Tampa Bay Vipers Assemble Initial Roster Through Two-Day XFL Draft
October 16, 2019 - XFL (XFL)
Tampa Bay Vipers News Release
The Tampa Bay Vipers have selected the organization's initial roster through the 2019 XFL Draft.
Over the two-day draft, each of the eight XFL franchises populated a 71-man team by selecting players from a set of positional groupings. The draft pool included approximately 1,000 professional football players, all of whom accepted a Commissioner's Invitation and passed a standard background check. In Phases 1-4, each team chose 10 players for a total of 40 players. In Phase 5, each team chose from the pool of remaining players to complete its initial roster.
Prior to the start of the draft on Tuesday morning, the XFL announced that Aaron Murray, a high school All-American from Plant High School in Tampa and the SEC's all-time leader in passing yards (13,166) and passing touchdowns (121) will play quarterback for the Vipers. Tampa Bay drafted skill position players, offensive linemen and defensive front seven players on day one, highlighted by tight end Nick Truesdell, receivers Seantavius Jones and Jalen Tolliver, running backs De'Veon Smith and Quinton Flowers, center Jordan McCray and defensive end Obum Gwacham.
On Wednesday, the draft kicked off with the defensive backfield phase. Tampa Bay selected cornerbacks Arrion Springs and Picasso Nelson with the eighth and ninth picks and cornerbacks Demontre Hurst and Jude Adjei-Barimah in rounds three and four. In the open draft phase, the Vipers set the foundation of its special teams by drafting kicker Andrew Franks, punter Jake Schum and long snapper Nick Moore in the first three rounds. The Vipers also added running back Ralph Webb, Vanderbilt's all-time record-holder in carries, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.
The coaches and scouts for each XFL team gathered in their local markets to draft their initial rosters. Teams were given 90 seconds to make a selection and declare their picks through a video conference with the XFL home office in Stamford, Connecticut. Using a "snake" format, the selection order within each phase reversed after every round and was determined by lottery under the supervision of Commissioner Oliver Luck.
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- Tampa Bay Vipers Assemble Initial Roster Through Two-Day XFL Draft - Tampa Bay Vipers
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