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XFL Arlington Renegades

Arlington Renegades Complete 2023 XFL Rookie Draft

June 16, 2023 - XFL (XFL)
Arlington Renegades News Release


ARLINGTON, Texas - The Arlington Renegades today selected 10 players in the 2023 XFL Rookie Draft. Arlington's selections are listed alphabetically below, along with bio information on each player. The full list of Rookie Draft selections is attached to this email. Headshots of Arlington's selections are available here.

The Renegades selected three players with Texas ties, including DL Ami Finau (Euless Trinity HS), DB Jalen Green (played at Texas from 2018-20), and LB Chris Whittaker (Incarnate Word).

"We are excited about the class of players selected in the 2023 Rookie Draft," Arlington Renegades head coach Bob Stoops said. "We will continue building our roster this offseason as we look to defend our XFL Championship in 2024."

ARLINGTON DRAFT SELECTIONS (listed alphabetically):

WR Sy Barnett, Davenport University

- Signed as an UDFA with New Orleans Saints in May before being released

- Became the first-ever Davenport University player to sign an NFL contract

- Displayed versatility by playing wide receiver and punter at Division II Davenport

- Transferred to Davenport after winning a Division II national title at Ferris State

QB Connor Degenhardt, New Haven

- Participated in Kansas City Chiefs rookie minicamp this spring

- Played two seasons at Division II New Haven, leading the Chargers to an 18-5 record, a pair of NCAA playoff appearances, and a Northeast-10 conference title

- Threw for 4,500+ yards with 50 touchdown passes and 21 touchdown runs at New Haven

- Began college at the Division I level with Holy Cross, where he played three seasons

DL Ami Finau, Maryland

- Participated in New York Giants rookie minicamp this spring

- Finished college career at Maryland after transferring from Independence (KS) CC

- Was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection in 2021 and 2022

- Born in Hawaii but attended Euless Trinity High School in the DFW area, earning first-team All-State honors as a defensive tackle

DB Jalen Green, Mississippi State

- Participated in Minnesota Vikings rookie minicamp this spring

- Appeared in 13 games with 10 starts as a fifth-year senior in 2022, finishing with 50 tackles, 7 pass breakups, and 2 interceptions

- Played two seasons at Mississippi State after transferring from Texas (2018-20)

- Houston native was a consensus four-star prospect and rated as a top-20 recruit in Texas

WR Charles Hall, Arizona State

- Participated in Kansas City Chiefs rookie minicamp this spring

- Played one season at Arizona State in 2022 as a grad transfer from D-II Viriginia Union

- Was a dual-sport athlete at Virginia Union, competing in football and track and field

- Logged 9 games with 100+ receiving yards as a junior in 2021

- His uncle, Troy Vincent, is Executive Vice President for Football Operations for the NFL

OL James Jackson, South Alabama

- Participated in Buffalo Bills rookie minicamp this spring

- Was a two-year starter at South Alabama after transferring from Mississippi State, helping team to a 10-3 record and an appearance in the New Orleans Bowl in 2022

- Selected to play in the 2022 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl

OL Jordan Rhodes, Arkansas State

- Participated in New Orleans Saints rookie minicamp this spring

- Played collegiately at Arkansas State (2022), Ole Miss (2021), and South Carolina (2018-20), starting all 11 games at right guard last season

- Member of Ole Miss team that played in the Sugar Bowl in 2021

LB Merlin Robertson, Arizona State

- Participated in NFL rookie minicamps with Baltimore and Washington this spring

- Played five seasons at Arizona State from 2018-22, logging 320 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, and more than 3,000 career snaps for the Sun Devils

- Two-time captain was named to Butkus Award Watch List in 2022

LB Chris Whittaker, Incarnate Word

- Participated in Denver Broncos rookie minicamp this spring

- Appeared in 14 games at Incarnate Word in 2022, posting 36 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks

- Florida native also spent time at Florida International and Kentucky

LB Jordan Wright, Kentucky

- Participated in Chicago Bears rookie minicamp this spring

- A five-time letterwinner who played in 54 career games with 22 starts in six seasons at Kentucky, finishing his tenure as a team captain

- Totaled 168 career tackles, 25.0 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, 15 pass breakups, 14 quarterback hurries, 5 forced fumbles, 5 fumble recoveries, and 2 interceptions

ARLINGTON TRADE: The Renegades completed a trade this morning, acquiring LB Tuzar Skipper from the Seattle Sea Dragons in exchange for OL George Moore. Draft picks were involved in the trade as well. Skipper, who has seen NFL action with the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans, ranked fourth in the XFL with a team-high 6.0 sacks in 2023.

In order to be eligible for today's draft, players must have been 1) eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft and 2) not under contract by a professional football team. Drafted players will be placed on XFL rosters with players who finished the 2023 season on active and reserve lists. XFL teams will hold exclusive rights with the players they selected.

For undrafted players, the XFL will host a series of player showcases across the United States in June and July. These showcases will give prospective football players a chance to exhibit their skills in front of XFL coaches and personnel directors. Players will be evaluated based on performance for inclusion in the XFL Draft player pool for the upcoming 2024 season. The top performers will be invited to the XFL Combine, which will be held July 25-27 in Arlington, Texas.

Additional showcases will be held throughout the summer in Atlanta (June 18), St. Louis (July 7), Washington DC (July 9), Houston (July 14), and Arizona (July 16).

Check out the Arlington Renegades Statistics



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