On a cold, rainy Saturday morning, a crowd was gathering outside of Seattle Memorial Stadium in Seattle, Washington. The gates would not open for over 30 minutes, but the lines were already beginning to form. As 9:00 neared, the lines warped back and across the parking lot, and Dragon Nation was ready to see their team.

The gates opened and fans were greeted with classic stadium activities like a beanbag toss and an inflatable QB throwing area. Most importantly, Dragon fans overlooked the field where multiple players had started warming up. Fans then took a seat in the south stands where they watched practice and listened to speakers such as Jim Zorn, Oliver Luck, and director of player personnel Tony Softli.

At approximately 9:23, players started to huddle up and cheer as an electric sense filled the air. The punt team took the field first and punter Brock Miller blasted some balls into the rainy air. Back on the punt return team for the Dragons was Trey Williams, Fred Ross and Austin Proehl. Towards 9:30, the offense and defense split up. At this time, the stands were starting to fill up and speakers would be coming soon. Towards the east endzone, QBs and RBs worked together perfecting mesh points and passes to the RBs.

The Dragons have an impressive room of running backs, all of which can catch passes. “We just might have the best stable in the backfield,” said 1st round pick RB Trey Williams. “Y’all get ready, get your popcorn because it’s about to go down.”

In the QB room, only Brandon Silvers and BJ Daniels were practicing today. Chase Litton was absent for a non-football related reason and of course, Joe Callahan was signed by the Detroit Lions. Both looked pretty solid, and it is still a competition, but I would give Brandon Silvers the slight edge. In 11-on-11s, Silvers was calm in the pocket and threw with good accuracy to the short and intermediate-ranges but rarely pushed the ball too far down the field. The offense seemed the rely on a quick passing game and showed some pizzaz with end-around to players like Keenan Reynolds.

Here is the aforementioned @AustinProehl11 in 1on1s. pic.twitter.com/J5kSOuyAUR

— Jackson (@JFantasyJF) December 15, 2019

The WRs that really stood out to me were Austin Proehl and Reuben Mwehla. Austin Proehl ran most of his routes out of the slot and consistently beat man coverage. Reuben Mwehla was a YAC monster and was a guy they really wanted to get involved in the screen game.

Towards the middle of 11-on-11s, the defense really started to get the better of the offense. Good coverage enabled a pass rush to hit home and force the QBs to get out of the pocket or force throws. Ja’Quan Gardner and Trey Williams both sprung some big runs but the defense did not allow any splash plays in the passing game.

@twll3 with the run! pic.twitter.com/UILMdKP5aL

— Jackson (@JFantasyJF) December 15, 2019

An added wrinkle to the 11-on-11s was the shortened 25 seconds play clock. The official rulebook is slated to come out later this month, but Oliver Luck says that coaches already know the rules and are coaching to them. The field’s play clock was set to 25 seconds but the Dragon’s offense could not meet that pace. It is a very tough adjustment, and will require weeks more of practice, but the Dragons will eventually have to move at that expeditious pace.

Another new innovation that the XFL has is the balls. I could not see a difference in ball flight, but they are definitely a little different than a standard football. “They are a little skinnier than the NFL ball and they have a little more grip to them,” said Kasen Williams. “I like them. For a new ball, something different, I like them.”

Trey Williams could also feel the difference too. “They are tough but we are getting the hang of it,” said Williams. “It’s a football you know. You can not go wrong with a football-shaped ball regardless.”

The final innovation I saw implemented was the new kickoff rules. Ten players lined up across from each other and the kicker stood on the other side of the field by himself. Keenan Reynolds was tasked with returning kicks for the Dragons. Oliver Luck said the main things he wants to see out kickoffs is cutting down injuries and making it an exciting play again, i.e., eliminating touchbacks. This rule had been tested extensively and the kickoffs I saw seemed to flow fine.

For special teams players, this is a new wrinkle from what they are taught, and have to learn a whole new way to play kickoffs. Kasen Williams was on the kickoff team and is trying to get adjusted to this new rule. When asked about what he looks for, Williams says he tries to watch both the returner and the ref at the same time. Williams keys off when the ref’s hand goes down and/or when the returner catches the ball. This is one of the more interesting rule changes to look for in the XFL this year

My favorite moments occurred at the end of the practice when the Dragons met at midfield and faced the fans. Dragon Nation started chanting “Seattle…Dragons” and “Breathing…Fire”. You could tell the players really enjoyed this moment.

“This whole fan base is real,” Trey Williams said. “As players, we really appreciate that.”

Clearly, the players appreciate the fans and it is obvious that the Seattle football world appreciates the Dragons.

Jackson Conner

17-year-old football fan. Team Reporter for Seattle XFL.

The Seattle Dragons and the rest of the XFL have started mini-camps this month and will start training camps the month after. The Dragons had 73 players drafted through both the normal and supplemental drafts. Throughout these preseason practices, the roster will be cut down and there will be positional battles for almost every spot. Right now, I am assuming the players with the highest draft capital have the inside track at the starting job. However, once you get on the field, all that stuff goes away. It’s about who performs, not where you were drafted.

QB:

Brandon Silvers should be the early favorite for the starting job but I would imagine the Dragons will spend a lot of time evaluating all their QBs. Joe Callahan has signed with the Lions, but the Dragons signed Chase Litton and he will join BJ Daniels in the QB room. If the Dragons retain only two QBs, I would think Silvers has a guaranteed spot and the real battle will be for the backup job. The battle between the 30-year-old Daniels and 24-year-old Litton should be an interesting one.

RB:

As most of you know, Dragons OC Mike Riley was the head coach for the AAF’s San Antonio Commanders. The Dragons went ahead and drafted multiple RBs and TEs that were on the Commanders. RBs Trey Williams and Kenneth Farrow were the two lead backs on the Commanders and the Dragons selected them with their first two picks. On the Commanders, Farrow out-touched Williams 101-52 in games they were both active, but I would expect that to even out in the XFL given Williams was picked first. I would guess Farrow gets the slight edge in early-down and goalline work but Williams takes over in passing situations.

Don’t forget about the Dragon’s duo of phase 5 RBs though. Lavon Coleman and Ja’Quan Gardner both have great shots to contribute this year as well. Coleman rushed for 2000 yards at the University of Washington and proved he could catch passes as well (31 in his college career). Ja’Quan Gardner was an ultra-efficient home run hitter in the AAF and is also proficient in the pass-catching department. While his production tailed off a bit towards the end, Gardner came out of the gates hot posting 8-55, 15-104-2, 12-122-1 lines to start the year.

Farrow and Williams have the inside tracks at the starting spots but the drama from this position will come from how well Gardner and Coleman perform.

WR:

It is with deep regret that I inform you that Malachi Jones will not be playing for the Dragons in 2020 as he has signed with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes. Jones was a baller in the AAF and I was looking forward to watching him do more of the same in the XFL. Nevertheless, the Dragons are deep at receiver. They drafted four others in Phase 1, picked up six more in Phase 5 and drafted one in the supplementary round. The phase 1 WRs were Fred Ross (pk3), Keenan Reynolds (pk5), Kasen Williams (pk7) and John Santiago (pk8). Ross and Williams are both typical outside WRs above 6’0 while Reynolds and Santiago fit more into the slot receiver mold. Being picked in the 3rd round, Ross is the favorite to be the alpha receiver early.

Kasen Williams has gotten a lot of publicity and looks to be the favorite to start opposite of Ross on the outside. In the open phase and supplementary rounds, the Dragons added bigger receivers in Jalen Rowell, Korey Robertson, and Tyre Brady. The unfortunate nature is that they probably can’t keep all of these guys so their might be some cuts out of this group. The winner of this battle, though, can easily push to be a starting outside receiver.

In the slot, Keenan Reynolds was the most highly drafted followed by John Santiago. Both of these guys ae converted, Reynolds from QB and Santiago from RB. They are dangerous with the ball in their hand and if neither wins the slot job they can still have an impact on the offense. Gadget plays can be huge parts of XFL offenses and Reynolds and Santiago are guys you want to get in space. Utilizing them on endarounds, screens, and even in the return game would be huge in opening up this offense. The other possible slot receivers are Mikah Holder, Rueben Mwehla, and Austin Proehl. All of those guys can compete for playing time at wide receiver but the Dragons would be hard-pressed to keep all of them.

TE

The Dragons went pretty overweight at TE, drafting 6 of them. Former 2nd round pick Jace Amaro was the first one drafted. He was a big-time receiver in college but failed to bring that to the NFL. Hopefully, he can be a reliable target over the field for Silvers or any other Dragons’ QB. Cam Clear and Evan Rodriguez were teammates in the AAF on the – guess who – San Antonio Commanders. Clear is more of a blocking TE but he still posted 10 catches in the AAF. Rodriguez was a guy that got a little hot streak going to close out the AAF season, catching 8 balls for 139 yards over the last 3 weeks. Rodriguez should compete with Amaro for the receiving TE job.

In the open phase, the Dragons picked Connor Hamlett, Colin Jeter, and Ben Johnson. Ben Johnson caught 61 balls in his time at Kansas, Colin Jeter caught 21, and Connor Hamlett caught 104. I expect the Dragons to utilize the TEs pretty heavily but keeping 6 is a stretch. I bet they keep four with one of them used for almost exclusively blocking.

Big Picture

Overall, I expect the Dragons to be in 12 personnel a lot, to run the football and utilize the TEs and RBs in the passing game. The drafting of two RBs early and 6 TEs signifies that they want to run the ball and run the offense through those guys. Another personnel they could use a ton is 21 personnel; they drafted their RBs early and getting them on the field together could be beneficial to this offense. There is no way to say this for certain but I am just following the draft capital. Zorn did say that he wants to get a little tricky with the offense too at times and having a former QB in Keenan Reynolds could allow for some pretty nifty trick plays.

My projected starting lineup is only based on draft capital right now:

• QB: Brandon Silvers
• RB: Trey Williams/Kenneth Farrow
• WR: Fred Ross, Kasen Williams
• SL: Keenan Reynolds
• TE: Jace Amaro, Cam Clear, Evan Rodrigues
• Returner: John Santiago

My favorite phase 5 picks:

• RB: JaQuan Gardner
• TE: Connor Hamlett
• WR: Austin Proehl
• WR: Jalen Rowell

I will keep you guys updated as practices rage on and roles start to become more defined. Go Dragons!

Jackson Conner

17-year-old football fan. Team Reporter for Seattle XFL.

RD 1: Stansly Maponga DE

The 28-year-old edge rusher from TCU was drafted in the fifth round by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2013 NFL Draft. Maponga went on to play for 3 other NFL teams before getting drafted by the Dragons. A scouting report by Wes Tueve (Bleacher Report)  said this about Maponga “Despite being somewhat undersized, Maponga plays with power. He can be seen driving offensive linemen backward, and he is rarely overpowered himself. Maponga’s pass-rush repertoire includes a variety of moves to get to the quarterback. Though only 6’2″, Maponga has long arms (34.125″) and strong, active hands that show up in both the run and pass games.” Being their first selection the Dragons probably intend to make Maponga one of their primary pass rushers.

RD 2: Nick Temple LB

The Bearcat LB is another former Commander player as the Dragons keep loading up with familiar faces for Mike Riley. Temple is a shorter (5’10) LB but he was extremely productive at Cincinnati. He bounced around between the NFL and the CFL before playing with the San Antonio Commanders in the AAF.  While he may be smaller, Dragon’s fans will love Temple as he will fly from sideline to sideline and be the captain of this Dragon’s defense.

RD 3: Will Sutton DT

Sutton was 3 star DT coming out of high school and committed to Arizona State. Sutton flourished at ASU, he was an All-American and earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2012. He was drafted in the 3rd round by the Chicago Bears and played there for 3 years. Sutton followed that up with brief stints in Minnesota and San Francisco. Last spring, Sutton played 8 games for the AAF’s Arizona Hotshots where he posted 15 tackles, one sack, and two pass knockdowns. Sutton was the first defensive tackle drafted by the Dragons and will be a key cog in this front seven.

RD 4: Tenny Palepoi DT

The second-team All-Pac 12 selection recorded 74 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks at the University of Utah before going undrafted in the 2014 NFL draft. Palepoi signed with the Chargers but lost his full 2015 season to injuries. In 2018, Palepoi joined the Bills camp in the off-season. Like Sutton, Palepoi played in the AAF and was a key part of the Salt Lake Stallions run defense – which was the best in the league.

RD 5: Jacquies Smith DE

The former 2nd team All-Big 12 Selection bounced around between the NFL and CFL before settling into Tampa Bay in 2014. Smith recorded 17 combined tackles, 13 solo tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble for the 2014 season in only 8 starts. Smith struggled with injuries the next few years and bounced around to a few more NFL squads. Now Smith is looking for an opportunity with the Dragons and will hope to be an impactful EDGE rusher this Spring.

RD 6: Steven Johnson LB

Johnson is one of the oldest players on the team and in the league but is just as hungry. Johnson had no college offers coming out of high school so he enrolled at Wyoming Seminary. Johnson started to catch some college scouts attention with his 62 tackles, two interceptions, and four rushing TDs in 5 games. Unfortunately, Johnson tore his ACL and LCL in what was a career-threatening injury. Johnson rehabbed and rebounded by walking onto the University of Kansas football team. In his career with Kansas, Johnson recorded 225 total tackles, 3 sacks, and an interception. Johnson went undrafted in 2012 and made the 53 man roster on the Denver Broncos, starting 7 games over 3 seasons. After a 6 year,Johnson signed with the AAF’s Arizona Hotshots and had a pick-six in their season opener. Johnson should provide some great leadership on this team given his experience but make no mistake, he is here to compete as well.

RD 7: Taniela Tupou DT

Another local product gets a shot with the Dragons as they drafted Tupou in the 7th round of the front seven draft. Tupou attended Archbishop Murphy high school, played for UW football and the Seattle Seahawks. Tupou started a game at FB for the Seahawks but was drafted as a DT for the Dragons. Tupou also played for the AAF’s Arizona Hotshots and recorded 5 tackles and a sack in a game for them. Tupou will look for a big run-stuffing role this Spring.

RD 8: Danny Ezechukwu DE

Ezechukwu was an honorable mention All-Big 10 linebacker and defensive end for Purdue and signed to the Eagles as an undrafted free agent. Ezechukwu saw action in the preseason for the Eagles but could not stick there long term. Ezechukwu did not receive a combine invitation but still posted impressive numbers at his pro day. He ran a 4.68 40 yard dash, posted 26 reps on the bench press, and had 31.5 inches on his vertical and 117 inches on his broad jump. Ezechukwu has a real chance to be a solid pass-rusher for this team.

RD 9: Pasoni Tasini DT

The 6’3 307 lb. DT from Utah was selected with the 9th pick in the front seven draft by the Seattle Dragons. Tasini recorded 35 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 6 pass breakups in college. Tasini spent time between the Cardinals practice squad and active roster for 2 years and now looks to make an impact on opposing teams run games come February.

RD 10: Praise Martin-Oguike DE

Martin-Oguike was born in Abia State, Nigeria and moved to New Jersey at the age of 10. Martin-Oguike went on to play college football at Temple and recorded 124 tackles, 20 sacks, 12 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, 6 blocked field goals, and an interception. Martin-Oguike spent the 2018 summer with the Miami Dolphins and the 2017 summer with the Arizona Cardinals. Martin-Oguike will hopefully be apart of a solid Dragon’s pass-rush rotation.

Jackson Conner

17-year-old football fan. Team Reporter for Seattle XFL.

RD 1 : Isaiah Battle OT

With the first pick of the offensive linemen phase, the Seattle Dragons selected Isaiah Battle from Clemson. In 2015, Battle was drafted in the 5th round of the supplemental draft by the St. Louis Rams. He went on to play for 3 more teams before being waived by the Panthers back in May. Battle should start the season as the Dragon’s LT and will have a big duty to keep Silver’s blindside clean.

RD 2: Venzell Boulware OG

Seattle went for the 6’3 306 lb guard Venzell Boulware with their 2nd pick in this phase. Boulware originally played for Tennessee but then transferred to Miami for the 2018 season. Boulware has the capability to play both guard and tackle but is listed as a guard and should start the season there.

RD 3: Dillon Day C

Seattle chose the Mississippi State product as their first center in round 3. Day went undrafted in the 2015 NFL draft but he did play for 5 NFL teams and won a super bowl with the Broncos. Milehighreport.com had this to say about Day: “Intelligent with strong competitive streak. Rarely busts on tape and is assignment-oriented. Good vision and anticipation of twists and games up front. Can come off of block quickly to pick up twist or blitzer. Thick through middle with good bubble. Plays with desired toughness at the point of attack and is a fighter in tight quarters. Not always pretty, but gets guys blocked.” Day is the favorite to start at center for the Dragons in February.

RD 4: Cyril Richardson OG

Richardson has the most NFL experience out of all these linemen so far. He was an all-american for Baylor in college and got drafted in the 5th round by the Buffalo Bills in 2014. Richardson started 4 games for them and signed with the Bears in 2016. Richardson is also the fifth San Antonio Commander on the roster as he played under Mike Riley there and should be used to the scheme. Richardson is a powerful blocker and should move piles for the Dragons in the run-game.

Rd 5: Quinterrius Eatmon OT

A heralded recruit, Eatmon played his college ball at Southern Florida and was a key cog in an offensive line that helped Marlon Mack (starting RB for the Indianapolis Colts) run for 1000 yards in 2014. Eatmon signed as an undrafted free agent with the Raiders where he saw limited action. Eatmon also participated in the Spring League in 2018. Eatmon will battle to be a starting tackle for the Dragons this upcoming Winter.

Rd 6: Michael Dunn OT

The Maryland product was a versatile linemen for the AAF’s Birmingham Iron this past spring and got signed to the Miami Dolphins shortly after the AAF folded. Dunn played both guard and tackle for the Iron and was a top 10 run blocker in the AAF. He will battle for starting jobs across the line and should end up contributing to this Dragons team.

Rd 7: Kirk Barron C

Barron was a UDFA out of Purdue and has been on both the Dolphins and the Bengals. Barron is explosive, he ran a 5.19 and can dunk a basketball but has not been able to be given a true shot yet. The athletic center will get his shot to prove himself with the Dragons and will hope to lock down an interior line spot.

Rd 8: Jordan Rose OT

The Spokane native played at the University of Idaho and was Sun Belt honorable mention his senior year. At 6’6 315 Rose will battle for a position on the Oline with some of the other later round picks

Rd 9: Robert Myers OG

Myers was a fifth-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft by the Ravens. He played for 3 more teams over the next 2 years and played with the AAF’s Memphis Express last Spring. A scouting report on Bleacher Report said this about Robert Myers “A solid technician, Myers wins with footwork and toughness in the trenches and in space. He has the movement skills to pull and trap and has shown he can get out of his spot and make impact blocks. He’s tough and plays with the instincts and football IQ coaches love.” Myers was the 3rd Guard taken in the draft for Seattle and will compete for playing time.

Rd 10: Craig McCorkle OG

The 6’5 290 linemen played 30 career games at Cal U of Penn. McCorkle was extremely productive in college as he anchored a really good Oline and earned 1st team all-conference honors his last two years. McCorkle will have to battle for a roster spot but has versatility which should help him.

Jackson Conner

17-year-old football fan. Team Reporter for Seattle XFL.

As most of you know, the XFL draft took place this past week in a total of five phases. I will be reviewing all 71 players that the Seattle Dragons drafted phase by phase over the next few weeks starting off with QB assignment and phase one.

QB Assignment: Brandon Silvers

I was not really expecting to get Silvers here but boy was I excited when we got him. Silvers threw for over ten thousand yards and had a 71:29 TD to Int ratio from 2014-2017 at Troy. I was not really too familiar with him at Troy but I watched every single one of his AAF games and the guy is a baller. While his AAF stats were solid (64% completion, 799 yards, 4TDs, 2ints), it was how he gave life to a previously lifeless team that impressed me. The Memphis Express were a 1-win team and Silvers made this team go toe-to-toe with two of the best teams in the AAF. Zachary Gartin (@The_Sideline10 on twitter) charted Brandon Silvers’ accuracy in the AAF and it was fairly impressive. He charted Silvers as 70% accurate (77% short, 67% medium, 47% deep). Silvers threw short 43% of the time which sets up great for Seattle’s weapons (Trey Williams, Jace Amaro, Keenan Reynolds, John Santiago). Overall, I think Silvers will get the job done as the Dragon’s QB and should be able to go toe-to-toe with anyone.

RD 1: RB Trey Williams

What are the chances! Anyone that followed my work in the AAF knows that I was a HUGE Trey Williams fan and even I did not expect him to go this high. I am not complaining though, as Williams will be electric for the Dragons and was definitely handpicked by Mike Riley. Mike Riley was the head coach for the San Antonio Commanders in the AAF, which is where is connection to Williams is. William averaged 5.0 YPC in the AAF and I would expect him to be used in an Alvin Kamara type role for the Dragons. He should get plenty of work, both on the ground and in the air and will be a centerpiece of this offense

RD 2: RB Kenneth Farrow

In round 2, Zorn and the Dragons go right back to a Commander RB. Farrow was Williams running-mate in the AAF and actually handled a bigger workload than Williams (106 carries for 372 yards). I would expect Farrow to take the Mark Ingram role and be a good 1-2 punch with Williams. Farrow could handle some more short-yardage work as he had 4 TDs in the AAF. It will be interesting to see how this RB split shakes out but based on draft capital, these two have the upper-hand early.

RD 3: WR Fred Ross

For their first WR, the Dragons nabbed the Mississippi State product, Fred Ross. Ross balled out at Mississippi State posting 199 catches for 2528 yards and 22 TDs in a little over 3 seasons worth of game. Ross is a good athlete, as he runs a 4.51 40 at 6’1 213 lbs. After watching some highlights, Ross possesses sneaky big-play potential and has an inside track to be the Dragon’s #1 WR based on draft capital.

RD 4: TE Jace Amaro

Amaro probably has the highest NFL draft capital spent on him as he was picked in the 2nd round of the 2014 NFL draft. Amaro went on to have 41 catches for 404 yards and 2 TDs in 17 games for the Jets. It was obviously not what the Jets were hoping for but maybe Amaro can find some success in the XFL. He should get the first crack at being the TE1/chainmover for the Dragons but will have to perform in training camp as they drafted 6 TEs.

RD 5: WR Keenan Reynolds

Reynolds was another player that was drafted previously in the NFL draft, albeit this time in the 6th round. Reynolds played briefly for 3 NFL teams with the hometown Seahawks being the most recent. Reynolds, who is a converted QB, projects to be the starting slot receiver for the Dragons at 5’9 190 and could be another target for Silvers over the middle of the field. Reynolds is a very slippery runner, he could get an opportunity to be a return man and if he’s not a starting receiver he will be a guy that they manufacture screens or end-arounds for.

RD 6: TE Evan Rodriguez

The Dragons took their second TE of the phase here in the sixth round and it was their third San Antonio Commander. Rodriguez was a guy who really came around in the last 3 weeks of the AAF catching all 8 of his targets for 139 yards and a TD. OC Mike Riley is obviously selecting players he is familiar with and that does not bother me. Rodriguez turned into a pretty solid option once he settled in and he already knows Riley’s offense so he has the potential to be a big contributor from the start. He should see plenty of action in 21/31 personnel and will battle with Amaro in training camp for the #1 job.

RD 7: WR Kasen Williams

When they weren’t picking Commanders, they were picking former Seahawk guys. Williams has bounced around to a few NFL training camps but he had his most success in Seattle where he flashed during the preseason. Williams has really good hands and showed his ability to make spectacular catches with the Hawks but was surprisingly cut and could not stick anywhere. Kasen will compete with Fred Ross and Malachi Jones to play on the outside and it will be interesting to see what kind of circus catches he can make in the XFL.

RD 8: WR John Santiago

In round 8, the Dragons picked the electric North Dakota RB (designated as WR in the XFL). Santiago was a 3-time All-American and had 6592 all-purpose yards in college and was just a straight baller. NFL Draft Scout Ric Serritella said his best value was as a return specialist but he could also play slot receiver at the next level due to his open-field elusiveness and catching ability. Like Reynolds, Santiago could play slot for the Dragons but if not he will definitely be a manufactured touch player and return man. Santiago is a player I am really interested in seeing this winter.

RD 9: TE Cam Clear

Mike Riley goes back to the Commander connection has he picks another Commander TE. Clear had 10 catches for 72 yards over the course of the AAF season and was mainly used as a blocker. Clear is a big physical blocker that will probably be used in jumbo sets as a run blocker. Riley did like him enough to take him again though so maybe they have a bigger plan for him here in Seattle.

RD 10: WR Malachi Jones

Talk about a steal. Malachi has shined in both the arena football league and AAF and should contribute for the Dragons in the XFL. Jones has 22 catches for 312 yards and 2 TDs in the AAF and was the top option for the Atlanta offense. Jones should challenge for the “X” receiver role in camp but will most likely get a role either way. He provides a medium between the towering Kasen Williams and Fred Ross and the diminutive Keenan Reynolds and John Santiago.

Overall: 

Overall, this team will have an advantage in the fact that 4 of these players are already familiar with Mike Riley’s offense. The 3 TE approach was a little surprising to me but Riley got guys he was familiar with and this shows to me that they want to run the football. Farrow and Williams should be major contributors to this offense but don’t be surprised if a player from the open phase works in here. The WR rotation is wide open. Ross and Williams are big-bodied outside receivers and Santiago and Reynolds will be gadget type/slot players while Jones is in the middle. The offense should be pretty balanced but it will all come down to Brandon Silvers.

Jackson Conner

17-year-old football fan. Team Reporter for Seattle XFL.

From not even playing football until halfway through high school, to being one of the first players invited to the XFL draft, Andrew Erbes has had a very unique football career. Attending Saguaro High School in Arizona, Erbes did not even play football until his junior year. Instead, Erbes spent his time playing baseball and basketball.

“We knew who he was. We were just wondering what he was doing playing baseball,” said Saguaro High O-line coach Chris Chick. “He had great potential in football because he was 6’1 240 lbs. and light on his feet before he even started lifting.”

Erbes would go on to play football his junior year and start to hit the gym a lot more. He turned into a gym rat, and buffed up to 275-280 lbs. instantly after he started lifting. “He was non-stop in the weight room,” said Chick. “I had to tell him to stop. To go home.”

However, it was not all sunshine and roses for Erbes early in his high school career. Erbes did not start until his senior year in high school, and most of that was due to his lack of football knowledge and experience. Most of the kids at Saguaro had been playing Pop Warner since 3rd/4th grade and some had even been running the same offense as the high school . Erbes, on the other hand, did not even understand zone running concepts, and would often ask very basic questions. “He asked questions like a third-grade kid in Pop Warner,” said Coach Chick. “The whole room would laugh at his questions.”

Erbes did not let this stop him, as he ended up starting his senior year and turned into a pretty good Offensive Lineman per Coach Chick. “You have to have great feet, great technique and have to be nasty,” said Chick. “He had all three.”

Erbes went on to walk-on at Arizona State University followed by a stint at Mesa Community College where he earned all-conference honors instantly. After that, Erbes went to UNLV and graduated with a degree in higher education.

Coming out of college, Erbes did not have a lot of tape, but ended up getting inadvertently scouted by Zen Bliss. Bliss was watching tape of another player at the University of Nevada when Andrew stood out to him. “His aggressiveness and quickness really stood out to me,” said Bliss. “He plays to the whistle and will hit you.” Bliss got Erbes hooked up with coach, former NFL first-rounder Marv Jones, on the IFL team ‘Cedar Rapids Titans’ where he played 3 games against NFL competition and got some better film to give to some teams.

Erbes handed out his film from the IFL at his Pro Day to 15 NFL teams, and a few CFL teams as well. Erbes received interest from the Jets, but ended up going to a Calgary Stampeders mini-camp in Florida. After that did not work out, Erbes played in the Arena Football League, but his ‘big break’ came when the Montreal Alouettes called and signed him to their practice squad. At the end of the season, Erbes got a 2-year contract with the Alouettes and trained hard over the off-season. He came into camp the next year but was cut due to unfortunate injuries that forced the Alouettes to reallocate their American players. This is a rule in the CFL that caps the number of American players on the roster, and Erbes said, “It is rules like this in the CFL that makes guys like me (interior OL) look at the XFL as a much more realistic option.”

However, when one door closes another one opens. Erbes’ agent Brian Brundage urged him to go to the XFL Summer Showcase in Seattle shortly after he was cut, and he took his advice and attended. Erbes was glad he did, as he thought he performed very well at the combine. He was happy with the numbers he got in the combine drills, but he thought the one-on-one portion was where he separated himself. Erbes won all 12 of his reps, getting a few at Left Tackle, Center and both Guard positions. This effort got the attention of Seattle O-Line coach Steve Smith who pulled Erbes aside. Erbes said Smith told him, and a few other O-Linemen, that he was going to advise Seattle to take them in the inaugural XFL player draft in October.

Erbes had a lot of good things to say about Smith as well. “He was awesome,” Erbes said. “I can tell he is a coach that I would love to play for.”

On August 8th, Erbes tweeted that he had received his XFL draft invitation.

My football journey has at least one more page to be written… Thank you @xfl2020 ready to play some ball soon…….🙌🏽🏈 pic.twitter.com/KfjloS9kao

— andrew erbes (@sixtyaje) August 8, 2019

Off the Field

On the field we have seen what Andrew Erbes can do, but off the field, Erbes shines as well. Ron Sowers, a friend of Erbes, said, “On the field, he is a mean son of a gun, but off the field he is the nicest guy ever.” He described Erbes as a character, and a real funny dude.

Erbes believes his relentlessness stands out the most, and he certainly has a case. Playing in three different colleges and multiple pro leagues, and not always getting the results you want can be difficult, but Andrew has been patient and is not giving up. That “relentlessness” has led him to the XFL where everything is (of course) uncertain, but he is looking to have a decent shot to stick with a team.

When it comes to the XFL, Erbes is hoping to get a “full season of film, played against great competition.” A west coast team would be easier for him and his family, but he would be thrilled to play for any of the eight franchises.

Erbes says the final goal is indeed the NFL. “That would be the final validation of all the hard work,” said Erbes. “It is like receiving a PhD in football.”

Right now, Erbes is currently a long term substitute teacher, and is helping former coach Chris Chick coach at Chandler High School in Arizona while he waits for the XFL. Coach Chick raves about Erbes’ coaching. “Ever since I have had him coaching the JV the kids are coming up to me (on varsity) a lot more prepared,” said Chick. “After football, he could really be a good coach.”

Erbes has tons of great opportunities ahead of him, both inside and outside of football. But, that final goal of the NFL is what he is focused on right now, and you better believe he will tear up the XFL to get there.

Jackson Conner

17-year-old football fan. Team Reporter for Seattle XFL.