into LB Nazier Wright, the more I was interested in him. It’s a big jump from Division III to even the XFL, and one must dominate the competition there to get noticed, and Wright did just that in his final year. His size brings with it positional versatility. His best hope may be to become a special teams maven for the Brahmas in year one, which even then would make him a home run pickup as a Rookie Draft UDFA.