Arlington Renegades XFL 2023 Roster Breakdown
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Breaking Down The Arlington Renegades 2023 XFL Roster

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The Arlington Renegades are poised to raise hell in the XFL this season. Coach Bob Stoops is back in town, and has constructed a complete roster across the board.

Kickoff is approaching quickly, and right now the Renegades are busy at training camp. Moves are being made, as the team prepares for its 2023 campaign. On paper, this team is absolutely stacked.

Let’s take a look at who is currently on the team, and which playmakers should have an impact in Arlington.

Quarterbacks

Right off the bat, Kyle Sloter is a name many are familiar with. Sloter is an NFL journeyman, playing for many different organizations over the course of his career.

Sloter is no stranger to spring football. He played for the New Orleans Breakers of the USFL in 2022, helping lead the team to a playoff berth. Kyle earned All-USFL honors as well. He then signed to play with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but was ultimately released before the NFL season began.

It will be intriguing to see how Sloter fits Bob Stoops’ system. Kyle comes in as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in the league, and is in a position to potentially start. If Sloter can play at a high level – by avoiding injury – things will go well for him in the XFL.

Drew Plitt and Kevin Anderson also sit on the roster. Plitt was assigned to the Renegades when Sloter was, while Anderson was added later on. Drew is an interesting prospect, hailing from Ball State. Plitt spent some time with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022, and now looks to the XFL for the next step in his journey.

Meanwhile, Anderson most recently spent time in The Spring League. He played for the Conquerors in 2021, helping the team to a 4-2 record. With the right development, Kevin could see playing time for Arlington this season.

Back Field

The Renegades have one of the best backfields in the league. De’Veon Smith was signed during the supplemental draft, and rightfully so. Smith led the XFL in rushing yards in 2020, for the Tampa Bay Vipers.

De’Veon has been around the block in spring leagues since coming out of Michigan. He was supposed to play for the USFL in 2022, but ultimately had a falling out with the Pittsburgh Maulers. Expect Smith to have a major impact in Arlington.

Kenneth Farrow is back in the XFL, which is a sight many wanted to see. Farrow, like Smith, is a spring football icon. Kenneth was outstanding in the AAF, and then performed quite well for the Seattle Dragons. Farrow will bring plenty of veteran experience to the offense.

Keith Ford is also an XFL alumni, playing for the St. Louis Battlehawks in 2020. On the flip side, De’Montre Tuggle is looking to prove himself at a professional level. Tuggle hails from Ohio, and could see playing time if all goes well in training camp.

Wide Receivers

Fans of the Renegades from 2020 will remember fan favorite Flynn Nagel. He played for the team three years ago, and now rejoins the franchise for this upcoming season. Nagel is an underrated slot receiver, with a knack for finding the soft spots in a defense.

Jordan Smallwood, the former LA Wildcat, is also in Arlington. Smallwood is a versatile receiver with high upside. Without a doubt, he should be a bigtime target for the Renegades in 2023.

The rest of the WR core is currently made up of: Jackson Anthrop, Brandon Arconado, Sean Modster, JaCorey Sullivan, Tyler Vaughns, and ​​Lujuan Winningham. Winningham is certainly someone to keep an eye on. He had a monster senior season at Central Arkansas, racking up 840 yards and five touchdowns.

JaCorey Sullivan is another young gem, who simply needs a chance to prove himself. Sullivan was responsible for almost 700 yards and ten – yes, ten – scores in his senior year at Central Michigan. As training camp nears its end, Sullivan should have an excellent shot at making the XFL roster.

Tight Ends

Interestingly enough, the Renegades have four tight ends on the current roster. Shaun Beyer, Jibri Blount, Alex Ellis, and Sal Cannella make up the TE room right now.

Obviously, Sal Cannella is the front runner in this group. Cannella is a spring league legend, dominating on multiple levels. Sal played in The Spring League in 2020, putting on a show with the Generals.

Then, Cannella played for the New Orleans Breakers in 2022. He was clearly one of the best in the league, putting up ridiculous numbers week in and week out. His USFL campaign was alongside current Renegades QB Kyle Sloter – so, expect a strong connection between those two if Kyle is the starter.

Offensive Line

The Arlington Renegades have quite a few offensive linemen:

Boe Wilson
Brian Folkerts
Cam Carter
Cameron Hunt
Darta Lee
Garrett McGhin
George Moor
Jake Stetze
James Fagan
Keenan Forbes
Maea Teuhema
Mike Horton
Teton Saltes

Cameron Hunt just won a USFL Championship with the Birmingham Stallions. In fact, he did so with current OL coach Jonathan Himebauch. Now, they both reunite in the XFL on the Renegades.

Garrett McGhin is easily one of the best athletes in the entire XFL. McGhin won All-USFL honors with the New Jersey Generals, and then spent time with the New York Giants in training camp.

Defensive Line

Right off the bat, Tomasi Laulile and Doug Costin are two very recognizable names. Costin won a USFL Championship in 2022 with the Birmingham Stallions. After that, he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers and spent time with the team in training camp.

Laulile is an excellent lineman, showcasing his outstanding playmaking abilities in the USFL. The Houston Gamblers had one of the best defenses in the league, largely in part to Tomasi up front.

T.J. Barnes is another solid addition. Barnes played in the AAF in 2019, and also was a part of the XFL in 2020 with the New York Guardians. His size should prove to be an asset in Arlington’s system. Will Clarke, the former Battlehawk, reunites with his former DC Jay Hayes, which is great to see.

Aaron Adeoye also played with the Birmingham Stallions in 2022. The rest of the linemen consist of: Josiah Coatney, Micah Dew-Treadway, Bruce Hector, Davonte Lambert, and Glen Logan.

Linebackers

It’s going to be a scary sight for opposing offenses to see this linebacker core. Arlington has a ridiculous lineup in this category.

To start with, the team signed Donald Payne. Payne led the USFL in tackles made for the Gamblers. He was unstoppable week in and week out. Payne finished the season with 117 tackles, two sacks, and three interceptions (including two pick sixes).

Ryan Mueller is back in the XFL. Mueller is popular for his insane pick six against the Dallas Renegades in week five of the 2020 season. Ryan is an excellent linebacker, with the ability to also dual as an edge rusher at times. Expect Mueller to play a major role in Arlington.

See also

Most of the linebacker group is made up of spring football alumni. Edmond Robinson and Nick Temple both played in the XFL in 2020, for the Dragons and the Roughnecks. Both are skilled at their position, and have a shot at making the final roster.

Isaiah Graham-Mobley, Colin Schooler, Willie Taylor, and Josh Watson are all on the current roster. Expect a couple linebackers to be cut before the season officially starts.

Secondary

Speaking of scary, this secondary is something else. Leading the charge is De’Vante Bausby, who everyone is familiar with at this point. Bausby was a star in the AAF, and most recently played a big role for the New Jersey Generals in the USFL.

Bausby spent a couple of years in the NFL, for both the Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. Now, he turns to the XFL. De’Vante will no doubt play big minutes for Arlington if he stays healthy.

Josh Hawkins is back in town. Mr. 28 Degrees himself will look to bring the Arlington Renegades a Championship in 2023. Hawkins was outstanding for this team back in 2020, and should bring some veteran XFL experience to the squad.

Joe Powell, To The Endzone!

XFL fans, get excited. Joe Powell is back in the league. Powell is infamous for his kickoff return for a touchdown in week three of the XFL, when he was with the St. Louis Battlehawks. Now, the hard hitting defender joins Bob Stoops in Arlington.

XFL Playmakers In The Secondary

Shakur Brown is also a big pickup. Brown was an excellent DB for the Pittsburgh Maulers in 2022. He posted 39 tackles, and defended quite well for the team. Shakur then joined the Tennessee Titans in training camp, and impressed many. Brown will certainly make an impact for the Arlington Renegades defense.

Will Hill III is back in the XFL. Hill formerly played for the Battlehawks in 2020, being one of the league’s top safeties. Rahim Moore is also a returning safety, formerly of the DC Defenders. Moore has AAF experience as well, with the Arizona Hotshots.

Jamal Carter, Abu Daramy-Swaray, Darren Evans, Nasir Greer, Rannell Hall, Cre’von Leblanc, Cameron Lewis, and Elijah Reed construct the rest of the secondary. This group will likely be cut down before the season begins.

Special Teams

Just when you thought the Arlington Renegades were out of big names…just take a look at special teams. Taylor Russolino will serve as the team’s kicker, which is major. Russolino is one of the best kickers we’ve seen in spring football, ever. Arlington is lucky to have him.

On top of that, Marquette King – possibly the most athletic punter of all time – joins the squad. King will no doubt be a major factor for this organization on special teams. Antonio Ortiz out of TCU will be the team’s long snapper.

Final Thoughts

Generally speaking, the Arlington Renegades have an extremely talented roster. This team features some of the greatest spring football athletes available, which is excellent news for Arlington fans.

Of course, we haven’t seen the team play quite yet, so anything can happen. However, from top to bottom, this XFL organization is unreal. With Bob Stoops, Jonathan Hayes, Jay Hayes, etc. all on the coaching staff, this team is bound to do great things in 2023.

The Renegades will kick off their season at home on February 18th versus the Vegas Vipers.

What do you think of the Arlington Renegades roster? Which players will have an impact in the XFL this season? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!