- Joined
- Aug 18, 2019
- Messages
- 1,048
13 XFL players LA Rams should call on Monday March 23
The XFL has canceled its season, the NFL will allow the LA Rams to sign their players as of 6:00 am PT on Monday, March 23
ramblinfan.com
13 XFL players LA Rams should call on Monday March 23
The XFL has canceled its season, the NFL will allow the LA Rams to sign XFL players as of 6:00 am PT on Monday, March 23
The LA Rams have plenty of roster roles to fill for the 2020 NFL season. Perhaps a stroke of good fortune, the NFL has authorized teams to sign former XFL players beginning 6:00 am PT on Monday, March 23. The only trouble is, who should they sign, or even vet for signing?
Well, the LA Rams certainly have plenty of roster holes to fill, but not all roles transition from the XFL to the NFL equally. Some roles do have strong similarities, and those are the positions we’ll focus upon.
On the offense, players who equate are the skill players. Quarterbacks pass the ball. Running backs rush the ball. And wide receivers catch the ball. The LA Rams have a rather solid offensive brain trust on the team right now with the combination of head coach Sean McVay and offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell. Between those two, the Rams can be confident in making use of an offensive player’s skillsets if the team brings them aboard.
So who should the LA Rams kick the tires? Well, let’s look at offense and defense separately. Keep in mind that any statistics were based on just five games. And we’re talking signing these players to the 90 man roster. That will give the coaches a chance to observe the players, train them, and determine their potential for NFL Play.
Even if “cut”, this helps out some players who have learned recently that their exciting new XFL league ended their season.
XFL Offensive Players
Houston Roughnecks quarterback PJ Walker is the talk of the XFL. Even if you are not a fan of the sport, you had to be fairly isolated to avoid seeing his highlights on either televised sports broadcasts or highlight clips on social media. Walker is a 6-foot-0 207-pound quarterback out of Temple University. In just five XFL Games, he hurled the football 1,338 yards, for 15 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He is the best-in-slot from the XFL, so he will no doubt hear from some NFL teams interested in adding an electric personality to their roster.
Los Angeles Wildcats quarterback Josh Johnson has a more hometown hero feel to him. He stands taller at 6-foot-2 and weighs in at 213-pounds. While he may not be an XFL highlight guy, he is nearly as adept. In just five games, he tossed for 1,076 yards, 11 touchdowns, and a mere two interceptions. The two advantages I find with Johnson is that he is right in the Rams’ backyard, and he is a sturdier physique. Since the Rams have a need for more depth at quarterback, I would have no problem if the Rams give Johnson a contract to see how he might fit in their offense.
Tampa Bay Vipers running back DeVeon Smith is the right build and weight for what the LA Rams are looking for. Standing 5-foot-10 and weighing 223 pounds, Smith brings a load with him. His workload in an XFL game is fairly light in NFL terms, as he’s carried the ball just 90 times in five games, for 365 yards with 0 touchdowns. Since the XFL has only played five games, it’s impossible to get a good assessment of a player’s durability. But Smith has certainly earned a tryout.
Saint Louis Battlehawks running back Matt Jones another running back with the right dimensions for the NFL backfield. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing a solid 231-pounds, Jones brings a very physical style of running the ball from the University of Florida. He rushed the ball just 80 times in five games for 314 yards and a touchdown. A big bruising body back is just what the LA Rams need right now. Jones is just a jingle away.
Houston Roughnecks wide receiver Cam Phillips is difficult for me to project to the XFL. It’s almost as though he feels like a “mirage”. Standing 6-foot-0 and weighing 201-pounds, he is certainly large enough to fit an NFL role of wide receiver. So far, he’s been lights out in the XFL so far. In just five games, he has hauled in 31 passes for 455 yards and an outstanding nine touchdowns. That’s a touchdown in four receptions! That’s the “too good to be true” element to me. He’s certainly good enough to warrant a hard look. But caveat emptor on those stats.
Los Angeles Wildcats wide receiver Tre McBride is another hometown XFL hero who is doing very well in the new football league. Standing 6-foot-0 and weighing 210 pounds, he is a solid prospect for the NFL and the LA Rams. He too has been very productive, pulling in 16 receptions for 271 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also has an incredible score per four catches ratio going. A player out of William and Mary, he would be a solid prospect to sign for the 90 man roster.
XFL Defensive Players
Seattle Dragons outside linebacker Steven Johnson is a tackling machine. His original NFL draft profile suggested that the 6-foot-0 239-pound outside linebacker indicated that he simply was not athletic enough to succeed at the next level. I’m not certain that holds true today. He is the XFL tackling leader, racking up 48 tackles in 5 games. Projecting into a 16 game NFL season, that equates to 154 tackles. That’s impressive. He plays outside, but he could slide to an inside linebacker role as well. He gobbles up runners, and that is certainly an area the LA Rams would like to improve.
Los Angeles Wildcats safety Ahmad Dixon is a player I love. If it were up to me, I would have his agent on the phone at 6:01 am Monday. He oozes next-door neighbor, who just happens to rip into football ball-carriers for a living. The 6-foot-0 212-pound Baylor brawler has racked up 44 tackles in just five games. He would be an ideal hybrid safety/linebacker for new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley. The LA Rams are down two linebackers in Cory Littleton and Bryce Hager, and two safeties in Eric Weddle and Marqui Christian. Ahmad Dixon is in our backyard. Sign him up.
Los Angeles Wildcats defensive end Cedric Reed fills the void (in part, anyway) that is concerning nearly everyone. Edge rusher walked away when OLB Dante Fowler Jr. signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Reed was an undrafted late bloomer for the Buffalo Bills in 2015, and the Miami Dolphins in 2016. He has stayed in shape so far and has become a fast-rising star player in the XFL. Standing 6-foot-5 and dropping from 269 (draft weight) to 259-pounds (XFL weight), he has recorded three sacks in just 5 games so far. While that’s on pace for just 10 sacks over a 16 game NFL season, that remains impressive for a rookie. He is another hometown XFL hero and would be an ideal signing for the Rams 90 man roster.
New York Guardians defensive tackle Cavon Walker is a defensive lineman who can rush the passer. The LA Rams need to stop right here, pick up the phone, and sign him to the 90 man roster on that alone. He is a powerful defensive lineman, standing 6-foot-2 and tipping the scales at 284 pounds. The big man can move, having racked up 19 tackles, 9 QB hits, 5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks in just five games. It makes sense, as he was recruited to the University of Maryland as a linebacker. He never received an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine, nor did he hear his name called at the 2018 NFL Draft. He was an undrafted free agent for the Chicago Bears and therefore is connected to defensive coordinator Brandon Staley. He’s young, powerful, has a mean streak, and can get to the passer. His 4.5 sacks lead the XFL, and projects to 14 sacks in an NFL season. I love the DL/LB potential of this guy.
Houston Roughnecks cornerback Deatrick Nichols is a 5-foot-9 185 cornerback out of South Florida who has already become a bit of a ballhawk in the adolescent XFL. In five games, he’s racked up 24 tackles, one quarterback sack, and three interceptions. With the loss of Nickell Robey-Coleman, the Rams need depth at the slot and Nichols would give nice competition for the role. He picked right up where he left off in college, where he pulled in 11 interceptions. He has a strong background in track and field and projected as a 6th round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. Since he is coming out of the XFL, the Rams could sign him to the 90 man roster, and earn the equivalent of an extra draft pick from the 2020 NFL Draft
Los Angeles Wildcats cornerback Mike Stevens is another local XFL player who has earned a tryout with the LA Rams based on his XFL production so far. Standing 5-foot-10 and weighing 185-pounds, the former North Carolina State Wolfpack has gotten busy in his five-game XFL career. So far, he’d recorded 23 tackles, one quarterback sack, and two interceptions.
Los Angeles Wildcats cornerback Jack Tocho is a bonus player added because he is big, productive and local. He is a 6-foot-0 202-pound thumper, also hailing from North Carolina State. Tocho was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2017 NFL Draft, but his early results in the XFL shows he has remained active in football.
