XFL Rookie Draft 2023: Full breakdown of picks from latest edition

The XFL had a very successful 2023 season, and the spring football league now has a whole legion of new fans. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's league beat-washed allegations to give NFL fans something special to tide over during the league's preseason. On Friday, the league conducted the 2023 Rookie Draft to stack teams ahead of the 2024 season.

This piece will look at the new players and the teams that selected them.

The Full breakdown of picks from the 2023 XFL Draft

The league announced that the following players were selected in the Rookie Draft conducted on June 16, 2023. These are the players drafted:

Arlington Renegades

Player Name	Position	College
Sy Barnett	WR	Davenport
Connor Degenhardt	QB	New Haven
Ami Finau	DL	Maryland
Jalen Green	DB	Mississippi State
Charles Hall	WR	Arizona State
James Jackson	OL	South Alabama
Jordan Rhodes	OL	Arkansas State
Merlin Robertson	LB	Arizona State
Chris Whittaker	LB	Incarnate Word
Jordan Wright	LB	Kentucky

D.C. Defenders

Player Name	Position	College
Paxton Brooks	P	Tennessee
Matt Carrick	OL	Michigan State
Alex Jensen	OL	South Dakota
C.J. Johnson	WR	East Carolina
Kaleb Oliver	LB	Western Kentucky
Jack Plumb	OL	Iowa
Bentlee Sanders	DB	Nevada
Mohamed Sanogo	LB	Louisville
Ty Scott	WR	Missouri State
Trea Shropshire	WR	UAB

Houston Roughnecks

Player Name	Position	College
Austin Ajiake	LB	UNLV
Jayson Ademilola	DL	Notre Dame
Michael Ayers	LB	Ashland
Quinton Barrow	OL	Grand Valley State
Momar Fall	DL	Colorado State-Pueblo
Ahofitu Maka	OL	UTSA
Alijah McGhee	DB	Minnesota State-Mankato
Marcus Minor	OL	Pittsburgh
Marvin Pierre	LB	Kent State
Lindsey Scott Jr.	QB	Incarnate Word

Orlando Guardians

Player Name	Position	College
Jeremy Cooper	OL	Cincinnati
Kosi Eldridge	LB	Texas Tech
Terry Hampton	DL	Arkansas
KD Hill	DL	Mississippi
Jarrett Horst	OL	Michigan State
Darius Joiner	DB	Duke
Jacquez Jones	LB	Kentucky
Keyron Kinsler Jr.	DB	Alcorn State
Brock Martin	DL	Oklahoma State
LaQuinston Sharp	OL	Mississippi State

San Antonio Brahmas

Player Name	Position	College
Jahleel Billingsley	TE	Texas
Brendan Bordner	OL	Florida Atlantic
Carlos Carriere	WR	Central Michigan
Darrious Gaines	DB	Western Colorado
R.J. Hubert	DB	Utah
Lorenzo McCaskill	LB	Kansas
Dylan O’Quinn	OL	Cincinnati
J.C. Santana	WR	Tulsa
Chris Smith	RB	Louisiana-Lafayette
Dillon Thomas	DB	Missouri State

Seattle Sea Dragons

Player Name	Position	College
Sam Burt	DL	Kansas
Des Holmes	OL	Arizona State
Malcolm Lee	DL	Kansas
Wes Moeai	DL	Rocky Mountain
Colby Reeder	LB	Iowa State
Titus Swen	RB	Wyoming
Destin Talbert	DB	North Dakota State
Chad Townsend	WR	Texas Tech
Jazston Turnetine	OL	Florida St
Payton Wilgar	LB	BYU

St. Louis Battlehawks

Player Name	Position	College
Nico Bolden	DB	Kent State
James Bostic	WR	Ohio
Johnny Buchanan	LB	Delaware
Darion Chafin	WR	Incarnate Word
Jacob Gall	OL	Baylor
Kemore Gamble	TE	Central Florida
Matthew Jester	DL	Princeton
Kevon Latulas	RB	Missouri State
Jadrian Taylor	DL	UTEP
Anthony Witherstone	DB	Merrimack

Vegas Vipers

Player Name	Position	College
Nick Amoah	OL	UC Davis
Desmond Bessent	OL	Buffalo
Dwayne Boyles	LB	South Florida
Stacy Chukwumezie	WR	Northern Arizona
Jamare Edwards	DL	James Madison
Lorenzo Fauatea	DL	BYU
T.J. Green	RB	Liberty
Robert Mitchell	OL	North Carolina Central
Darrius Nash	DB	Utah Tech
Naasir Watkins	OL	Liberty

Before the draft, the Arlington Renegades and Seattle Sea Dragons announced a trade. Arlington received Tuzar Skipper, LB, Toledo, a Seattle draft pick, and Seattle received George Moore, OL, Oregon, and an Arlington draft pick.

Players drafted in the Rookie Draft will be placed on rosters, with players who finished the 2023 season on active and reserve lists. Teams will hold exclusive rights with the players they select in the draft.

What next for players not selected in the 2023 XFL Draft?

For undrafted players, the league will host a series of player showcases across the United States in June and July. These showcases will allow prospective football players to show off their skills in front of personnel directors and coaches.

Prospects will be evaluated based on individual performance for inclusion in the player pool for the upcoming 2024 season. The top performers will be invited to the XFL Combine, held July 25-27 in Arlington, Texas.

Additional showcases will be held throughout the summer in Atlanta (June 18), St. Louis (July 7), Washington DC (July 9), Houston (July 14), and Arizona (July 16).