Ahead of the XFL’s draft, there is much anticipation for the growing player pool. The XFL draft pool currently holds around 1,700 names, however, only about 450 will be drafted to the eight teams in the league.
After a Quarterback Selection Show, on Tuesday, Wednesday is the true day one of the XFL Draft featuring offensive skill players, defensive backs, linemen both offensive and defensive, and of course linebackers.
Even though the league is yet to have its first snap in nearly three years, there are a number of high-profile skill players speculated to be taken in the upcoming XFL Draft. They include former NFL players, USFL, AAF, and 2020 XFL players, along with few international guys as well.
Let’s take a look at the top 10 skill players who could have their name called during the XFL draft:
10: Reece Horn – WR
Horn is a veteran of alternative football playing in the AAF, the 2020 XFL, The Spring League and the CFL. He extended his career by playing in Europe for the Milano Seamen of Italy, the Vienna Vikings of Austria, and even spent this summer playing in the European League of Football for the Frankfurt Galaxy. The 6 ‘2″ receiver also has had short stints in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, and the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021.
1. Dime from Aaron Murray to Reece Horn pic.twitter.com/PsHJEbW40Z
— Arif Hasan, but NFL 🏈 (@ArifHasanNFL) February 9, 2020
9. Andrew Jamiel – WR
A 5 ’10 receiver from an NCAA D2 school, in this case Stonehill College, might not turn the heads of NFL scouts (besides the New England Patriots). Jamiel, however, exploded last season in the niche Fan–Controlled– Football League (FCF) making several viral catches. The All-American WR and return man could be Swiss army knife for a XFL team if used correctly.
OMG 😳 insane catch from Andrew Jamiel #fcf @AndrewJamiel pic.twitter.com/k4wApFILc3
— Alex Malchow (@MalchowAlex) April 16, 2022
The 6’4 receiver has been spending the last two seasons playing the European League of Football for the Berlin Thunder and Leipzig Kings. Last season, he put up 61 catches for 1,008 yards and 13 touchdowns for Leipzig.
After going undrafted in the 2014 NFL Draft, Jones signed with the New Orleans Saints and was elevated to the active roster late in the season. He had stints with the Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs and Indianapolis Colts in the NFL before being signed by the Atlanta Legends in the Alliance of American Football where he played until the league folded in April of 2019. In 2020, he signed with the XFL’s Tampa Bay Vipers before the league suspended operations in April 2020. He spent part of 2022 with the CFL’s Ottawa REDBLACKS.
🎬🎬🎬 pic.twitter.com/3o58aNOMX0
— Seantavius Jones (@Stretch_did_dat) September 15, 2022
7. LaDarius Galloway – RB
Galloway is a former star at the FCS level playing for UT Martin. More recently the speedy back played in the Fan-Controlled-Football League making big plays in the indoor game. Back in his college days the 5’9″ Mississippi native ran for 1,399 yards and had over 500 receiving yards. Galloway signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL back in 2019.
LaDarius Galloway (@_Galloway7)
Running BackClips in Order:
@fcflio Combine 2020@calstampeders 2019 Preseason@UTM_FOOTBALL 2017-2018@CoLinFootball 2015-2016 pic.twitter.com/DNEExS2YkL— The Alternate Football Scout (@altfbscout) December 27, 2020
6.Trey Quinn – WR
Back in 2019, Quinn was a dynamic slot receiver for the Washington Redskins blossoming in his second year in the NFL. That season, the 7th round draft pick out of SMU made 26 catches for 198 yards and one touchdown making several clutch plays for a Dwayne Haskins led Washington team. Now, just three years later, Quinn is out of the NFL after a short stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hopefully, the once promising ‘Mr Irrelevant’ (last pick in the draft) will use the XFL as another chance to get his career back on track.
Trey Quinn: Not Irrelevant
(via @NFLonFOX)pic.twitter.com/dMra0d9oW5
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) November 22, 2018
5. Terrance Williams – WR
The former Dallas Cowboys receiver is the most accomplished skill player in the XFL draft pool with 3,377 yards and 20 touchdowns in his NFL career. However, he is 33 years old. Another positive for the veteran is that he recently played in the Fan-Controlled-Football League where he used his savvy route running, good hands, and 6’2 frame to dominate. Who knows? Maybe his old teammate Tony Romo will announce some of his games.
2014: Cowboys vs. Seahawks. Third and 20. Tony Romo to Terrance Williamspic.twitter.com/rostgv7pSH
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) February 18, 2019
4. Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi – WR
The wild story of Sheehy-Guiseppi is set to continue in the NFL. The speedy WR and return man went viral in 2019 as he snuck into a tryout with the Cleveland Browns, eventually earning himself a training camp spot after fooling the Browns GM into letting him into a private workout. By signing that contract, Sheehy-Guiseppi went from sleeping in his car to playing in the NFL. Although the underdog return man shone in the NFL-preseason, he did not make the team. The former Juco All-American recently played in the Fan–Controlled–Football League, CFL, and Major League Football.
In April, Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi was sleeping outside. He tricked the Browns into a workout and got a shot at training camp.
Tonight, he ran a punt back for a TD. pic.twitter.com/oGbdCX5Y9P
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 9, 2019
3. De’veon Smith – RB
De’Veon Smith rounds out the list of former AAF backs who have a great shot at being legitimate contributors in the XFL. After a solid college career at the University of Michigan, Smith was signed by the Miami Dolphins and later joined the AAF. There, he was a starting running back. He then played in the Canadian Football League before joining the USFL this spring.
Smith was however released from the USFL’s Pittsburgh Maulers after an alleged ‘pizza gate’ where he asked for pizza instead of the chicken salad he was being served at the team hotel.
Thought it had to be a bad joke, but De'Veon Smith really was fired by the Pittsburgh Maulers USFL football team for wanting pizza instead of chicken salad, then they posted video of his sacking in a documentary: Real PR geniuses.https://t.co/l0ckIRp2BNpic.twitter.com/uBAjbTYaf4
— MR Humble ✨❄️☕️ (@Todd_Scheve) April 19, 2022
2. Jhurrell Pressley – RB
Jhurell Pressley is another intriguing prospect for XFL play. Pressley was seen in the Alliance of American Football (AAF) before it stopped play, and he was a top running back in the league for the Arizona Hotshots. Having played for five NFL teams, Pressley is experienced and consistent. He averaged over four yards per carry in the AAF and was most recently drafted for the 2020 XFL’s DC Defenders before it stopped play. Currently, the New Mexico product is playing in the Japanese X-League of the IBM Big Blue.
Lessons learned for the next big play!#OneBLUE #IBMBIGBLUE #AlmostReturnTD #海浜幕張 #アメフト #Xリーグ #Xleague
【X1 SUPER week1 MVP】SPECIAL TEAM OF THE WEEK Jhurell Pressley (IBM BIG B… https://t.co/XhvJiRL9Zc @YouTubeより— BIG BLUE FOOTBALL (@bigbluefb_) September 16, 2022
1.De’Mornay Pierson-El – WR
The former Nebraska star is one of the 2020 XFL’s highlights as he starred as a WR and return man for the St. Louis Battle Hawks. Following his short-lived stardom in the 2020 XFL, Pierson-El went on to be one of several players signed by the NFL joining the Las Vegas Raiders. The 26-year-old offensive weapon has had stops with the Washington Redskins, and most recently the Denver Broncos.
Back at Nebraska, he scored 61 career touchdowns scoring as a rusher, receiver, and return man.
Jordan Ta'amu leads a 96-yard eight-point touchdown drive, where he racked up 101 yards, finishing with a score to De'Mornay Pierson-El and PAT to Marcus Lucas pic.twitter.com/PGxM7xN4cx
— Arif Hasan, but NFL 🏈 (@ArifHasanNFL) February 29, 2020
Read everything else you need to know about the XFL draft here, as these players will be looking to team up with the XFL’s quarterbacks and join the eight teams and head coaches announced. Look for these names to come up on Wednesday’s draft.
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