XFL: Top XFL Quarterbacks and their teams

| American Football | 10/31/2022

The XFL is back! Looking to kick off again this spring, league owners Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson and Danny Garcia will be playing with eight teams to be announced soon.

Leading those eight franchises will be these quarterbacks originally reported by XFLnewsrooms Mike Mitchell. These players have reportedly been working out with the XFL’s head quarterback development Jordan Palmer. Palmer has trained several top quarterbacks in the league including superstars such Patrick Mahomes, Joe Borrow, Josh Allen, Deshaun Watson, Sam Darold, and several others.

Several of these passers have, according to Mitchell, already been assigned to their respective XFL teams. So, let’s take at the XFL’s next crop of quarterbacks

Brandon Silvers – Houston Roughnecks

A familiar name to spring football fans, Silvers has seen it all playing in the AAF, the 2020 XFL, the TSL, and even the Fan-Controlled football league. Originally a product of Troy University, Silvers has been playing solid football in the alternative pro football scene since 2019. The 28-year-old threw for over 10k yards at Troy and spent time with the New York Jets in 2019. Silvers threw the first XFL touchdown in 2020 and is looking to make history in the league once again.

Ryan Willis – St. Louis Battlehawks

Willis is coming off of a MVP season in the The Spring League where he was the league’s leading passer by a wide margin. The 25-year old  guided the Lineman to the Mega Bowl championship under air raid inventor Hal Mumme and offensive guru Stan Bedwell. The Virginia Tech product spent the second half of the NFL season as a member of the Chicago Bears practice squad and eventually active roster in 2021. However he was waived from the Bears this spring leading him to the XFL.

Jalan McClendon – Las Vegas Vipers

Vegas’s quarterback is a 6’5 220 -pound passer who has spent time at NC State and Baylor. However, the big bodied quarterback only threw for 977 yards four touchdowns and seven interceptions in his collegiate career. Most of that production came as the quarterback for Baylor back in 2018. McClendon was in mini-camp with the Baltimore Ravens in 2019. since then he has been working with Jordan Palmer at the HUB camps in California.

D’Eriq King –  DC Defenders

The 5’9 dual threat quarterback has been one of college football most dynamic weapons since 2018. The Texas high school football legend started his NCAA career at Houston putting up 4,925 yards and 50 touchdowns through the air while adding 1,421 yards on the ground.

King then transferred to Miami where he threw for 3,453 and 26 touchdowns and rushing for 634 yards and 6 scores in only 14 games. He spent this pas pre-season with the New England Patriots but failed to make the final roster. However, he might become a star for the XFL’s DC franchise.

Steven Montez – Seattle Sea Dragons

Montez was a four year starter for the Colorado Buffalos. Montez threw for 9710 yards 63 touchdowns and 33 interceptions during his time in Boulder. He spent 2020 training camp with the Washington Commanders. Montez is an impressive athlete with big time potential standing at 6’5 240 while possessing 4.6 speed.

Jawon Pass – San Antonio Brahmas

Pass began his collegiate career at Louisville making 11 starts for the Cardinals passing for 2,528 yards and 14 touchdowns while completing 55% of his throws. The former four star recruit had the tough task of following NFL superstar Lamar Jackson in Louisville. However, after missing the majority of the 2019 season with a foot injury pass transferred. 

Spent 2021 a Praire View A&M throwing for 2,672 yards and 16 touchdowns to go along with adding 271 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

Deondre Francois – Orlando Guardians

The former highly recruited Florida State quarterback transferred out of the powerhouse after league trouble in Tallahassee. Afterward, the talented former Seminole went on to play for Hampton University and then the Fan-controlled Football League. Fancois is a mobile quarterback who has time and time again flashed big play potential in his career.

Bryan Scott – Unassigned

Scott recently played for Philadelphia Stars and head coach Bart Andrus in USFL and The Spring League last summer and the year prior. Scott was at times the USFL’s most efficient passer before injuries derailed his season. In limited action he threw for 558 yards and five touchdowns, completing 71% of his passes.

The 27-year-old threw for 9,073 yards and 77 touchdowns at the D3 level during his college days. Scott was been a mainstay in TSL playing there for the 2018, 2020, and 2021 seasons. His status as a USFL quarterback leaves him in a sticky situation contract wise, leaving his XFL destination a mystery for now.

Drew Plitt – Arlington Renegades

The 6’2 Ball State product is a true rookie coming off a solid career in the MAC where he threw for 9,061, 68 touchdowns, and 30 interceptions in four seasons as a starter. Plitt completed in the preseason for the Cincinnati Bengals and completed all six of his pass attempts for 76 yards and one touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals. 

Carson Strong– Unassigned

Strong is coming off a phenomenal career at Nevada where he thrilled in coach Matt Mumme’s air raid offense. The 6’4 passer threw for 9,368 yards and 74 touchdowns in a record setting NCAA career. However, lingering knee issues scared off several NFL teams as Strong went from a potential first round pick to undrafted. The prolific Nevada Wolfpack passer signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in May but did not make the final roster.

Cole Mcdonald– Unassigned

The former Hawaii quarterback threw for 8,032 yards and 70 touchdowns on the island, breaking several conference passing records in the process. Mcdonald was drafted by the Tennesse Titans in the 7th round of the 2020 NFL Draft after an impressive combine and a 4.68 40-yard dash. The 6’4 220 passer spent time with the Arizona Cardinals in 2021 before playing for the Toronto Argonaughts of the CFL in 2021. Up north, Mcdonald has 45 career yards passing and 1 interception in limited play.

Khalil Tate – Unassigned

The 23-year-old played four seasons with the Arizona Wildcats, posting 6,318 passing yards with 58% completion, 2,285 rushing yards and 75 total touchdowns to 31 interceptions.

Tate burst on the scene in 2017 when starter Brandon Dawkins was injured in a game against Colorado, Tate came in and set an FBS quarterback record of 327 rushing yards.

Tate was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020 with the intent of turning him into a wide receiver. He last was a part of the Edmonton Elks and Toronto Argonauts in the CFL but did not appear in a game.

Anthony Russo – Unassigned

Russo complete 60% of his passes for 6,330 yards, 44 touchdowns and 32 interceptions in his career  for the Temple Owls. . . . He finished his career at Temple among the school’s all-time leaders in passing yards (third with 6,292 yards), passing touchdowns (third with 44), passing completions (third with 536) and passing attempts (fourth with 899). He then spent his final season of NCAA football as a backup quarterback for Michigan State. At 6’4 240 Russo is a prototypal pro passer with big numbers from his days at Temple. 

Kaleb Eleby – Unassigned

A three year starter at Western Michigan, Eleby took strides as a passer each season throwing for 3,277 yards and 23 touchdowns his senior season. He finished his career throwing for 45 touchdown and only 11 interceptions while adding 13 more scores on the ground. 

Jarrett_Guarantano – Unassigned

Guarantano recently failed to make the Arizona Cardinals final roster after a roller coaster NCAA career. A 2016 Under Armor high school All-American, Guarantano was a highly recruited prospect who ended up choosing the Tennesse Volunteers. After waiting his turn for two seasons, Guarantano took over the starting role in 2018 and 2019 throwing for 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He then started seven more games in Knoxville in 2020 during the covid-shortened season. Next season, he moved on to Washington State where he only played in two games, leaving pro scouts with a mixed bag of tape for his NCAA career.

 Davis Cheek – Unassigned

The 6’3, 217-pound passer put up big numbers at Elon throwing for 8,548 yards and 51 touchdowns for the Phoenix. He is a true rookie in the pro’s who was a 2021 Walter Payton award finalist his senior year (D1 FCS Heisman).

Of course, this list isn’t final as other quarterbacks could come into play with USFL, AAF, and XFL quarterbacks of past such as Luis Perez and others could find themselves in the XFL this spring.

Other prime candidates for the league are Chad Kelly, Paxton Lynch, Kellen Mond, JT Barrett, Cardale Jones, and Kelly Bryant, as well as possible gunslingers out of the NCAA’s transfer portal such as former five star recruit Tate Martell.

Other former NFL QBs may find themselves in the XFL could be Ryan Mallet, Jamie Newman, Chris Streveler, Jordan Ta’amu, Jake Fromm, Luke Falk, Ben Dinucci, or even  longshots in European League of Football quarterbacks like Jackson Erdmann or Justice Hansen. Many possible quarterbacks such as those above are still searching or in the midst of deals in the NFL, CFL, and USFL.

Alex is a former NCAA and semi-pro American football player who is now located in London, where he works in digital marketing. His goal in writing for AFI is to stay involved with the game that has given him so much. Alex enjoys covering leagues and