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XFL Vegas Vipers

Vegas Vipers Select 10 Players During XFL Rookie Draft

June 16, 2023 - XFL (XFL)
Vegas Vipers News Release


ARLINGTON, TEXAS - The following players were selected by the Vegas Vipers in the XFL Rookie Draft conducted on June 16, 2023. Players are listed alphabetically below and head shots for the players can be found here .

VEGAS VIPERS

PLAYER POSITION LAST SCHOOL

Nick Amoah OL UC Davis

Desmond Bessent OL Buffalo

Dwayne Boyles LB South Florida

Stacy Chukwumezie WR Northern Arizona

Jamare Edwards DL James Madison

Lorenzo Fauatea DL BYU

T.J. Green RB Liberty

Robert Mitchell OL North Carolina Central

Darrius Nash DB Utah Tech

Naasir Watkins OL Liberty

In addition to the Vipers selections, former UNLV linebacker Austin Ajiake was selected by the Houston Roughnecks during the draft. Full results of the Rookie Draft are also attached.

Players who were drafted in the XFL Rookie Draft 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 select in the draft.

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). Additional information on each of the showcases can be found below.

The XFL Combine, which will be held July 25-27 in Arlington, Texas, will be an invite only. Invitations will be sent to the top performers from the showcases earlier in the summer.

Registration is now open for the XFL showcases. If you are interested in attending, please register here .

The XFL has partnered with Nick Novak, founder of Novak Kicking & Consulting and former professional football placekicker, to run a specialist showcase in San Diego, Calif. on October 22, 2023. This event will focus specifically on kickers, punters, and long snappers, providing a dedicated forum for specialists to exhibit their skill set exclusively for the XFL's player personnel departments.

All specialists must register at www.nicknovak.com to be considered for the event. If accepted, you will receive a formal invitation.

VEGAS VIPER ROOKIE DRAFTEES OL - Nicholas Amoah, UC Davis - Signed an UDFA contract with Chicago Bears in April before being released in May - Named Big Sky Phil Steele Offensive Lineman of the Year, and also earned first-team All-Big Sky honors in 2022 - Offensive line helped UC Davis to the top-ranked passing attack and third-ranked rushing offense in the Big Sky

OL - Desmond Bessent, Buffalo - Participated in rookie minicamp with Chicago Bears this spring - Started 13 games at right tackles for Buffalo in 2022, earning third-team All-MAC honors - Joined Buffalo as a graduate transfer after 4 seasons at San Diego State

LB - Dwayne Boyles, South Florida - Participated in Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie minicamp this spring - Played in a program-record 54 games (43 starts) at South Florida - Ranked among program's all-time leaders in career tackles (7th, 315) and single-season tackles (9th, team-best 108 in 2022)

WR - Stacy Chukwumezie, Northern Arizona - Recorded 96 receptions for 1,629 yards and 12 TDs in 28 appearances for NAU. - His 19.3 yards per catch in 2019 is tied for 6th on NAU's all-time single season rankings. - Three-time Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Award recipient. - Was invited to the New York Giants rookie minicamp.

DL - Jamare Edwards, James Madison - Second-team All-Sun Belt selection in 2022, tallying 44 tackles (23 solo) to go with 12.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery - Transferred to JMU after spending five seasons at Marshall (2017-21), where he Appeared in 34 career games for the Thundering Herd with 15 starts on the defensive line - Two-time All-Conference USA Selection, earning Second Team in 2020 and Honorable Mention in 2021

DL - Lorenzo Fauatea, BYU - Part of BYU's defensive line from 2017-2022, appeared in 46 games with nine career starts, including six his senior season - Concluded time as a Cougar with 64 total tackles (36 solo, 28 assisted) and 11 tackles for loss for 49 yards - Also had six career sacks for 40 yards, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery - Totaled 22 tackles (11 solo) in 2022 to go along with five tackles-for-loss, 2.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and pass breakup

RB - T.J. Green, Liberty - Invited to participate in the NFL's Minnesota Vikings rookie minicamp in 2023. - Led all running backs on the season with 477 rushing yards on 75 carries. - Finished the year with four rushing touchdowns. - Offensive MVP of the LendingTree Bowl.

OL - Robert Mitchell, North Carolina Central - Named MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2022 after starting all 12 games and allowing just 8 pressures with 69 pancake blocks in 731 plays - Saw action in 26 games during his three-year tenure at NCCU - Played at Lackawanna College, earning all-conference honors, prior to transferring to North Carolina Central

DB - Darrius Nash, Utah Tech - Played in 47 career games at Utah State - Finished career with 214 career tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 22 passes defended and four interceptions - Hails from Los Angeles and earned Valley League MVP and first team All-City honors as a senior at San Fernando High School

OL - Naasir Watkins (Nah-SEAR), Liberty - Started 12 of 13 games in lone season with Liberty - Transferred to Liberty from Kentucky - Saw playing time in 25 games during five seasons with the Wildcats - Finished the 2019 season with 12 knockdowns and helped Kentucky set a single-season school record with 3,624 rushing yards, 36 rushing touchdowns and averaging 6.3 yards per carry

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