XFL Draft Day One Recap Of Defensive Players

The first steps of the XFL comeback started yesterday with quarterback announcements. The second was the first day of the XFL draft. As we saw names that had played in the NFL, USFL, CFL, TSL, AAF, and all the other leagues as well as names we didn’t know. Let’s take a look at the XFL draft day one recap of defensive players, which started in round 12.

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The XFL Draft Day One Recap Of Offensive Players 

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XFL Draft Day One Recap Of Defensive Players – Defensive Backs

Round 12

12	1	Orlando Guardians	C.J. Holmes	Jackson St	Cornerback
12	2	San Antonio Brahmas	Luq Barcoo	San Diego St	Cornerback
12	3	St. Louis Battlehawks	Ben Deluca	UNC-Charlotte	Safety
12	4	D.C. Defenders	Parnell Motley	Oklahoma	Cornerback
12	5	Houston Roughnecks	Raleigh Texada	Baylor	Cornerback
12	6	Arlington Renegades	DeVante Bausby	Pittsburg St-KS	Cornerback
12	7	Seattle Sea Dragons	Chris Jones	Nebraska	Cornerback
12	8	Vegas Vipers	Keylon Kennedy	Garden City CC	Cornerback

Round 12 Breakdown

The draft day one recap of defensive players starts in the 12th round. The first defensive player off the board was C.J. Holmes out of Jackson State. Holmes didn’t have a ton of college stats but did spend some time with the Saints. The next defensive player was Luq Barcoo out of San Diego State. Barcoo has spent time with the Jaguars, Cardinals, 49ers, Chiefs, and Jets. The first safety off the board taken with the third pick in the 12th round was Ben Deluca out of UNC-Charlotte. Deluca played for the Chargers in 2021. The Defenders’ first defensive player was Parnell Motley out of Oklahoma. Motley has played for the Bucs, 49ers, Broncos, Lions, Browns, and the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders.

The Roughnecks took Raleigh Texada out of Baylor. Texada started 14 games for Baylor last year and was a tackling machine. The Renegades took DeVante Bausby out of Pittsburg State. Bausby has played in the NFL, AAF, and USFL. He excelled in the USFL. The Sea Dragons took their first cornerback in Chris Jones out of Nebraska. His last full year in college prior to injury Jones had three interceptions and 10 pass breakups. The last player picked in round 12 was Keylon Kennedy out of Garden City CC. Coming from such a small school Kennedy will have a lot to prove.

Winner: The Renegades win this round, selecting Bausby, a cornerback who just came off of having success in the USFL.

Round 13

13	9	Vegas Vipers	Jameson Houston	Baylor	Cornerback
13	10	Seattle Sea Dragons	Antoine Brooks	Maryland	Cornerback
13	11	Arlington Renegades	Josh Hawkins	East Carolina	Cornerback
13	12	Houston Roughnecks	Ajene Harris	USC	Cornerback
13	13	D.C. Defenders	DeJuan Neal	Shepherd	Cornerback
13	14	St. Louis Battlehawks	Channing Stribling	Michigan	Cornerback
13	15	San Antonio Brahmas	Kary Vincent Jr.	Louisiana State	Cornerback
13	16	Orlando Guardians	Javaris Davis	Auburn	Cornerback

Round 13 Breakdown

The XFL draft day one recap of defensive players continues in round thirteen, the second round for defensive backs. The Vipers selected Jameson Houston out of Baylor. Houston was rock solid in the USFL for the Michigan Panthers. The next player taken was Antoine Brooks out of Maryland. Brooks spent time with the Steelers and the Rams. The third defensive player of the 13th round was Josh Hawkins out of East Carolina. This is Hawkins’ second stint in the XFL and he also has plenty of time on NFL camps as well. The Roughnecks grabbed Ajene Harris out of USC. Harris has experience in spring leagues already after playing in the USFL.

The Defenders selected DeJuan Neal out of Shepherd. Neal made a name for himself playing in the USFL for the Generals. As the USFL trend continued, Channing Stribling out of Michigan was selected. Stribling was one of the best cornerbacks in the USFL when he played for the Stars. The Brahmas took Kary Vincent Jr. out of Louisiana State. Vincent Jr. was a seventh-round draft pick by the Broncos who was later traded to the Eagles for a sixth-rounder. The last player in round 13 was Javaris Davis out of Auburn. Davis has spent time with the Chiefs, Dolphins, and Bengals.

Winner: The winner of this round is easily the Battlehawks. Stribling was the best cornerback in the league and had some of the most swagger as well.

Round 14

14	17	Orlando Guardians	Dee Virgin	West Alabama	Cornerback
14	18	San Antonio Brahmas	Bubba Bolden	Miami-FL	Cornerback
14	19	St. Louis Battlehawks	Quenton Meeks	Stanford	Cornerback
14	20	D.C. Defenders	Anthoula Kelly	Fresno St	Cornerback
14	21	Houston Roughnecks	A.J. Hendy	Maryland	Cornerback
14	22	Arlington Renegades	Will Hill	Florida	Safety
14	23	Seattle Sea Dragons	Linden Stephens	Cincinatti	Cornerback
14	24	Vegas Vipers	Maurice Smith	Georgia	Safety

Round 14 Breakdown

The XFL draft day one recap of defensive players continues into round 14 with Dee Virgin out of West Alabama. Virgin has bounced around the NFL and now will get his start to make an impact each week. The Brahmas took Bubba Bolden out of Miami. Bolden finished his college career with eight pass deflections, two interceptions, and 135 tackles. The Battlehawks took Quenton Meeks with their selection. Meeks played for the Bandits in the USFL last year. The Defenders selected Anthoula Kelly out of Fresno State. Kelly returns to the XFL after playing in 2020. He’s also played for the CFL.

The Roughnecks took A.J. Hendy out of Maryland. Hendy is another player that’s been in NFL, XFL, and the CFL. The Renegades selected Will Hill out of Florida. Hill is no stranger to professional football having been in NFL, AFL, XFL, and CFL. The Sea Dragons drafted Linden Stephens out of Cincinnati. Stephens had limited stats but still garnered NFL interest and bounced around a lot of different teams. The last player taken in round 14 was Maurice Smith out of Georgia. Smith had two interceptions at Georgia and played for a couple different NFL teams.

Winner: The Battlehawks win their second round in a row after taking another player from the USFL that just came off a productive season in spring football.

Round 15

15	25	Vegas Vipers	Mister Harriel	Cal St.-Sacramento	Safety
15	26	Seattle Sea Dragons	Shabari Davis	Southeast Missouri St.	Cornerback
15	27	Arlington Renegades	Robert Nelson	Arizona State	Cornerback
15	28	Houston Roughnecks	Devin Hafford	Tarleton St	Cornerback
15	29	D.C. Defenders	Kentrell Brice	Louisiana Tech	Cornerback
15	30	St. Louis Battlehawks	Brandon Sebastian	Boston College	Cornerback
15	31	San Antonio Brahmas	Elijah Jones	Oregon State	Cornerback
15	32	Orlando Guardians	Mike Lee	Kansas	Cornerback

Round 15 Breakdown

The XFL draft day one recap of defensive players continues right along as the Vipers selected Mister Harriel out of Cal St.-Sacramento. The 6-1 safety has some experience in the CFL. The Sea Dragons then selected Shabari Davis out of Southeast Missouri State. After having eight interceptions in college, Davis spent some time at the Jaguars camp. The Renegades selected Robert Nelson out of Arizona State. At 32, Nelson is one of the oldest players to be drafted but has experience in the NFL, AAF, XFL, and CFL. The Roughnecks then selected Devin Hafford out of Tarleton State. Even from a small school, Hafford gained NFL interest and was on and off the Patriots.

The Defenders continued their XFL draft by taking Kentrell Brice out of Louisiana Tech. Brice already has XFL experience from 2020 but also has spent time playing NFL games with the Packers and spent time in the CFL as well. The Battlehawks selected Brandon Sebastian out of Boston College. Sebastian spent some time with the Chargers after having 28 pass deflections and eight interceptions in college. The Brahmas took Elijah Jones out of Oregon State. Jones had 12 pass deflections and two interceptions last year at Boston College. The last player in round 15 was Mike Lee out of Kansas. Lee played safety at Kansas and has bounced around some NFL camps.

Winner: The title of winner for this round goes to the Defenders. The Defenders get an experienced cornerback in Brice and he’s a bit younger than the other experienced back in this round, Robert Nelson.

Round 16

16	33	Orlando Guardians	Antwan Collier	Florida A&M	Cornerback
16	34	San Antonio Brahmas	Abrae Booker-Currin	Adams St	Safety
16	35	St. Louis Battlehawks	Evan Fields	Arizona State	Cornerback
16	36	D.C. Defenders	Joshua Allen	Miami-Oh	Cornerback
16	37	Houston Roughnecks	Alexander Myres	Houston	Cornerback
16	38	Arlington Renegades	Shakur Brown	Michigan St	Cornerback
16	39	Seattle Sea Dragons	Reggie Robinson	Tulsa	Cornerback
16	40	Vegas Vipers	Nijuel Hill	Delaware	Cornerback

Round 16 Breakdown

Round 16 of our XFL draft day one recap of defenders started with Antwan Collier out of Florida A&M. A former Legacy Bowl defensive player of the game, Collier has a lot of potential to develop into a solid starter. The Brahmas took Abrae Booker-Currin out of Adams State. Booker-Curin doesn’t have a ton of experience but gets the opportunity to prove himself at the next level. The Battlehawks drafted Evan Fields out of Arizona State. Fields has had some workouts with NFL teams and now gets a shot to earn a contributing position. The Defenders then took Joshua Allen out of Miami-Ohio. Allen is an experienced cornerback who has also returned punts.

The Roughnecks took Alexander Myres out of Houston. Myres has spent some time with the Steelers, Lions, 49ers, and Colts. The Renegades selected Shakur Brown out of Michigan State. Brown has a lot of potential but has battled injuries in college and the professional level. If healthy he should be a nice addition. The Sea Dragons took Reggie Robinson out of Tulsa. Nelson hasn’t had a lot of opportunities but gets his chance at the next level. The last player in the 16th round was Nijuel Hill out of Delaware. Hill was cut from the Commanders to make room for the previously discussed Channing Stribling.

Winner: In a round full of players who haven’t had a lot of opportunities yet, the Vipers win this one with their selection of Nijuel Hill.

Round 17

17	41	Vegas Vipers	Nick Pickett	Oregon	Safety
17	42	Seattle Sea Dragons	Kareem Orr	Tennessee-Chattanooga	Cornerback
17	43	Arlington Renegades	Cameron Lewis	LSU	Safety
17	44	Houston Roughnecks	Kevin Toliver	LSU	Cornerback
17	45	D.C. Defenders	Cortez Davis	Hawaii	Cornerback
17	46	St. Louis Battlehawks	Elijah Hamilton	Louisiana Tech	Cornerback
17	47	San Antonio Brahmas	Terrell Bonds	Tennessee State	Cornerback
17	48	Orlando Guardians	Maurice Smitherman	Mississippi State	Cornerback

Round 17 Breakdown

The XFL draft day recap of defensive players moves to the 17th round, almost halfway through the defensive backfield selections, and starts with Nick Pickett out of Oregon. Pickett is a 6-1 safety who spent some time with the Lions. Next, the Sea Dragons took Kareem Orr out of Tennessee-Chattanooga. Orr spent some time with the Titans and the Rams. The Renegades selected Cameron Lewis out of LSU. Lewis is a versatile player with experience at cornerback, safety, and nickelback. Two LSU players in a row were taken as Kevin Toliver was taken next by the Roughnecks. Toliver has played NFL games for the Chicago Bears and gets another professional opportunity in the XFL.

The XFL draft continued with Cortez Davis out of Hawaii. Davis has spent some time in NFL camps after he had 18 pass deflections his senior year. The Battlehawks selected Elijah Hamilton out of Louisiana Tech. Hamilton spent some time with the Dolphins. The Brahmas took Terrell Bonds out of Tennessee State. Bonds was an impactful player for the Pittsburgh Maulers in the USFL last year. The last player selected in the 17th round was Maurice Smitherman out of Mississippi State. Smitherman was a four-year contributor in college.

Winner: As the pattern has gone, teams that have grabbed USFL players who succeeded last year normally get the nod. However, this round is an exception as the Roughnecks get a promising player in Kevin Toliver who should still be in the NFL.

Round 18

18	49	Orlando Guardians	Marcus Murphy	Mississippi State	Cornerback
18	50	San Antonio Brahmas	Coney Durr	Minnesota	Cornerback
18	51	St. Louis Battlehawks	Jonathan Alexander	UNC-Charlotte	Safety
18	52	D.C. Defenders	Santos Ramirez	Arkansas	Safety
18	53	Houston Roughnecks	Jordan Mosley	Maryland	Cornerback
18	54	Arlington Renegades	Delonte Hood	Peru St	Cornerback
18	55	Seattle Sea Dragons	Qwynnterrio Cole	Louisville	Cornerback
18	56	Vegas Vipers	Antonio Phillips	Ball St	Cornerback

Round 18 Breakdown

With four rounds left of defensive backs, the XFL draft day one recap of defensive players moves to the 18th round. The first selection was Marcus Murphy out of Mississippi State. Murphy has bounced around the NFL and then the CFL. The next player taken was Coney Durr out of Minnesota. Durr is a speedy player who may slot into the nickelback position. The Battlehawks took Jonathan Alexander out of UNC-Charlotte. Alexander is a 6-2 safety with limited experience but lots of potential. The Defenders then took Santos Ramirez out of Arkansas. The safety spent some time with the Jets after college.

The Roughnecks continued their XFL draft with Jordan Mosley out of Maryland. Mosley spent some time with the New York Giants. The Renegades took Delonte Hood out of Peru State. Despite playing for such a small school in college, Hood garnered NFL interest and spent time with the Bengals. The Sea Dragons took Qwynnterrio Cole out of Louisville. Cole spent some time in the Raiders camp earlier this year. To close out round 18, the Vipers selected Antonio Phillips out of Ball State. Phillips has spent time in the NFL and CFL.

Winner: The Guardians win this round with their selection of Marcus Murphy who has some professional experience and could develop into a nice contributor.

Round 19

19	57	Vegas Vipers	Will Adams	Virginia St	Cornerback
19	58	Seattle Sea Dragons	Rojesterman Farris	Hawaii	Cornerback
19	59	Arlington Renegades	Rahim Moore	UCLA	Cornerback
19	60	Houston Roughnecks	Brandon Easterling	Dayton	Cornerback
19	61	D.C. Defenders	Travon Fuller	Tulsa	Cornerback
19	62	St. Louis Battlehawks	D’Angelo Ross	New Mexico	Cornerback
19	63	San Antonio Brahmas	Ryan Lewis	Pittsburgh	Cornerback
19	64	Orlando Guardians	Roman Tatum	Southern Illinois	Cornerback

Round 19 Breakdown

The XFL draft day one recap of defensive players continues into the 19th round with Will Adams out of Virginia State. Adams spent some time with the Commanders and now gets to refine his skill in the XFL. The Sea Dragons took Rojesterman Farris out of Hawaii next. Farris has bounced around the NFL, most recently with the Broncos. The next player taken was Rahim Moore out of UCLA. Moore has previous experience with the XFL and has also been in the AAF and the NFL. The Roughnecks then took Brandon Easterling out of Dayton. Easterling most recently spent some time with the Giants.

The Defenders then selected Travon Fuller out of Tulsa. Fuller spent some time with the Buffalo Bills in camp this year. The Battlehawks took D’Angelo Ross out of New Mexico. Ross was waived by the Dolphins due to an injury and gets a chance to show what he’s made of now that he’s healthy. The Brahmas took Ryan Lewis out of Pittsburgh. Lewis bounced around the NFL before being injured in 2020. He gets another shot at the professional level. To close out round 19 the Guardians took Roman Tatum out of Southern Illinois. Tatum has previous experience with the XFL and will look to make an impact with his return.

Winner: The guys that have experience in spring leagues and the XFL are used to the quick pace of their camps and need to learn playbooks quickly. The Renegades win this one for their selection of Rahim Moore given his experience in the NFL, AAF, and XFL.

Round 20

20	65	Orlando Guardians	Najeem Hosein	Ferris St	Cornerback
20	66	San Antonio Brahmas	Cedric Stone	Liberty	Cornerback
20	67	St. Louis Battlehawks	Lukas Denis	Boston College	Cornerback
20	68	D.C. Defenders	Junior Faulk	Delta St	Cornerback
20	69	Houston Roughnecks	Michael Lawson	Western Illinois	Cornerback
20	70	Arlington Renegades	Abu Daramy-Swaray	Colgate	Cornerback
20	71	Seattle Sea Dragons	Kendall Karcz	St. Norbert	Cornerback
20	72	Vegas Vipers	Deontay Anderson	Houston	Cornerback

Round 20 Breakdown

With just three rounds of cornerbacks left in the draft day one recap of defensive players, the Guardians selected Najeem Hosein out of Ferris State. Hosein has limited experience from a small school but has a lot of potential. The second player of round 20 was Cedric Stone out of Liberty. Stone has bounced around the professional leagues and gets another shot. Next was Lukas Denis out of Boston College. Denis was recently seen playing in the IFL and will look to take his game to the next level. The Defenders then took Junior Faulk out of Delta State. Faulk spent some time with the Browns in the NFL.

The Roughnecks selected Michael Lawson out of Western Illinois. Lawson was a team captain last year for Western Illinois and has good leadership skills. The next player taken was Abu Daramy-Swaray out of Colgate. Daramy-Swaray was most recently seen with the Bengals earlier this year. The Sea Dragons took Kendall Karcz out of St. Norbert. Karcz has a lot of raw talent and could develop nicely in the XFL. The last player in round 20 was Deontay Anderson out of Houston. Anderson is a versatile player who’s played both safety and linebacker.

Winner: The Winner of round 20 goes to the Vipers for grabbing a versatile player like Deontay Anderson who has the size to play linebacker but speed to play safety.

Round 21

21	73	Vegas Vipers	Adam Sparks	Louisiana-Monroe	Cornerback
21	74	Seattle Sea Dragons	Roger Cray	Old Dominion	Cornerback
21	75	Arlington Renegades	T.J. Green	Clemson	Cornerback
21	76	Houston Roughnecks	David Tolentino	Grand View	Cornerback
21	77	D.C. Defenders	C.J. Anthony	Garden City CC	Cornerback
21	78	St. Louis Battlehawks	Tareke Lewis	Utah	Cornerback
21	79	San Antonio Brahmas	Tenny Adewusi	Delaware	Cornerback
21	80	Orlando Guardians	Shaquille Wiggins	Tennessee	Cornerback

Round 21 Breakdown

Almost to the end of the defensive backfield in the XFL draft day one recap of defensive players and the first off the board in this round was Adam Sparks out of Louisiana-Monroe. Sparks hopes to make the most out of his professional opportunity in the XFL. Next went Roger Cray out of Old Dominion. Cray deflected12 passes last year for Old Dominion. The Renegades took T.J. Green out of Clemson. The 6-2 safety spent some time with the Falcons. The Roughnecks took David Tolentino out of Grand View. Tolentino is a raw talent who could develop nicely.

The next player off the board was C.J. Anthony out of Garden City CC. Anthony is 6-3 and has a ton of potential. The Battlehawks selected Tareke Lewis out of Utah. Lewis has limited exposure but a lot of potential. The Brahmas took Tenny Adewusi out of Delaware. Adewusi has a little experience in the CFL. The last player of round 21 was Shaquille Wiggins out of Tennessee. Wiggins has had some off-field issues but gets another chance to prove himself on the field.

Winner: this round goes to the Renegades who get a tall safety with some NFL camp time.

Round 22

22	81	Orlando Guardians	Matt Elam	Florida	Cornerback
22	82	San Antonio Brahmas	Jack Koerner	Iowa	Cornerback
22	83	St. Louis Battlehawks	Mike Hampton	South Florida	Cornerback
22	84	D.C. Defenders	Holton Hill	Texas	Cornerback
22	85	Houston Roughnecks	John Brannon	Western Carolina	Cornerback
22	86	Arlington Renegades	Donatello Brown	Valdosta St	Cornerback
22	87	Seattle Sea Dragons	Mykael Wright	Oregon	Cornerback
22	88	Vegas Vipers	Stephen Roberts	Auburn	Cornerback

Round 22 Breakdown

The last round of cornerbacks in the XFL draft day one recap of defensive players started with Matt Elam out of Florida. This will be Elam’s second go around in the XFL after playing for the Defenders in 2020. The Brahma stook Jack Koerner out of Iowa. Koerner had a great college career for a solid defense and spent some time with the Saints. The Battlehawks took Mike Hampton out of South Florida. Hampton is another low-exposure, big-potential type player. The Defenders took Holton Hill out of Texas. Hill has bounced around the NFL with the Vikings, Colts, Cowboys, and Bengals.

The next player taken was John Brannon out of Western Carolina. Brannon has bounced around NFL camps and gets another shot at the professional level. The Renegades took Donatello Brown out of Valdosta State. Brown has played in the NFL, AAF, and XFL. The Sea Dragons took Mykael Wright out of Oregon. Wright was on the Cardinals earlier this year. The last defensive back taken was Stephen Roberts out of Auburn. A former four-star recruit, Robert gets a shot to prove himself at the professional level.

Winner: The last round of defensive backs goes to the Brahmas. Jack Koener is a playmaker who came out of Iowa, and the one thing Iowa does well is play defense.

XFL Draft Day One Recap Of Defensive Players – Defensive Front Seven

Round 23

23	1	Vegas Vipers	Vic Beasley	Clemson	Outside Linebacker
23	2	Seattle Sea Dragons	Elijah Ponder	Cincinnati	Defensive Tackle
23	3	Arlington Renegades	Otaro Alaka	Texas A&M	Inside Linebacker
23	4	Houston Roughnecks	Deandre Johnson	Miami-FL	Inside Linebacker
23	5	D.C. Defenders	Niles Scott	Frostburg St	Nose Tackle
23	6	St. Louis Battlehawks	Lakiem Williams	Syracuse	Inside Linebacker
23	7	San Antonio Brahmas	Justin Alexander	Incarnate Word	Defensive End
23	8	Orlando Guardians	Nick Coe	Auburn	Defensive End

Round 23 Breakdown

The XFL draft day one recap of defensive players went from defensive backs to the defensive front seven. The player taken was Vic Beasley out of Clemson. Beasley played for five years in the NFL until injuries set him back. Now he gets another shot at the professional level. The second player taken was Elijah Ponder from Cincinnati. Ponder was on the Bucs but moved to injured reserve. The Renegades’ first linebacker selection was Otaro Alaka out of Texas A&M. Alaka was in the NFL on the Ravens but a hamstring injury led to him getting cut. The Roughnecks took Deandre Johnson out of Miami. Johnson had 14.5 sacks in his collegiate career.

The next selected player was Niles Scott out of Frostburg State. Despite playing at such a small college school, Scott bounced around nine NFL teams. Former Syracuse inside linebacker Lakiem Williams was taken next. Williams had 110 tackles his senior year for the orange. Next was Justin Alexander from Incarnate Word. Alexander doesn’t have a lot of experience and will look to prove himself at the next level. The last player taken in the first round of linebackers and defensive lineman was Nick Coe out of Auburn. Coe spent some time with Patriots and Dolphins before playing in the CFL for the Roughriders.

Winner: This one is easy as the Vipers selected Vic Beasley, who has more NFL game time experience than most of the other players drafted.

Round 24

24	9	Orlando Guardians	Gerald Williams	Miami-FL	Defensive Tackle
24	10	San Antonio Brahmas	Riko Jeffers	Texas Tech	Inside Linebacker
24	11	St. Louis Battlehawks	Emeke Egbule	Houston	Inside Linebacker
24	12	D.C. Defenders	Andre Mintze	Vanderbilt	Inside Linebacker
24	13	Houston Roughnecks	John Daka	James Madison	Defensive Tackle
24	14	Arlington Renegades	Josiah Coatney	Mississippi	Defensive Tackle
24	15	Seattle Sea Dragons	Niko Lalos	Dartmouth	Defensive End
24	16	Vegas Vipers	Max Roberts	Boston College	Outside Linebacker

Round 24 Breakdown

Continuing with the XFL draft day one recap of defensive players into round 24, Gerald Williams out of Miami was taken at the beginning of the round. Williams is a big defensive tackle that will help anchor the line. The Brahmas then selected Riko Jeffers out of Texas Tech. Jeffers was a five-year contributor for Texas Tech. The Battlehawks took Emeke Egbule out of Houston in the second defensive front seven rounds. Egbule was drafted in the sixth round of the NFL draft in 2019. The Defenders took inside linebacker Andre Mintze out of Vanderbilt. Mintze made the Broncos’ 53-man roster in 2021 but was set back by an injury.

The Roughnecks selected John Daka out of James Madison. Daka is a 240-pound defensive tackle who has spent some time with several NFL teams. The Rednecks took Josiah Coatney out of Mississippi. Coatney spent some time with the Steelers and 49ers. The Sea Dragons took defensive end Niko Lalos out of Dartmouth. Lalos is a versatile player who played for the Giants. The last player in round 24 was Max Roberts out of Boston College. Roberts spent some time with the Rams.

Winner: The winner of this round belongs to the Sea Dragons with their selection of Niko Lalos. Lalos is a disruptive lineman who is very good at getting his hand up to deflect passes.

Round 25

25	17	Vegas Vipers	Robert Windsor	Penn State	Defensive Tackle
25	18	Seattle Sea Dragons	Curtis Weaver	Boise State	Defensive End
25	19	Arlington Renegades	Will Clarke	West Virginia	Defensive Tackle
25	20	Houston Roughnecks	Tavante Beckett	Marshall	Inside Linebacker
25	21	D.C. Defenders	Jacub Panasiuk	Michigan St	Defensive Tackle
25	22	St. Louis Battlehawks	Willie Harvey	Iowa State	Inside Linebacker
25	23	San Antonio Brahmas	Denzel Chukwukelu	UTEP	Defensive Line
25	24	Orlando Guardians	Stansly Maponga	Texas Christian	Defensive Line

Round 25 Breakdown

The XFL draft day one recap of defensive players continues in the 25th round. The first player of round 25 was Robert Windsor out of Penn State. The 6-4 defensive tackle had retired from the NFL due to injuries and delayed rehab but is back with another professional chance with the XFL. The second player in round 25 was Curtis Weaver out of Boise State. Weaver was drafted in the fifth round of the NFL draft, but injuries derailed his career. Next was Will Clarke out of West Virginia. Clarke is a 6-6, 275-pounder who is 31 years old and has played in both the NFL and the XFL. The Roughnecks then took Tavante Beckett out of Marshall. Beckett was Conference USA defensive player of the year his senior year.

Next Jacub Panasiuk out of Michigan State was drafted. The 220-pounder had 7 sacks his last year of college. Next Willie Harvey out of Iowa State was drafted. Harvey can play any of the linebacker positions and had 12.5 sacks with the Clones in college. The Brahmas took Denzel Chukwukelu out of UTEP. Chukwukelu has professional experience playing in the IFL. The last player of round 25 was Stansly Maponga out of TCU. Maponga was drafted in the fifth round and bounced around several NFL teams.

Winner: I’m going to give this round to the Battlehawks for selecting Willie Harvey due to Harvey’s versatility at all linebacker positions.

Round 26

26	25	Orlando Guardians	Keonte Schad	Oregon State	Defensive Line
26	26	San Antonio Brahmas	Youhanna Ghaifan	Wyoming	Defensive Line
26	27	St. Louis Battlehawks	Lacale London	Western Illinois	Defensive Tackle
26	28	D.C. Defenders	Fadol Brown	Mississippi	Defensive Tackle
26	29	Houston Roughnecks	Elijah Qualls	Washington	Defensive Tackle
26	30	Arlington Renegades	Davonte Lambert	Auburn	Defensive Tackle
26	31	Seattle Sea Dragons	Austin Faoliu	Oregon	Defensive Line
26	32	Vegas Vipers	Pita Taumoepenu	Utah	Linebacker

Round 26 Breakdown

The XFL draft day one recap of defensive players moves into the 26th round where Keonte Schad out of Oregon State was taken by the Guardians. Schad, a 295 defensive lineman spent some time most recently with the Cardinals. Next, Youhanna Ghaifan out of Wyoming was drafted. Ghaifan had some off-field issues but has a lot of potential and gets a second chance now. Battlehawks selected Lacale London out of Western Illinois. London spent some time in the NFL with the Bears after having a productive college career. He’s got a knack for forcing fumbles. Next up was Fadol Brown out of Mississippi. Brown has played in 16 NFL games and gets a chance to push for starting time.

The Roughnecks selected Elijah Qualls out of Washington. Qualls has experience with the NFL, XFL, and CFL. The Renegades took Davonte Lambert out of Auburn. This is Lambert’s second time in the XFL after he played was signed in 2020. The Sea Dragons took Austin Faoliu out of Oregon. Fauliu plays with a high motor and had a successful college career with Oregon. The last player in round 26 was Pita Taumoepenu out of Utah. Taumoepenu has been on the 49ers, Falcons, Cardinals, and Seahawks. He gets his second chance at the professional level.

Winner: The winner of the 26th round is the Defenders by selecting Fadol Brown, who has a lot of potential and has just needed more opportunity.

Round 27

27	33	Vegas Vipers	Jah’Sheem Martin	Pace	Defensive Line
27	34	Seattle Sea Dragons	Jordan Evans	Oklahoma	Linebacker
27	35	Arlington Renegades	Jessie Lemonier	Liberty	Linebacker
27	36	Houston Roughnecks	Austin Edwards	Ferris St	Defensive Line
27	37	D.C. Defenders	Anthony Hines	Texas A&M	Linebacker
27	38	St. Louis Battlehawks	Kevin Atkins	Fresno St	Defensive Tackle
27	39	San Antonio Brahmas	Owen Carney	Illinois	Linebacker
27	40	Orlando Guardians	Emmanuel Olenga	Tennessee State	Defensive Line

Round 27 Breakdown

The XFL draft day one recap of defensive players started with Ja’Sheem Martin out of Pace in the 27th round. Martin doesn’t have a lot of experience but has a lot of potential. The Sea Dragons took Jordan Evans out of Oklahoma. Evans has 99 tackles in the NFL before injuries set his career back. Next was Jessie Lemonier out of Liberty. Lemonier played well enough in college to garner NFL attention and spent time with the Chargers, Lions, and Cardinals. The Roughnecks selected Austin Edwards out of Ferris State. Even though he went to such a small college, Edwards got NFL attention and spent time with the Falcons and the Chiefs.

The next selection was Anthony Hines out of Texas A&M. Hines spent time with the Chargers in the NFL. The Battlehawks selected Kevin Atkins out of Fresno State. Atkins had 17.5 sacks in college. The Brahmas selected Owen Carney out of Illinois. Carney is a versatile player who can play both linebacker and defensive lineman. The last player of round 27 was Emmanuel Olenga out of Tennessee State. One of the best things about leagues like the XFL is guys like Olenga, who had limited exposure, now gets a chance to prove themselves.

Winner: The Sea Dragons win this round with their selection of Jordan Evans. Getting a player that has in game NFL experience is valuable.

Round 28

28	41	Orlando Guardians	Terrance Smith	Florida State	Linebacker
28	42	San Antonio Brahmas	Omari Cobb	Marshall	Linebacker
28	43	St. Louis Battlehawks	Drew Singleton	Rutgers	Linebacker
28	44	D.C. Defenders	Dame Ndiaye	Portland St	Defensive Line
28	45	Houston Roughnecks	Chauncey Rivers	Mississippi State	Defensive Line
28	46	Arlington Renegades	Bruce Hector	South Florida	Defensive Line
28	47	Seattle Sea Dragons	Tre Walker	Idaho	Linebacker
28	48	Vegas Vipers	D.J. Calhoun	Arizona State	Linebacker

Round 28 Breakdown

The XFL draft day one recap of defensive players continues in round 28. The first player in round 28 was Terrance Smith out of Florida State. Smith has spent time in the NFL and the CFL. Next was Omari Cobb out of Marshall. Cobb has had limited time with the Chiefs and the Giants. The Battlehawks then selected Drew Singleton out of Rutgers. Singleton had 55 tackles his senior year and will now get a chance to prove himself on the next level. The Defenders selected Dame Ndiaye out of Portland State in round 28. Ndiaye is very athletic and has played both defensive end and tight end.

The Roughnecks selected Chauncey Rivers out of Mississippi State with their 28th-round selection. The “Last Chance U” star who had some brief time in the NFL gets another shot at the professional level. Bruce Hector out of South Florida went next. The 300-pound tackle gets another shot after bouncing around several NFL teams. Next was Tre Walker out of Idaho. Walker routinely leads his team in tackles. The last player taken in the 28th-round was D.J. Calhoun out of Arizona State. Calhoun is a hard-hitting linebacker who flies around the field.

Winner: This one is a bit of sleeper pick but I like the Defenders taking Ndiaye. Despite the small school he’s super athletic and will be able to create issues for offensive lineman.

Round 29

29	49	Vegas Vipers	P.J. Dawson	Texas Christian	Linebacker
29	50	Seattle Sea Dragons	Daniel Joseph	North Carolina State	Defensive Line
29	51	Arlington Renegades	Ryan Mueller	Kansas State	Linebacker
29	52	Houston Roughnecks	Tariqious Tisdale	Mississippi	Defensive Line
29	53	D.C. Defenders	Jamal Brooks	South Alabama	Linebacker
29	54	St. Louis Battlehawks	Elorm Lumor	Towson	Defensive Line
29	55	San Antonio Brahmas	Prince Emili	Penn	Defensive Line
29	56	Orlando Guardians	Terrance Plummer	Central Florida	Linebacker

Round 29 Breakdown

The XFL draft day one recap of defensive players continues into the 29th round with P.J. Dawson out of TCU. Dawson has spent time in the NFL and the CFL. Next was Daniel Joseph out of North Carolina State. Joseph was signed by the Bills after a rookie tryout but later cut. The Renegades selected Ryan Mueller out of Kansas State. Mueller is an extremely versatile player who’s played linebacker, defensive end, and fullback. The Roughnecks drafted Tariqious Tisdale out of Mississippi. Tisdale is a massive 6-5, 290-pound lineman that runs a 4.57 forty.

The Defenders took Jamal Brooks out of South Alabama. Brooks spent time at Missouri before transferring and finishing at South Alabama. The Battlehawks took Elorm Lumor out of Towson. Lumor skipped his senior year to enter the draft but didn’t get drafted by an NFL team. The Brahmas took Prince Emili out of Penn. The 300-pound defensive tackle spent some time with the Bills. The last player taken in the 29th round was Terrance Plummer out of Central Florida. Plummer has spent time in the NFL, AAF, and CFL.

Winner: The Roughnecks take this round by selecting the fast but big linemen Tisdale.

Round 30

30	57	Orlando Guardians	Caeveon Patton	Texas State	Defensive Line
30	58	San Antonio Brahmas	Andrzej Hughes-Murray	Oregon State	Linebacker
30	59	St. Louis Battlehawks	Gelen Robinson	Purdue	Defensive Line
30	60	D.C. Defenders	Joseph Wallace	Sam Houston St”}”>Sam Houston St	Defensive Line
30	61	Houston Roughnecks	Ellis Brooks	Penn State	Linebacker
30	62	Arlington Renegades	Doug Costin	Miami-Oh	Defensive Line
30	63	Seattle Sea Dragons	Emmanuel Smith	Vanderbilt	Linebacker
30	64	Vegas Vipers	C.J. Avery	Louisville	Linebacker

Round 30 Breakdown

The XFL draft day one recap of defensive players hits round 30 and starts with Caeveon Patton out of Texas State. Patton recently spent some time on the Colts. The next player drafted was Andrzej Hughes-Murray out of Oregon State. Hughes-Murray had six sacks his last year of college. Next was Gelen Robinson out of Purdue. Robinson had 146 tackles in college. The next player was Joseph Wallace out of Sam Houston State. Wallace has limited exposure but now gets his chance to compete at the professional level.

The Roughnecks took Ellis Brooks out of Penn State. Brooks had 226 collegiate tackles. The Renegades took Doug Costin out of Miami-Ohio. Costin has been in the NFL and the USFL. The Sea Dragons took Emmanuel Smith out of Vanderbilt. Smith has bounced around several NFL teams. The last player in the 30th round was C.J. Avery out of Louisville. Avery had 97 tackles his senior year of college.

Winner: This round goes to the Vipers who get a tackling machine in C.J. Avery.

Round 31

31	65	Vegas Vipers	LaRon Stokes	Oklahoma	Defensive Line
31	66	Seattle Sea Dragons	Antwuan Jackson	Ohio State	Defensive Line
31	67	Arlington Renegades	Nick Temple	Cincinnati	Linebacker
31	68	Houston Roughnecks	Diego Fagot	Navy	Linebacker
31	69	D.C. Defenders	Aaron Sterling	South Carolina	Linebacker
31	70	St. Louis Battlehawks	Mike Rose	Iowa State	Linebacker
31	71	San Antonio Brahmas	Joel Dublanko	Cincinnati	Linebacker
31	72	Orlando Guardians	Krisitian Tate	Georgetown	Defensive Line

Round 31 Breakdown

The XFL draft day one recap of defensive players started in the 31st round with Laron Stokes out of Oklahoma. Stokes spent some time with the Cardinals. Then Antwuan Jackson was drafted out of Ohio State. The 300-pound defensive tackle will look to anchor the defensive line. The Renegades took Nick Temple out of Cincinnati. Temple recently played in the CFL. The Roughnecks took Diego Fagot out of Navy. Fagot was a stud linebacker and is a very instinctual player.

The Defenders took Aaron Sterling out of South Carolina. Sterling is a defensive end with a lot of potential. Mike Rose out of Iowa State went next. Rose was named conference defensive player of the year his junior year. The next player drafted was Joel Dublanko out of Cincinnati. Dublanko spent some time with the Seahawks. The last player drafted in round 31 was Kristian Tate out of Georgetown. Tate has limited exposure and gets a chance at professional football in the XFL.

Winner: The Roughnecks won big with their selection of Diego Fagot. He may end up being the best linebacker in the league.

Round 32

32	73	Orlando Guardians	Jacoby Jones	Texas	Defensive Line
32	74	San Antonio Brahmas	Drew Beesley	Michigan St	Defensive Line
32	75	St. Louis Battlehawks	Seth Walter	Dartmouth	Defensive Line
32	76	D.C. Defenders	Jarrell Owens	Oklahoma State	Defensive Line
32	77	Houston Roughnecks	C.J. Brewer	Coastal Carolina	Defensive Line
32	78	Arlington Renegades	Josh Watson	Colorado State	Linebacker
32	79	Seattle Sea Dragons	Tuzar Skipper	Toledo	Linebacker
32	80	Vegas Vipers	Rod Henderson	Alabama State	Defensive Line

Round 32 Breakdown

Two rounds left of the XFL draft day one recap of defensive players and the first player of the 32nd round was Jacoby Jones out of Texas. Jones didn’t get a ton of starting time at Texas but has a lot of potential. After him Drew Beesley out of Michigan State was taken. Beesley had 5.5 sacks his senior year. Seth Walter out of Dartmouth was selected next. Walter doesn’t have a ton of experience outside of college but gets his shot to prove himself now. The Defenders took Jarrell Owens out of Oklahoma State. Owens was most recently in the CFL.

The Roughnecks took C.J. Brewer out of Coastal Carolina. Brewer spent some time with the Buffalo Bills. Next was Josh Watson out of Colorado State. Watson has bounced around the NFL on multiple teams and now gets a shot in the XFL. The Sea Dragons took Tuzar Skipper out of Toledo. Skipper was most recently with the Steelers. The last player taken in the 32nd round was Rod Henderson out of Alabama State. Henderson is a monstrous 352-pound defensive tackle.

Winner: The winner of the 32nd round is the Brahmas. Drew Beesley has a lot of untapped potential and should be able to get to the quarterback often.

Round 33

33	81	Vegas Vipers	Jawuan Johnson	Texas Christian	Linebacker
33	82	Seattle Sea Dragons	P.J. Hall	Sam Houston St	Defensive Line
33	83	Arlington Renegades	Isaiah Graham Mobley	Boston College	Linebacker
33	84	Houston Roughnecks	Jaquan Artis	Lenoir-Rhyne	Defensive Line
33	85	D.C. Defenders	Jordan Williams	Virginia Tech	Defensive Line
33	86	St. Louis Battlehawks	Phil Campbell	Pittsburgh	Linebacker
33	87	San Antonio Brahmas	Mike Tverdov	Rutgers	Defensive Line
33	88	Orlando Guardians	Decalon Brooks	Florida State	Linebacker

Round 33 Breakdown

The last round of the XFL draft day one recap of defensive players starts with Juwuan Johnson out of TCU. Johnson had 213 tackles in his college career. Next, the Dragons selected P.J. Hall out of Sam Houston State. Hall’s spent time with the Raiders and Texans. The Renegades took Isaiah Graham Mobley out of Boston College next. Graham Mobley played for Temple before transferring to Boston College. The next player was Jaquan Artis out of Lenoir-Rhyne. Artis had 25.5 sacks his last two years of college.

The Defenders selected Jordan Williams in Virginia Tech. Williams had limited time at Clemson and then Virginia Tech. Next was Phil Campbell out of Pittsburgh. Campbell had 64 tackles his last year of college. The Brahmas took Mike Tverdov out of Rutgers. Tverdov will get a shot to compete at the professional level. The last player selected among the defensive players was Decalon Brooks out of Florida State. Brooks is the son of former NFL player Derrick Brooks.

Winner: The Roughnecks selection of Jaquan Artis wins the last defensive round for them. If he can continue developing, he’ll make life difficult for opposing defenses.

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