On Monday, sports fans finally received more information from the XFL. The 2020 football league already revealed coaches, team names, colors, and logos in the past year.
However, plenty of people were wondering how the teams would get players. Thankfully, the league released an XFL Draft pool list on Monday for the upcoming rebooted football league.
XFL Draft pool list revealed with available QBs
The XFL let fans know months ago that the highest-paid position for their league would, in fact, be the quarterback. The first player officially revealed as a part of the league was former NFL quarterback Landry Jones.
However, his team is still to be announced.
With Monday’s XFL Draft pool list reveal, a number of former college stars are now shown as being available for teams to choose as their top player. Here’s a look at the entire list of players for the first group, with the quarterbacks listed below.
#XFL announces first group of players to enter #XFLDraft pool
MORE ➡️ https://t.co/npaVEtSV2T pic.twitter.com/sT8kQjDUD1
— XFL (@xfl2020) October 7, 2019
The first wave of players included nine quarterbacks with Landry Jones not listed among them.
- Austin Allen (Arkansas)
- Joe Callahan (Wesley)
- CJ Collins (Assembly of God)
- Connor Cook (Michigan State)
- David Cornwell (East Central OK)
- Jake Heaps (Kansas)
- Vad Lee (James Madison)
- Marcus McDade (Sacramento State)
- Darren Thomas (Oregon)
Jake Heaps and Darron Thomas are names that quickly jump out based on their college careers. Thomas led the University of Oregon to the BCS National Championship Game in 2011.
In 2012, he was the signal-caller when they won the Rose Bowl. He had 1,451 passing yards and 11 touchdowns on 138-of-264 completions.
Thomas signed with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders’ practice roster before eventually winding up in Arena Football League with Portland Thunder. During his three years there he completed 138-of-164 passes for 1,451 yards and 27 touchdowns with 15 interceptions.
He’s also been a member of several Indoor Football League squads and other arena clubs but now gets a chance to shine if the XFL can take off.
As far as quarterback Jake Heaps goes, he was the man running things for three different universities in his collegiate career. Heaps started with BYU, moved to Kansas, and then Miami. He went undrafted by the NFL.
Heaps ended up signing with the Jets and Seahawks as well as the CFL’s BC and Saskatchewan Roughriders but only for the practice squads.
Still, over the course of his four college seasons, he tallied 5,233 yards and 32 touchdowns on 497-for-908 completed passes. Those are impressive numbers, but it’s hard to know if Heaps is going to be quite the same sort of player now.
Heaps, now 28, is now a frequent contributor to 710 ESPN sports talk radio based out of Seattle, Washington. That city just so happens to have an XFL team, the Seattle Dragons. Could that mean that Heaps is a lock to become the leader of the team?
When is the XFL Draft taking place?
Based on the tweets the XFL posted on Tuesday, October 15 is the official start date for the XFL Draft. That’s when the quarterbacks will be amongst players assigned to teams.
Wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends will also be assigned, as well as offensive tackles, guards, and centers. Defensive linemen and linebackers are also on the draft schedule for that day.
The #XFLDraft blueprint. pic.twitter.com/69zcPYZFMS
— XFL (@xfl2020) October 7, 2019
Wednesday, October 16, is the second day of the draft featuring defensive backfield players. Following their selections, all remaining players will be assigned in 30 rounds.
It’s an exciting time for any fans of the new football league, which has plenty of those already thinking it’s doomed to fail. However, if some of these former college stars like Jake Heaps, Darron Thomas, or Austin Allen can prosper, the league has a chance to attract viewers and fans.
Get more details about how the XFL 2020 draft will work at the league’s official website.