UFC Apex, Las Vegas, Nevada. The site of the XFL draft November 15-17, 2022. (Photo UFC.com)
With the XFL 2023 season less than 100 days away from their restart on February 18, 2023, the league is taking the necessary step to select players and assign them to the eight teams in the league. As announced on Thursday, XFL Draft Week will be held November 15-17 at the UFC APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, with XFL executives, head coaches and league football operations officials all in attendance.
The UFC facility was chosen for its drama value, according to Chairwoman and Owner Dany Garcia. “Holding our draft where so many dynamic sports stories have been written is the perfect backdrop for this important XFL milestone.”
On Tuesday November 15, at 11 am PT/2 pm ET the XFL will hold a live-streamed Quarterback Selection Show, hosted by ESPN’s Stormy Buonantony. During the show, XFL Head Coaches will officially announce their team’s quarterbacks.
On Wednesday, November 16, 8:30 am PT/11:30 am ET, the XFL will kick off day one of the draft with teams picking 11 players each from four different player groups:
Offensive Skill positions (WR, RB, TE, FB)
Defensive Backs (CB, Safety, Nickel)
Defensive Front Seven (ILB, Edge, DE, DT)
Offensive Line (LT, LG, C, RG, RT)
Finally on Thursday, November 17, 7:30 am PT/10:30 ET the draft will continue with two categories of player selection:
Specialists (Kicker, Punter, Long Snapper)
Open rounds for all available positions.
Fans will be able to follow Draft events with a live and interactive Draft Central board at XFL.com. XFL league and team social media platforms will also be posting behind-the-scenes coverage throughout the day, and updates will appear regularly on ESPN broadcasts throughout the two-day period.
The XFL will conduct a virtual lottery to randomly determine the order for the draft, with the order announced on November 14 at 9 am PT/ Noon ET on XFL.com.
How many players are in the XFL draft?
According to the XFL, league and team personnel have evaluated nearly 6,000 players at XFL showcases, NFL training camps, and tryouts. The top prospects from these evaluations have been invited to enter the XFL Draft pool of 1700 players, who are vying for 528 spots in training camp and 400 active player roster spots.
Based on this, we estimate each team will select 66 players in the draft. An important detail we can see in the numbers is the fact that just over two-thirds of the players in the draft pool will not hear their name called.
“Sometimes in life all you need is one shot to prove yourself and the XFL provides that chance,” Dwayne Johnson said. “These players have been working hard and beating the odds. We have seen their passion at the showcases, we have seen their commitment to the game, and now we – as owners, coaches and trainers – are in a position to take their game to the next level. I know we have some electrifying ballers in the player pool and I can’t wait to see them all on the field balling out come training camp in January.”
Dwayne, knows what it is like to be passed over in a draft, and to be released from a team roster. If anyone takes anything from Johnson’s career, and his remarks here, it should be that not getting picked for a draft does indicate an end to anything.
Will the XFL Draft Pool list of players be released?
We asked this question of the XFL and were told, “We will keep you posted. ”
Honestly, we don’t know what this means? I think it means there is a plan to release the list prior to the draft, but it is not ready yet.
The reason we asked this question, is it helps fans to take in the draft if they can see all who is in the pool. Secondly, and more importantly, it helps players who are not selected in the draft to have something to take away, as in the fact they were in the XFL draft pool. It could be another checkmark on their football player resume.
XFL Supplemental Draft
The XFL plans a supplemental draft in early 2023 for players currently under contract with another professional football league. As we have seen in the 2020 version of this league, the XFL is determined to scrape together the best players available to put on the field come February 18, 2023.
XFL Training Camps in January
As Dwayne Johnson alluded to, the XFL training camps will take place in January, meaning there will be no mini-camps in December. This was also confirmed at a recent session hosted by “Inside the League” where XFL Senior Vice-President of Player Personnel Doug Whaley remarked the training camps would take place in Arlington, Texas, with players arriving on January 8, 2023.
