USA TODAY International Edition
10 who you may recognize
15- game NFL starter Ealy to Flowers to two Jones among players to watch
The XFL will officially return Saturday, when the D. C. Defenders host the Seattle Dragons at 2 p. m. ET on ABC in the first of four games over the weekend. And if you plan to tune in, you’re bound to see plenty of familiar faces.
Here are 10 players to watch in the startup league, from familiar NFL names and potential NFL players to college stars you might have forgotten.
1. Houston Roughnecks DE Kony Ealy: Ealy was drafted a few picks before Jimmy Garoppolo and Jarvis Landry in the second round of the 2014 draft, and for a while it appeared that he, like they, would be an NFL regular. The Missouri product started 15 games for the Panthers over parts of two NFL seasons before being shipped to the Patriots, who waived him before he appeared in a regular- season game. Short stints with the Jets and the Cowboys followed, but Ealy was never able to earn the playing time he received earlier in his career. Now 28, the XFL will give him a chance to prove he deserves another look in the NFL.
2. Seattle Dragons RB Kenneth Farrow: He had a terrific collegiate career at Houston, racking up nearly 3,000 rushing yards over parts of four seasons before signing with the then- San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He served as a backup to guys like Melvin Gordon and Danny Woodhead for a few years before a stint on injured reserve, a brief practice squad stint with the Patriots and, ultimately, a trip to the now- defunct Alliance of American Football. Farrow told USA TODAY Sports last spring that the short- lived startup league gave him an opportunity to amass new tape for NFL scouts. The XFL will provide a similar opportunity.
3. Dallas Renegades WR Jazz Ferguson: Ferguson was a blue- chip prospect out of high school who left LSU due to a failed drug test and academic issues. But after getting back on track off the field, he’s become a dominant force on it – first at Football Championship Subdivision school Northwestern State, then in the NFL’s 2019 preseason, when he led the Seahawks in catches and receiving yards. Now, this 6- 5, 218- pound wideout could very well end up being one of the XFL’s breakout stars.
4. Tampa Bay Vipers QB- RB Quinton Flowers: Flowers has the potential to really shine in the XFL with the way some of the rules are set up, namely the one that allows multiple forward passes. He played quarterback at South Florida but is also listed as a running back by the Vipers, so he’s the type of guy who coach Marc Trestman could line up all over the field. At the very least, Flowers should be a fun gadgettype player, but don’t be surprised if he winds up taking on a larger role.
5. Los Angeles Wildcats RB Elijah
Hood: The Wildcats used their first nonquarterback pick in the draft on Hood, who played eight snaps on special teams in the NFL, in part due to injuries. When healthy, though, Hood has proved he can produce. He ran for more than 8,500 yards at Charlotte Catholic High School and 2,500 more at North Carolina. Just 23, he could wind up being a big- time player in Wildcats offensive coordinator Norm Chow’s offense.
6. D. C. Defenders QB Cardale Jones: XFL leaders knew star power at quarterback would be pivotal to the league’s success, and Jones certainly provides some of that. His NFL career fizzled after short stints with the Bills and the Chargers, but he’ll forever be a legend at Ohio State after leading the Buckeyes to a national championship in spot duty as a freshman. Jones is likely to start at quarterback from Day 1 in D. C., and he’s one of the few players in the league who has the capability to draw in casual NFL fans and expand the XFL’s viewership.
7. Dallas Renegades QB Landry Jones: The first quarterback signed by the XFL, Jones is back with his college coach, Bob Stoops, in a pass- happy offense led by Hal Mumme, one of the founders of the Air Raid system. The former Steelers backup is another guy whom XFL executives hope will entice regular football fans to check out the new league. The big question, however, is Jones’ health. The 30- year- old suffered a left knee injury in training camp and is expected to miss 4- 6 weeks, which puts his status for the Renegades’ first few games in doubt.
8. St. Louis BattleHawks P Marquette King: The XFL rule book seems to prioritize skilled returners over skilled punters, but King – the charismatic former Raider and Bronco – figures to be a prominent figure. The 31year- old might very well be the only player in this league who earned NFL All- Pro status; he was voted a secondteam selection in 2016, about 15 months before new Raiders coach Jon Gruden made the surprising decision to cut him.
9. New York Guardians CB Jamar Summers: Summers might not be a household name, but he was a coveted pick in the defensive backs portion of the XFL draft – and for good reason. Summers, who was undrafted out of Connecticut, had brief stints with three NFL teams. But he impressed last year in the AAF, intercepting three passes in a truncated season. With the Guardians, he could quickly catch the eye of NFL scouts.
10. D. C. Defenders LB Scooby Wright: Wright has had a fascinating career, with an incredible 2014 season and not much since. That year at Arizona, he was a unanimous All- American and won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Lombardi Award and Chuck Bednarik Award. He even received some Heisman Trophy votes. But his subsequent season was shortened due to injury, and he never made much of an impact in the NFL. This will be a chance for him to at very least vie for consistent playing time again after hopping between NFL practice squads and the AAF in recent years.