XFAlpha Podcast Notes - Episode 11

This may be my favorite episode yet, and it's not particularly anything we did, but it turns out that linebackers are ripe topic, including two linebackers for the Guardians that absolutely blew my mind for different reasons. Before we get into that, we discuss some exciting XFL TRADES!

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LINEBACKER

1. New York Guardians
1. Ben Heeney - Ben Heeney was a tackling machine at Kansas which was enough to make him a fifth round pick by the Oakland Raiders. He played in the NFL for three years from 2015-2017, and OH MAN, this guy has the HOTTEST TAKES ON TWITTER. He doesn’t believe student athletes should transfer. He works out in a backwards upside down visor. Literally, his most recent tweet from when I did my research was him blaming child pornography on participation trophy culture. This was the first linebacker I looked at, and I thought maybe I should just stop altogether, because that last tweet deserves an hour-long discussion alone.
2. Nick DeLuca - Had a hell of a career at North Dakota State where he was DI-AA All-American and was good enough to get an invite to the Senior Bowl. He signed with the Titans after the draft, got cut early and then signed on with the Jaguars where he was able to make it to their active roster where he played in nine games last year. He’s a fringe NFL guy so I think he’s a player to keep an eye on this season. 
3. D’Juan Hines - Was the #23 Quarterback recruit in the nation coming out of high school before committing to Houston as an athlete. He moved to linebacker late and became a tackling machine. He went undrafted but made the Browns roster and played in 13 games, mostly special teams. Considering he is relatively new to the position and that he was still able to make a team last year, I think there is a lot of potential in Hines. 
4. Frank Ginda - San Jose State linebacker who left after his junior year when he led the nation in tackles with 173. He has not been able to make an NFL roster, but the guy clearly has a nose for the ball and might just need the opportunity to show it. He also believes in early morning workouts being ideal to getting a great start to the day. 
5. Jawuan Johnson - Spent his first three years at Northern Illinois before grad transferring to TCU. 
6. Darnell Leslie - Was an undersized defensive end in college for Monmouth so he’s likely going to be pretty raw for the linebacker position.
7. Robert McCray - Defensive End out of Indiana which makes me think that the Guardians may run a 3-4 or at least a hybrid combination between the 4-3 and 3-4. 
8. Antonio Morrison - Florida Gator where he was suspended for two games for barking at a police dog. He was going to leave school early but had such a bad leg injury that they weren’t sure if he would be able to walk normally again. He managed to fully recover and get an invite to the Senior Bowl and was drafted in the fourth round by the Colts. He played in all 16 games from 2016-2018, and then got cut by the Packers in March and never made it into another team’s training camp. This may be partially that he made a Southwest plane return to the gate because people were wondering why he put his bag under an empty seat instead of under his seat. He then just started cussing at everyone, including my favorite, “Fuck you, you don’t own this plane.” This is a very fun thing to say in a variety of public transportation vehicles.
2. Houston Roughnecks
1. Edmond Robinson - I’m pretty sure Edmond may be the only guy to get a combine invite from Newberry, but it was worth his time as he showed how athletic he was. It was enough to get him drafted in the seventh round by the Vikings. He made it two years with the Vikings before playing one game with the Jets in 2017 and then failing to catch on after that. But really, this is an athlete, not a football player. He didn’t even produce big numbers at Newberry. He’s got great size and athletic ability, but I have trouble imagining that he’s finally going to figure out the position. He is another retweeter of Joel Osteen.
2. Davis Tull - The pride of Tennessee-Chattanooga, and one of the most athletic outside linebackers in combine history. Over his last three years with the Mocs, he averaged over 10 sacks a year with over 17 tackles for loss so he showed that he could tear it up on smaller school athletes. Unfortunately, even after becoming a fifth round pick by the Saints, he was never able to make an active roster in the NFL. He graduated in 2014 so he’s a little bit older, but he’s still likely the best athlete of any linebacker in the league, and considering he has shown some skill in the past, he might make it as an edge rusher if given the right opportunity. 
3. Beniquez Brown - Mississippi State Linebacker where he was productive but was unproductive at the combine which stopped him from being drafted and he has not been able to make a roster. He remained productive in the Alliance where he finished second in tackles. 
4. Andrew Jackson - Western Kentucky Hilltopper who was a sixth round pick by the Colts in 2014. He played in 13 games his rookie season but was unable to hang around after that. Not a former US President.
5. DeMarquis Gates - Linebacker at Ole Miss who had 114 tackles during his senior year in 2017 but has not been able to make an NFL roster. He did lead the Alliance in tackles. 
6. Drew Lewis - Colorado linebacker fresh out of school. 
7. Carl Bradford - After a successful career at Arizona State where he had 20 sacks over his final two years there, he was a fourth round pick by the Green Bay Packers in 2014. He didn’t get in any games his first two years but did play in six games in 2016 but has not been on an active roster since. I feel like I’ve run into a lot of guys in Arizona who put up massive college stats and don’t do anything in the pros so I’m going to stay away from all Arizona prospects from here on out. In his spare time, he likes to stream video games on Mixer. 
8. Kaelin Burnett - Nevada product that played in 27 NFL games but none since 2014. Since he graduated school in 2011, he’s got possibly the lowest upside of any player in the league. On Twitter, he says some deep stuff like, “You play stupid games, you win stupid prizes.” 
9. Johnny Ragin - Oregon player who has a great name for a linebacker. Has more tweets about God than tackles.
10. Ty Schwab - Had over 100 tackles for Boston College his senior year. 
11. LaTroy Lewis - Tennessee Volunteer that later played for the Titans, and even though he only played in two games in 2017, he did get a sack. 
3. DC Defenders
1. James Vaughters - Stanford linebacker and one of the few players that has actually played in the 2019 season and has played for my beloved Chicago Bears. Not sure if he is going to make the XFL as he is still on the Bears practice squad. Clearly, he’s right on the cusp of the NFL so he would be a very strong player for an XFL team. 
2. Scooby Wright - Scooby Wright tore it up in college for Arizona. I thought for sure he was going to be a steal with his production. His sophomore year, he rightly won all of the defensive awards since he had 164 tackles, 31 tackles for loss with 15 sacks included. He was injured his junior year and still came out but fell all the way to the seventh round to the Cleveland Browns due to a terrible combine performance. He was released by the Browns but caught on in Arizona, playing 13 games over his first two seasons but has been unable to make a roster since then. I know it’s probably not going to happen for Scooby, but I can’t help but dream that he might rediscover that magic he had for the Arizona Wildcats. 
1. As an aside, I would like to bring up something about the Arizona Wildcats. Jonah, I once went to a game at Arizona and found out that their slogan is Bear Down. They are the wildcats, and their motto is Bear Down. I have done zero research outside of what drunk college students told me, but apparently a dying player said that as his final words. Obviously a young death is terrible, but you don’t HAVE to honor the last words of somebody if they don’t make any sense. I’m just happy his last words weren’t, “Vaccinations cause autism,” because in Arizona, they would have had to take that as gospel.
3. Jameer Thurman - From Indiana State to Grey Cup Champion. 
4. Jonathan Celestin - Minnesota Golden Gopher who once returned an interception for a touchdown. 
5. Koa Farmer - Penn State linebacker.
6. Jordan Jones - Kentucky linebacker who had a strong sophomore year with over 100 tackles and 15.5 tackles for loss but those numbers fell off during his final two years as a Wildcat. His favorite show is Jersey Shore, and a hashtag to describe himself would be #GoHard. 
7. AJ Tarpley - Stanford graduate who played one year in the NFL for the Bills before retiring from football due to concussions so my biggest hope is that his head stays safe. He believes it should be illegal to serve only one piece of toast at a breakfast establishment. 
8. Kerron Johnson - Coastal Carolina linebacker. Not Kerryon Johnson.
4. Los Angeles Wildcats
1. Eric Pinkins - San Diego State linebacker who was drafted in the sixth round by the Seahawks, so even though I’ve done no research, I’m going to guess he is hyper-athletic. He made it into 11 games over the 2015 and 2016 seasons for the Seahawks and Giants but has not been with an NFL team since.
2. Tre’ Williams - Auburn linebacker who is currently serving a two-game suspension in the NFL that will happen if he ever makes an NFL roster.
3. Alex Funches - Cal Linebacker who was more of a pass rush specialist.
4. Quentin Gause - Rutgers linebacker who played three games for the Broncos in 2016. 
5. Taiwan Jones - Former Michigan State Spartan who is definitely using the XFL as a launching point to get him in the WWE. He’s already tried out before with the WWE when the Alliance folded, and this may be just what he needs to impress Vince McMahon. I am a bit surprised he was never able to make it in the NFL as he played well for the Spartans. 
6. Jerimiah Spicer - RELEASED - Jonah thought that a survivor of the Aurora Mass Shooting was the best story, but I think Spicer has him beat. This dude was left in a dumpster as a child, got reunited with his grandma, but was homeless again when she passed away. He played football at Riverside Community College before dominating Major League Football. He’s had tryouts with NFL teams but nothing more than that, and not that he needs it, but he has extra motivation as he is a new Dad to twins. I think the chances of his success in this league are low, but this is a guy who has beaten much worse odds before. 
7. Will Smith (Texas Tech) - Texas Tech linebacker who loves to get jiggy wit it. Anyone who’s been to Lubbock knows it’s the Wild Wild West. Many called the XFL Draft his Independence Day. I could do this all day. 
5. Dallas Renegades
1. Ray Ray Davison - Linebacker out of Cal. 
2. Greer Martini - Notre Dame linebacker.
3. Jonathan Massaquoi - After a strong career at Troy, including a 13.5 sack season, he was selected by the Falcons in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played three years with the Falcons but hasn’t even sniffed an NFL roster since before the 2016 season. He occasionally burns his mouth on hot lattes. 
4. Tegray Scales - Was pretty damn productive for the Indiana Hoosiers but wasn’t able to make it on an NFL roster. Just graduated in 2017 so still in his prime. He’s one of the more intriguing linebackers on this team. 
5. Asantay Brown - Western Michigan linebacker who averaged about 100 tackles his final three seasons. 
6. Reshard Cliett - USF Linebacker who didn’t have big production but got drafted in the sixth round by the Texans when he ran a 40 yard dash in the 4.4 range. More of an athlete than football player. 
7. Marquis Flowers - Flowers became a sixth round pick by the Bengals in 2014 after a late transition to linebacker during his college career at Arizona. He’s managed to be a solid backup and special teams contributor up through last season so it’s a little surprising he didn’t make a team, but he is more of a special teams guy as opposed to an impact linebacker. May be valuable as he knows the secrets of the Patriot Way. 
8. Tre Watson - Maryland linebacker. 
9. Tobenna Okeke - Fresno State linebacker who had six sacks in 2017.
6. St. Louis Battlehawks
1. Terence Garvin - Went from undrafted free agent out of West Virginia to playing every season from 2013-2018 before not making a team this year. Possibly the most NFL experience of anyone in the league although it was mostly on special teams. He believes Smart Guy is the best show ever. I disagree pretty hard on that one. 
2. Nicholas Grigsby - Undrafted out of Pitt, he managed to carve himself a role in the NFL from 2016-2018 but was unable to make the Ravens this year. 
3. Steve Beauharnais - Rutgers player so of course he was drafted by the Patriots. That was way back in 2013 and although he made it into a couple games his first two years, he has not been in a training camp since 2015. Stick a fork in him. He’s done. 
4. Garret Dooley - Wisconsin linebacker who is really good at Fortnite. 
5. Ro’Derrick Hoskins - Florida State linebacker. His Twitter makes me think he is a robot.
7. Seattle Dragons
1. Nick Temple - Linebacker who went to Cincinnati who graduated in 2014 and hasn’t made an NFL roster so there’s probably not a lot of upside here.
2. Steven Johnson - Kansas Linebacker who played six years in the NFL before he was unable to make a team in 2018, and the man even wrote a book. He’s an older guy at 31, but it’s tough for anyone in the league to match up with his level of NFL experience. 
3. Dante Booker - 5-star recruit and the first defensive player to win Mr. Ohio since Andy Katzenmoyer before committing to Ohio State and...not really doing anything for the Buckeyes. Maybe he can finally come through on that potential.
4. Nyles Morgan - Notre Dame linebacker who loves Chipotle. He put up pretty decent stats for the Fighting Irish so a little surprised he hasn’t gotten more of a shot professionally.
5. Gionni Paul - Utah linebacker who broke his arm in his final Alliance game, but luckily, the Utes fans helped him pay for his medical expenses. 
6. Kyle Queiro - A strong safety for Northwestern, he’s been trying to transition to linebacker since college. He believes Sunny Delight is garbage. For fries, he prefers honey mustard over ketchup. 
8. Tampa Vipers
1. Reggie Northrup - Florida State linebacker who has failed to make an NFL roster.
2. Emmanuel Beal - Played a couple years for the Oklahoma so a little surprising he didn’t end up on Dallas. He also agrees that Florida is too cold. 
3. Lucas Wacha - Wyoming linebacker who used to have excellent flow but has since cut his mane. He was coaching high school at the time he got the call for the XFL so there is a fun video of his players celebrating that he made the league. 
4. Anthony Stubbs - Prairie View A+M linebacker.
5. Terrance Plummer - Central Florida linebacker who got a little NFL time but has been on the fringes for a few years before transitioning to the minor leagues of football. 
6. Ike Spearman - Eastern Michigan grad with a very good linebacker name.