The reboot XFL is set to begin with their draft this week. Here’s a full preview of every former Syracuse football star in the draft pool.
The XFL is relaunching in early 2020 once again under the ownership of Vince McMahon. This time around Oliver Luck, former NFL quarterback and businessman will be the CEO and commissioner. Several former Syracuse football players are looking for a second chance in the XFL.
In 2001 the XFL held its inaugural season, which also turned out to be their last season. The league acted more as entertainment than actually good football. It brought fans a fast and extreme level of football they have never seen before at the expense of quality play.
In 2020 the league looks to relaunch and put some great play on the field while providing football when there isn’t any other option. The XFL tends to have some different rules to speed up gameplay and to be different from the NFL.
However, their draft rules are quite unique, as well.
The league released lists of players who have declared for the draft. These players become the talent pool that will be selected by the eight XFL teams from October 15-16.
The XFL will hold 71 rounds over the two-night draft process. Each team will be assigned one quarterback to start that draft. From there, the team executives will take over the draft process. The draft selections will be conducted in phases.
The first phase will be 10 rounds of skill position players only, such as quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends. Each phase will be in a snake draft format where the team with the last pick in the first round will have the first choice in the second round.
Next is the offensive line phase. Each team will have 10 rounds to construct their offensive line. Following that phase will be the defensive front seven.
On Wednesday night, the draft will begin by teams having 10 rounds to select their secondary. Lastly, the final 30 rounds of the draft are for whoever the teams want to draft. This is the open stage of the selection where any position could be selected.
One Syracuse star that entered the draft pool was quarterback Eric Dungey. However, before the draft, Dungey signed a professional contract with the Cleveland Browns (practice squad)
Syracuse football finds a number of their former players among the draft pool. Let’s take a look at the players who could be selected and how they faired with the Orange.
Sean Hickey
Offensive tackle Sean Hickey was the first Syracuse player announced to be in the XFL draft pool. The O-lineman started 38 straight games in his collegiate career between 2012-2014.
Hickey left Syracuse to pursue his football prospects on the next level. He began with the New Orleans Saints practice squad but was ultimately released.
In the end, Hickey was signed by six NFL squads but never made a game appearance.
Despite moving around the NFL, Hickey hopes to find a home with one of the XFL’s eight new franchises. The tackle brings durability and strength to whatever team selects him.
For Syracuse, he started in all 38 games that he played. In 2014 Hickey was a third-team All ACC selection.
During his time with the Orange Hickey wasn’t only a force up front for ‘Cuse, but he was regarded as one of the smartest athletes on the squad. Four times Hickey was selected to the athletic director’s honor roll. In 2014 he was selected to the 2014 All-ACC academic team.
In Sean’s last two seasons, he was tasked with protecting the quarterback’s blindside. So he has experience in the most challenging position on the line. In his junior year, he played some right tackle after Justin Pugh returned from injury. During his college career, Hickey showed versatility in either tackle spot.
In high school, Hickey set his school’s record for all-time pancake blocks. Hickey was known for laying out any defender that came in his sight.
We will see if Hickey gets selected on Tuesday night during the O-line phase. Or he could be drafted late on Wednesday during the open stage in the selection process.
Of the eight XFL teams, the closest to Syracuse would be the New York Guardians. Maybe we will see Hickey get a chance to stay close and play in the big apple.
Ervin Philips
Versatile wide receiver, Ervin Philips, threw his hat into the ring this week to be selected into the XFL. The 2017 Orange grad put up some electric numbers in his college career and hopes that will translate to an XFL roster spot.
In the NFL, Philips was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018. Phillps appeared in three preseason games totaling 70 receiving yards. However, Philips was released before the season and has never played in a regular-season game.
Philips is a 5-foot-11 inside slot receiver who may be slightly undersized but makes up for it with speed. With the Orange, Philips had some record-breaking years. Not just for Syracuse but the entire ACC. Throughout his career, Philips began as a running back but transitioned to a wide receiver. He spent some time as a return specialist as well. Needless to say, Philips is a versatile weapon.
He ended his career as the all-time reception leader for Syracuse and finds himself 11th overall in the ACC for receptions. Tyler Boyd, of Pittsburgh, is the only other receiver in ACC history to have multiple seasons of 85 catches or more.
Because of his position transition, Philips is the only player in Syracuse history with 2000 receiving yards and 500 rushing yards. On the hill, he was selected twice as an All-ACC teamer.
Ervin Philips hasn’t broken his way into the NFL, but he has found his way at the top of the Syracuse record books.
The XFL looks to provide fans with an entertaining uptempo style of play with good quality football. Many players hope to relaunch their careers and eventually make the next jump to the NFL. Or at least find themselves as an elite XFL player. Philips looks to take this opportunity to show his skills to everyone watching.
Jordan Martin
Jordan Martin may be an unfamiliar name to some, but that may be because he only played one season for the Orange. After three successful healthy seasons with Toledo, Martin became a grad transfer for SU to play safety.
For Toledo, Martin played cornerback and caught one interception, caused 10 pass deflections, and forced two fumbles. Martin did enough to impress the Syracuse coaches that he earned a spot on the 2017 team.
Martin did miss the entire 2015 season due to suffering a torn ACL and missed his last few games with the Orange because of a wrist injury.
Syracuse lacked depth at safety when Martin arrived, so he made a move to safety and played well for the Orange. The 6-foot-3 redshirt senior had good football IQ and improved the ‘Cuse secondary.
In his lone season with Syracuse, Martin played in eight games starting five of those at free safety.
During his collegiate career, Martin totaled 99 tackles and 14 pass breakups.
Like many in the XFL draft pool, the safety played in the Alliance of American Football. This league was created last year with a similar purpose to give players another platform if they didn’t make it to the NFL. However, the league folded only eight weeks into the season.
Martin was a member of the San Diego Fleet’s secondary. In eight games, he totaled 17 tackles with one interception to his name. His play impressed NFL scouts and earned him a tryout with the Minnesota Vikings.
In the end, the Vikings offered him a contract that he accepted. However, he was released shortly after signing.
Martin has the first-hand experience that these leagues can lead to NFL opportunities. So he hopes that if he impresses in the XFL, then he can get another shot with an NFL squad.
Jamar McGloster
Jamar McGloster is an imposing threat to any defender that steps on the field. The Hillside, New Jersey native, stands at 6-foot-7 and over 300 pounds. McGloster’s job when he steps on the field is to knock the defender over, not just to block them.
In Dino Babers’ first season as head coach, McGloster made his first start. In 2016, his junior year, he became the starting right tackle. He ended up starting all 12 games that season.
The Orange lineman was second on that front with 824 snaps on the season. One primary key about McGloster is his durability. He played a lot of snaps for SU and never missed a game he was slated to play.
From 2016-2017 McGolster started in 24 consecutive games and played in 30 overall games for SU. All of these starts occurred at the right tackle spot for the Orange.
In 2016 the junior recorded 11 knockdown blocks and in the following year, finished with 12. The O-line was pivotal in protecting the quarterback who had success during McGloster’s time on the hill.
Syracuse’s quarterbacks finished second in the ACC in passing yards behind the strong O-line that fought off incoming pressure.
After Syracuse McGloster tried to find his way onto an NFL roster. After graduating in 2017, Jamar became an undrafted free agent. He was initially picked up by the San Fransisco 49ers and then the Detroit Lions. After being cut by both teams, he seemingly had his best opportunity by being signed to the Los Angeles Chargers practice. Eventually, he was waived.
Now McGloster turns his focus from the NFL to the XFL. If his offense has success behind him as Syracuse did, then he has a chance at the next level. Keep your eyes on the XFL draft board to see where McGloster lands.
Dontae Strickland
The most recent Syracuse graduate in the XFL draft is former SU running back Dontae Strickland. No. 4 finished his collegiate career with a win over West Virginia in the Camping World Bowl just last year.
Strickland was always a threat out of the backfield for the Orange. Mainly because he was a tough nose back but also a weapon in the passing game.
He finished his career with 63 receptions which are third all-time among SU running backs. In the running game, Strickland shared the ball-carrying duties in 2018 with current back, Moe Neal. Strickland ended up finishing 25th on the team’s all-time rushing list with 1,717 rushing yards.
Strickland has always been known as a receiving threat and that will never change. But the one question mark about him was how he would adjust his running game. Over his three primary years of playing, he increasingly got better every season.
His sophomore year he rushed for 3.5 yards per carry with four touchdowns. And by his senior year, he averaged 4.9 yards per rush and six total touchdowns. There’s no limit to where Strickland’s potential could take him.
At Syracuse, his legacy remains as a hardworking team player. In 2018 Strickland was voted the team’s Ray Martino award winner, which goes to the athlete that exudes, loyalty, enthusiasm, and perseverance.
No matter what team ends up selecting Strickland they know that they have found themselves a workhorse that will go above and behind for his teammates.
After leaving Syracuse, Strickland was one of the handfuls of Syracuse players that found themselves on preseason NFL rosters. The Arizona Cardinals picked up the undrafted running back for the preseason.
In three games he recorded 29 rushing yards and 15 receiving. This did not impress the Cardinals enough to keep him on the roster.
But now Strickland is looking ahead to the damage that he can do on the XFL fields. He’s hoping to carry over his 19 touchdowns from Syracuse into success finding the endzone in 2019.