XFL Draft Recap: Meet the quarterbacks

It’s official: The XFL is back and the teams all have players.

The XFL Draft took place on Oct. 15 and 16, with each team filling their roster with players formerly of the NFL, the AAF, and other professional football leagues. The one position that was not on the draft board specifically was quarterback. Quarterback is the most important position in football, and the XFL was very intentional in placing a quarterback with a team. This did not prevent teams from drafting a quarterback, but it simply meant that they did not have to do so.

Here is a breakdown of the assigned quarterbacks for each team:

Dallas Renegades: Landry Jones

Jones’s NFL career lasted six seasons, including stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders, and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Collegiately, Jones played for the University of Oklahoma, where he set records for passing yards, completions, and touchdown passes. 

D.C. Defenders: Cardale Jones

Cardale Jones played at Ohio State, winning a national championship in 2014. Jones was also the MVP of the 2014 Big Ten Championship game. Jones was drafted by the Bills, and spent time on the Los Angeles Chargers’ and Seattle Seahawks’ practice squads. After being released in September, Jones was allocated to the Defenders. 

Houston Roughnecks: Philip Walker

Walker played for Temple University where he was (and still is) the all-time Owls’ passing leader in multiple categories, including passing yards, completions, attempts, touchdown passes, and total offense. Walker spent three years in New York with the Jets as a member of their practice squad. 

Los Angeles Wildcats: Luis Perez

Perez played at Texas A&M-Commerce, leading the Lions to a 2017 national championship for NCAA Division II. Perez is originally from Chula Vista, Cali., which makes him a great choice to be an L.A. Wildcat. Perez spent time with the Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, and Detroit Lions as part of the practice squad. Also of note, Perez was a member of the short-lived AAF’s Birmingham Iron. 

New York Guardians: Matt McGloin

McGloin played for Penn State in college, becoming the first walk-on to start for the school in over 60 years. His NFL experience includes stints with the Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans, and Kansas City Chiefs. McGloin was a member of the practice squad on the aforementioned teams. McGloin is originally from Scranton, Penn. 

St. Louis Battlehawks: Jordan Ta’amu

Jordan Ta’amu played for the University of Mississippi for two years. Ta’amu was signed and released by the Houston Texans in 2019. He is the only quarterback chosen by the XFL with no professional experience. Ta’amu is originally from Hawaii. 

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Seattle Dragons: Brandon Silvers

Silvers played for the Troy Trojans in college where he is second all-time in passing. He also helped Troy achieve the best single-season record in school history, going 11-2 in 2017. Silvers was briefly on the Philadelphia Eagles’ roster. His most noteworthy professional experience came during his time in the AAF when he started three games for the Memphis Express. This experience led him to be picked up by the New York Jets just prior to the 2019 season.

Tampa Bay Vipers: Aaron Murray

Aaron Murray is originally from Tampa, Fla., so this assignment is a bit of a homecoming for him. Murray played for the University of Georgia, where he was a four-year starter. He is the all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns for the SEC. Professionally, Murray spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, and Los Angeles Rams. Most recently, Murray played for the Atlanta Legends of the Alliance of American Football.

Building Momentum

The XFL is off to a great start, choosing quarterbacks with both prior professional experience and decorated collegiate careers. Adding to the community ties for many of the players will only increase the early popularity of the league. The XFL has been very intentional every step of the way so far, and it is building a strong foundation for spring football to be successful.

Bring on February.

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