XFL unveils draft details ahead of 2020 season: What to know
XFL president Jeffrey Pollack reveals features that will distinguish his league from the NFL.
The rebooted XFL’s eight teams will select their rosters during a two day draft from a pool of about 1,000 pre-approved, pro football players, according to details released by the league on Monday.
The league’s inaugural player draft will run on Oct. 15 and 16, with team selections to be announced on the XFL’s website and social media platforms. The 1,000 players participating in the draft received formal invites from the XFL and passed a background check.
The eight teams will each be assigned a quarterback prior to the draft, and then fill out a 71-man roster over five draft phrases. Players at skill positions such as running back and wide receiver will be picked first, followed by offensive lineman, defensive “front seven” positions such as linemen and linebackers, defensive secondary and then all remaining players.
The draft will proceed with a “snake” format, meaning that the team picking first overall in the first round will pick last in the second round. Each team will have 90 seconds to make their pick.
Notable players available in the XFL Draft include former Oakland Raiders quarterback Connor Cook and former Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Weslye Saunders. The XFL previously announced that it had signed former Steelers quarterback Landry Jones, though he has yet to be assigned to a team.
The XFL has not yet disclosed how its players will be compensated.
The league will reveal the entire draft pool by Oct. 11. Its eight franchises are all owned by the league and are located in Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, Seattle, Washington and Tampa Bay, Florida.
The XFL is set to begin play in February 2020. A previous version of the league folded in 2001 after one season due to financial difficulties.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE