Football is back, already! XFL football that is. With the XFL season ready to get into full swing, let’s break down the top players set to take the field, including some prominent names that NFL fans are sure to recognize.
Top XFL Players in 2023
1. WR Josh Gordon, Seattle Sea Dragons
I can’t in good conscience put together this list without having Josh Gordon at No. 1. Yes, it’s been nearly five years since he was a productive NFL player, but the dude led the league in receiving yards in 2013 and notched first-team All-Pro honors. No one else in the XFL has that kind of résumé. Let’s see what the 31-year-old has left in the tank.
2. LB Vic Beasley, Vegas Vipers
I take that back. There’s one more player in the XFL that can mirror Gordon’s résumé: Vic Beasley. The former top-10 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft led the league in sacks in his second year with the Atlanta Falcons and secured first-team All-Pro honors back in 2016. Despite being out of football since 2020, Beasley was the first pick in the 2023 XFL Defensive Front Seven Draft.
3. WR Martavis Bryant, Vegas Vipers
Martavis Bryant was once on his way to becoming an uber-productive NFL wideout, but like Gordon, off-the-field issues marred his career. He notched 765 yards in just 11 games playing second-fiddle to Antonio Brown in 2015.
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After a three-year hiatus from football, he’s bounced around the CFL since 2021 and was the fifth player selected in the 2023 XFL Skill Players Draft.
4. QB AJ McCarron, St. Louis Battlehawks
The first QB on our list, AJ McCarron is far and away the passer with the most experience in the XFL this season. The former Alabama quarterback spent eight years in the NFL before sitting out the 2022 season and has five starts under his belt, including a 2015 Wild Card playoff game.
5. QB Ben DiNucci, Seattle Sea Dragons
Ben DiNucci is the XFL QB with the most recent in-game NFL experience. The 26-year-old passer was selected in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft after an impressive collegiate career with James Madison. A mobile playmaker on the ground, he started one game for the Dallas Cowboys in his rookie season, filling in for an injured Dak Prescott.
6. RB Abram Smith, DC Defenders
Former Baylor star running back Abram Smith was the first player selected in the Skill Players Draft. After barely seeing the field in his first two collegiate seasons, Smith broke out in 2021, amassing a whopping 1,601 yards and 12 touchdowns before landing with the New Orleans Saints in training camp last offseason.
7. WR Charleston Rambo, Orlando Guardians
After three seasons at Oklahoma, Charleston Rambo transferred to Miami (FL) for his final collegiate season. It turned out to be a great move, as he hauled in 79 receptions for 1,172 yards and seven touchdowns with the Canes. He didn’t stick with the Carolina Panthers after training camp last year, but he could make an NFL comeback if all goes well in Orlando.
8. CB Luq Barcoo, San Antonio Brahmas
Luq Barcoo has already seen his share of NFL rosters, having rotated between the Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, and New York Jets since going undrafted in 2020. Though he hasn’t seen much playing time, Barcoo has the pedigree, as he led college football in interceptions and passes defended in 2019.
9. RB Jacques Patrick, San Antonio Brahmas
He might not be a burner, but Jacques Patrick can run you over. At 6’2″, 234 pounds, the former Florida State bruiser packs a punch. Patrick signed with the Tampa Bay Vipers in the 2020 iteration of the XFL and racked up 254 yards in five games. He landed on a few NFL practice squads before being selected third overall in the XFL Skill Players Draft.
10. WR Marcell Ateman, St. Louis Battlehawks
The second player selected in the XFL Skill Players Draft, Marcell Ateman had a productive collegiate career before spendering three years in the NFL with the Raiders. He’s sure to be a key weapon for McCarron out of the gate, and his 6’4″ frame should make him a go-to target in the red zone.
11. LB Otaro Alaka, Arlington Renegades
Otaro Alaka was a key leader for the Texas A&M defense, especially during the final three years of his time with the Aggies. Alaka registered 167 tackles, 26.5 TFLs, and 9.5 sacks combined in his last two seasons before spending three years with the Baltimore Ravens at the pro level. Expect him to be around the ball early and often with the Renegades.
12. OL Cameron Hunt, Arlington Renegades
Cameron Hunt is the top offensive lineman on the list. After his senior season with the Oregon Ducks in 2016, Hunt received the Ed Moshofsky Trophy for the Team’s Outstanding Offensive Lineman and the Pancake Club Award for most pancake blocks.
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He also earned first-team All-USFL honors with the USFL Championship-winning Birmingham Stallions last year.
13. QB Jordan Ta’amu, DC Defenders
Jordan Ta’amu has been everywhere. In just four years since his final season at Ole Miss, the former Rebels QB has seen 10 stops in his professional football journey, most recently with the USFL’s Tampa Bay Bandits. In Tampa, Ta’amu led the USFL in passing yards and touchdowns while showcasing his rushing ability, compiling 365 yards on the ground.
14. DB Ben DeLuca, St. Louis Battlehawks
The third pick in the XFL Defensive Backs Draft, Ben DeLuca is a do-it-all centerfielder that set a litany of school records with the Charlotee 49ers during his collegiate career. He is tops in school history in tackles (313), forced fumbles (nine), fumble recoveries (six), and passes broken up (17).
15. RB Jah-Maine Martin, Orlando Guardians
Jah-Maine Martin is a name to watch in XFL fantasy football leagues. In 2019, Martin averaged an absurd 7.7 yards per carry on 187 attempts while racking up 1,446 yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground with North Carolina A&T, breaking school records in the process. He’s set to pile up touches in the Guardians’ offense.
16. RB Brian Hill, St. Louis Battlehawks
Well-represented on the list thus far, the Battelhawks are swooping in with another name in former NFL RB Brian Hill. Hill has 48 games of NFL experience, including three starts. He’s also one of the most productive rushers in Wyoming history, as he put together seasons of 1,631 and 1,860 yards over his final two years with the Cowboys.
17. CB De’Vante Bausby, Arlington Renegades
Talk about an experienced vet. Just go check out De’Vante Bausby’s Wikipedia page to see the laundry list of stops he made during his pro football career, which spans nearly a decade and saw him play in the NFL, AAF, USFL, and now XFL. At 30 years old, Bausby is sure to be one of the most respected veteran voices on the Renegades’ defense.
18. QB Kyle Sloter, Arlington Renegades
Kyle Sloter saw exactly zero snaps over the first three years of his collegiate career but took the reigns of the Northern Colorado offense in 2016, notching 29 touchdowns and catching the eyes of NFL scouts. He went undrafted but latched on with NFL practice squads. In 2022, he earned first-team All-USFL honors, finishing second in passing yards.
19. WR Jalen Tolliver, San Antonio Brahmas
I’m excited to see what Jalen Tolliver can do with former NFL star WR Hines Ward as his head coach. Tolliver played at under-the-radar Arkansas–Monticello in college, but his two-striaght years of 1,000+ receiving yards grabbed the attention of NFL teams. He’s spent time with NFL practice squads, the Vipers of the 2020 XFL, and the Edmonton Elks of the CFL.
20. RB Adrian Killins, Arlington Renegades
The diminutive Adrian Killins may be small, but he can do it all out of the backfield. In four seasons at UCF, Killins compiled 2,459 rushing yards, 864 receiving yards, and 33 total touchdowns. In PPR fantasy leagues, he’s sure to provide solid value as he eats up touches in the Renegades’ offense.
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21. QB Deondre Francois, Orlando Guardians
22. OL Jack Snyder, Houston Roughnecks
23. DL Elijah Ponder, Seattle Sea Dragons
24. WR Kevin Shaa, Seattle Sea Dragons
25. TE Sal Cannella, Arlington Renegades
26. QB Bryan Scott, Vegas Vipers
27. QB Ryan Willis, St. Louis Battlehawks
28. DL Justin Alexandre, San Antonio Brahmas
29. LB Deandre Johnson, Houston Roughnecks
30. LB Lakiem Williams, St. Louis Battlehawks
31. RB Kalen Ballage, San Antonio Brahmas
32. QB Luis Perez, Vegas Vipers
33. RB De’Veon Smith, Arlington Renegades
34. RB Ryquell Armstead, DC Defenders
35. DL Gerald Willis, Orlando Guardians
36. TE Cody Latimer, Orlando Guardians
37. DL Curtis Weaver, Seattle Sea Dragons
38. DB C.J. Holmes, Orlando Guardians
39. DB Parnell Motley, DC Defenders
40. OL Chris Owens, Seattle Sea Dragons
41. QB Jack Coan, San Antonio Brahmas
42. DL P.J. Hall, Seattle Sea Dragons
43. TE Garrett Owens, Houston Roughnecks
44. RB John Lovett, Vegas Vipers
45. RB Max Borghi, Houston Roughnecks
46. QB Brandon Silvers, Houston Roughnecks
47. DL Niles Scott, DC Defenders
48. QB D’Eriq King, DC Defenders
49. P Marquette King, Arlington Renegades
50. QB Brett Hundley, Vegas Vipers
