The XFL is returning once again. The spring start-up league is looking to finally cement itself as a solid follow-up to the NFL season after two previous attempts to do so.
The league first came into existence in 2001, but it was unable to catch on due to poor quality of play as well as some failed initiatives to make the games more extreme. The tamer, 2020 version of the league had more success, but it had to cease operations midway through the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, the XFL will try another reboot, this time with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at the head of it. And the prognosis is intriguing, especially considering that the league has lured some recognizable names to play in it.
There are plenty of players on XFL rosters that have numerous years of NFL experience, and there are at least a few former stars and first-round picks with whom football fans will be quite familiar.
Below is a breakdown of the most recognizable players on XFL rosters in 2023, starting with a breakdown of the league's 24 quarterbacks.
MORE: Full results, players selected in the XFL Draft for 2023
Quarterbacks in the XFL
Below is the full list of the quarterbacks on XFL rosters to start the 2023 season:
| Player | Team |
| Kevin Anderson | Arlington Renegades |
| Drew Plitt | Arlington Renegades |
| Kyle Sloter | Arlington Renegades |
| Eric Dungey | D.C. Defenders |
| D'Eriq King | D.C. Defenders |
| Jordan Ta'amu | D.C. Defenders |
| Kaleb Eleby | Houston Roughnecks |
| Cole McDonald | Houston Roughnecks |
| Brandon Silvers | Houston Roughnecks |
| Quinten Dormady | Orlando Guardians |
| Deondre Francois | Orlando Guardians |
| Paxton Lynch | Orlando Guardians |
| Jack Coan | San Antonio Brahmas |
| Jawon Pass | San Antonio Brahmas |
| Reid Sinnett | San Antonio Brahmas |
| Ben DiNucci | Seattle Sea Dragons |
| Harrison Frost | Seattle Sea Dragons |
| Steven Montez | Seattle Sea Dragons |
| AJ McCarron | St. Louis BattleHawks |
| Nick Tiano | St. Louis BattleHawks |
| Manny Wilkins | St. Louis BattleHawks |
| Brett Hundley | Vegas Vipers |
| Jalan McClendon | Vegas Vipers |
| Luis Perez | Vegas Vipers |
Currently, every XFL team is carrying three quarterbacks on its roster. The BattleHawks had previously been carry only two before signing former Arizona State starter Manny Wilkins to join their depth chart.
Here's a breakdown of some of the more recognizable quarterback names on that list.
Ben DiNucci, QB, Sea Dragons
DiNucci was a seventh-round pick by the Cowboys in the 2020 NFL Draft and he was thrust into starting action as a rookie when both Dak Prescott and Andy Dalton were out of the lineup. He completed just 23 of 43 passes for 219 yards and ran for 22 yards while being sacked seven times.
DiNucci's college days at James Madison were a bit better, as he ranked fourth in school history in both passing yards (5,716) and passing touchdowns (45). He also led the Colonials to an appearance in the FCS championship game during his senior season, where they lost to perennial juggernaut North Dakota State.
Brett Hundley, QB, Vipers
Hundley starred at UCLA during his college days before he was selected by the Packers in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He started nine games in his second season in relief of an injured Aaron Rodgers and completed 60.8 percent of his passes for 1,836 yards, nine touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also ran for 270 yards and two touchdowns on 36 attempts.
Since then, Hundley has bounced around the NFL but has only thrown 11 regular-season passes, all of which came in 2019 with the Cardinals. Now 29, Hundley will look to put himself back on the map with a little in-game action.
Paxton Lynch, QB, Guardians
Lynch is the highest-drafted quarterback in the XFL. The Memphis product was selected 26th overall by the Broncos in 2016, but he turned out to be a major bust. He went just 1-3 as a starter and completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 792 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions before being unceremoniously released just two years after being drafted.
Lynch, a 6-7 passer, has attempted to bounce back in the NFL, CFL and USFL but hasn't yet found success while struggling with turnovers. Like Hundley, he's 29 and is looking for a chance to prove himself; it remains to be seen whether the Guardians will legitimately give him that.
AJ McCarron, QB, BattleHawks
McCarron may be the XFL's best-known quarterback thanks to his college days at Alabama. He was a three-year starter for the Crimson Tide and helped lead them to three national titles during his time in college. He also finished second in the Heisman voting in 2013.
The Bengals thought enough of McCarron's career to make him a fifth-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. He turned into a quality backup, posting a 2-2 record in four career starts while completing 62.6 percent of his passes for 1,173 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.
McCarron suffered a torn ACL during the 2021 preseason with the Falcons and is now looking to prove he is healthy with the BattleHawks after failing to find work in the NFL last season. He should end up being one of the XFL's top passers in 2023.
Kyle Sloter, QB, Renegades
Sloter may rival McCarron for that title thanks to his recent spring-league experience. Dallas' top quarterback starred in the USFL during the 2022 season, throwing for 1,798 yards (second-most in the league) and nine touchdowns. The Breakers starter did struggle with interceptions, throwing 11, but he was far more accurate at the beginning of the season before he was hampered by a leg injury.
If Sloter can stay healthy, he can use his wealth of NFL experience — he has played for seven different teams and had a three-year stint with the Vikings — to make him a steady starter for the Renegades. Either way, he is built for spring ball and should be one of the top passers each week if all goes well.
Jordan Ta'amu, QB, Defenders
Ta'amu was one of the stars of the XFL when it initially rebooted in 2020. He played for the BattleHawks during that campaign and completed a league-high 72.4 percent of his passes for 1,050 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions.
Since then, Ta'amu has been with the Chiefs, Lions, Commanders, Panthers and the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL. He led the USFL with 2,014 passing yards and 14 touchdowns, so, like Sloter, he should be a solid starter if he can cut down on his turnovers.
MORE: Full schedule, dates, times for 2023 XFL games
Other notable XFL players
Below are some of the other most recognizable players in the XFL, which feature a handful of former NFL stars.
Ryquell Armstead, RB, D.C. Defenders
It's not long ago that Armstead was thought to be the heir apparent to Leonard Fournette with the Jaguars. In fact, when Jacksonville released Fournette before the 2020 season, it was presumed that Armstead, a fifth-round pick out of Temple in the 2019 NFL Draft, would take over for him.
However, Armstead dealt with a serious bout of COVID instead that sidelined him until late in the 2021 season. He racked up 80 yards on 15 carries in limited action at that time and will now look to get his career back on track with the Defenders.
Kalen Ballage, RB, San Antonio Brahmas
Ballage was a fourth-round pick by the Dolphins in 2018 and had a couple of seasons during which he was a solid short-yardage back. He scored three touchdowns in both the 2019 and 2020 seasons before flaming out of the league with a yards per carry average of just 3.1.
Ballage is tough to tackle at 6-2, 231 pounds and figures to be a goal-line back of sorts in the XFL. He had 15 total touchdowns and 1,000 scrimmage yards in his junior year at Arizona State, so the Brahmas will be hoping he can return to that form — even if he isn't a threat to consistently rip off chunk plays.
Vic Beasley, EDGE, Vegas Vipers
Beasley was once a top-10 pick by the Falcons and looked like he was on his way to becoming an NFL star. In his second season, he racked up a league-best 15.5 sacks and was named an All-Pro first-teamer. After that, however, his career fizzled, as he totaled just 18 sacks in 56 games.
Beasley last played in the NFL during the 2020 season and hasn't logged a sack since 2019. Does the 30-year-old Clemson product have anything left in the tank? The Vipers will soon find out.
Martavis Bryant, WR, Vegas Vipers
Beasley isn't the only reclamation project on Vegas' roster. Bryant is another former Clemson player who got off to a fast start in his career before crashing out of the league.
Of course, unlike Beasley, Bryant's problems were related to the NFL's substances of abuse policy. He was for the entire 2016 NFL season and only record 69 catches for 869 yards and three touchdowns in 23 games following his return. He was then suspended indefinitely following the 2018 season and hasn't played since.
Bryant is now 31 and hasn't played football in five years. It will be interesting to see if he is still the same speedy, deep-ball threat that Steelers fans remember or if he has changed his game after so much time on the sidelines.
Sean Davis, S, Houston Roughnecks
Davis may not be as big a star as some of the other players on this list, but he is a six-year NFL veteran who was a second-round pick by the Steelers in the 2016 NFL Draft. He also is the biggest name on the Roughnecks defense and will be tasked with being a playmaker at safety.
Davis totaled 259 tackles and five interceptions in 70 career games. Most of his experience came in his five years with the Steelers and his best season came in 2017 when he logged three picks.
Matt Elam, S, Orlando Guardians
Here's another highly-touted safety who will be looking to stake his claim to a roster spot in the XFL. Elam was a first-round pick by the Ravens in 2013 but never quite panned out. He logged 77 tackles and an interception as a rookie, but he flamed out of the league in just four years.
Elam played for the Defenders in the initial reboot of the XFL and recorded 15 tackles and one interception in the pandemic-shortened season. He has also bounced around the CFL and has played in the Indoor Football League as well.
Josh Gordon, WR, Seattle Sea Dragons
Incredibly, it has been almost a decade since Gordon's breakout season with the Browns in 2013. He posted a league-high 1,646 receiving yards and was named an All-Pro first-teamer. It looked like he was well on his way to becoming a star.
Unfortunately, Gordon's career was put on pause often due to repeated violations of the NFL's substances of abuse policy. He played in 47 games during the 2014 through 2022 seasons and posted a combined 115 catches, 1,833 yards and seven touchdowns while playing with five different teams.
Gordon is now 31 and his best days are likely behind him. Still, fans will be interested to see what he can do in a full, 10-game season; he has only played in that many contests three times in the last nine years.
Marquette King, P, Arlington Renegades
King had a solid, six-year NFL career and burst onto the scene with the Raiders in 2013, when he led the NFL with a 48.9 yards per punt average. He continued to have success as Shane Lechler's successor and was named an All-Pro second-teamer in 2016.
King last punted in the NFL during the 2018 season, his lone year as a member of the Broncos. He eventually lost the job to Colby Wadman and was cut. Since then, King has kicked only in the XFL, playing first with the BattleHawks in 2020.
Now, he will look to make it as the punter for the Renegades.
Cody Latimer, TE, Orlando Guardians
Latimer starred at Indiana, recording 72 catches for 1,096 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior before being selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Broncos. He was expected to be a strong starter on the outside, but he never quite developed into one.
Latimer caught 70 passes for 935 yards and six touchdowns across six seasons with the Broncos and Giants. He provided value on special teams as a returner, but he never was anything more than a solid depth player.
Latimer last played in the NFL in 2019 — he was cut by Washington before the 2020 season — but he is attempting a comeback. It may be at a different position too, as the Guardians list him as a tight end. The 30-year-old is 6-2, 215 pounds, so it will be interesting to see how he does at this position or whether Orlando will continue to split him out wide.
Eli Rogers, WR, Orlando Guardians
Rogers, a Louisville product, emerged as a sure-handed slot receiver for the Steelers in 2016. He grabbed 48 passes and totaled 594 yards and three touchdowns as an undrafted rookie, and it looked like he would become a quality role player for the team.
Unfortunately, a torn ACL in 2017 limited Rogers' impact and caused him to eventually lose his job in Pittsburgh.
Rogers has frequented spring leagues since parting with the Steelers in 2019, as he was a part of the original XFL reboot and was rostered by the USFL's Tampa Bay Bandits. He is once again looking to rebuild his value and this time his chance comes with the Guardians.
De'Veon Smith, RB, Arlington Renegades
Smith has only handled three NFL touches during his career, turning three catches into 27 yards for the Dolphins in 2017. Though he never panned out in the NFL, he has been a spring-league star.
Smith led the XFL in rushing yards during the 2020 season with 365. He was the driving force behind the Tampa Bay Vipers offense and was on pace for 180 carries during the short season.
It looked like Smith was poised to earn a big role in the USFL during the 2022 season as well. However, he was strangely cut by Pittsburgh Maulers coach Kirby Wilson before the season after the running back requested pizza in the cafeteria instead of chicken salad.
That incident kept Smith off the field, but it helped him gain further notoriety. Now back in the XFL, he will be one of the driving forces behind Arlington's offense, alongside Kyle Sloter.
Johnny Townsend, P, Orlando Guardians
Townsend is another former Raiders punter who has joined the XFL. He was a fifth-round pick in 2018 but had his share of struggles as a rookie. That caused him to bounce around the league and ultimately left him looking for work in 2022.
If you're wondering why Townsend's name is so familiar, it's worth noting that his brother, Tommy, is the Chiefs' punter. Tommy was a part of the team that just won Super Bowl 57 over the Eagles.
