The XFL’s New York Defenders beat the Tampa Bay Vipers in their first games, but which players made a mark that the Browns should keep an eye on?
The Cleveland Browns are on the lookout for talent. Each league, each player, each moment of football matters if it means finding talent to bolster the roster. The Browns aren’t far from competing from the playoffs, but they need to find talent at a fair price, who fits the roster and who can contribute right away.
That’s partly why the XFL is such a great proving ground for players. They’re thrown into an environment where they need to adjust to a new playbook, new teammates and find a way to win games despite having little prep time to gel as a unit. That type of adaptability is the exact thing the Browns need. They need players who aren’t resting on their name value, and who can adjust to brand new situations.
That’s why these games matter so much. So when the Defenders trounced the Vipers, it mattered for more cities and teams than just the two playing on that Sunday afternoon. These players could transition very easily to the NFL not just as backups, but some could even be starters. So to ignore these games would be a mistake for any real football, or Browns fans.
The Defenders had a great showing defensively, holding the Vipers to only three points the entire game. That doesn’t there wasn’t a Viper who stepped up to show their worth, because there was one, but the Defenders defensive was the story of the game.
Tampa Bay Vipers – WR Daniel Williams
Daniel Williams showed a lot of skills against this staunch Defenders defense. Aaron Murray failed to impress in his debut, throwing two picks and completing less than 50% of his passes, yet Williams was still able to have a big day.
Putting up 123 yards, on six receptions for an average of over 20 yards a carry, shows that Williams can make something happen with little in the way of a quarterback. Williams has a history of making plays, while with Jackson State University, he put up 2,497 yards, across 185 receptions for a total of 19 touchdowns.
At 6’4, 185-plus pounds, he’s a big target with sure hands. That makes him a viable option for short yardage gains, goal-line throws and just being able to bully corners in the run game. Williams can keep pace with the best, but might not be able to beat anyone deep in the NFL all that often, postin ga 4.51 40-yard dash during his pro day.
Williams also has the added benefit of having spent time in Cleveland already, signing with them in 2018 but never making it off the practice squad. Could Williams be a difference-maker in Cleveland? If week 1 is any indication, absolutely, but the odds are that he’d be a reliable backup behind the Browns two Pro Bowl wide receivers. The team needs depth at wide receiver regardless, so if the Browns were to be interested in Williams, then he’d be an interesting addition to the squad.
New York Defenders – LB Ben Heeney
The Defenders were led on defense by their middle linebacker, Ben Heeney. Heeney had nine total tackles in his first game as a pro for the New York-based squad and was the star in the middle, flying around the middle of the field. The former 5th round pick by the Oakland Raiders couldn’t catch on with the league, bouncing around from the Raiders, to the New Orleans Saints, then to the Houston Texans over the course of four seasons.
Now with the Defenders, Heeney has a chance to prove he can be a starter in the NFL. He and the next player on this list were two of the three key reasons the team played so well. Coming out of Kansas University, Henney has found himself one of the faces of the Defenders, appearing alongside starting quarterback Matt McGloin. There’s a good reason for this, as Heeney seemed to be in on every play in his first game against the Vipers.
Heeney is a fast player to boot, clocking in at 4.59 for the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. He’s not just fast but he could be a scheme wonder for the Browns, as he’s fast enough to play outside in the flats in a 4-3 and a good enough tackler to move inside for a 3-4. It’s still not clear what defense the Browns will run in 2020, so it’s good to find players who can do both.
Heeney isn’t a guy you want to rely on to replace a Joe Schobert or a Christian Kirksey but if you’re forced to look for some affordable options to fill holes or in need to replace a guy while not breaking the bank, Heeney could be the kind of player to do just that.
New York Defenders – DE Bunmi Rotimi
Another former AAF alum, Bunmi (Olubunmi) Rotimi was a defensive end for the Old Dominion Big Blue football team and showed flashes of being a great pass rusher. Over the course of his college career, he racked up 19 sacks over 58 games. He fell out of the draft, however, possibly because he didn’t run his 40-yard dash at the combine. He did post a 4.70 in his 20-yard shuffle, so he does have some lateral quickness.
With the AAF’s Arizona Hotshots, he only had three tackles and a sack in limited play before the league folded. He’s already off to a great start with the Defenders, racking up nine tackles, one sack, two quarterback hits, two tackles-for-a-loss, and even registered a forced fumble.
Rotimi has not shown much in his career before the opening day game against the Vipers but if he continues to showcase that he’s got great ability to pursue the ballcarrier on a consistent basis week in and week out, then maybe Rotimi can fill as a member of the Browns front-seven.
Like Heeney, Rotimi can play in both the 4-3 and 3-4, starting his XFL career as a defensive end, but showing enough mobility to play as an outside linebacker in a 3-4. Finding out how fast he is will be paramount if the Browns do pursue him, but it’s extremely likely that the team will do their due diligence in the scouting of any potential player.
Of all the players on this list, he may be the one that has the most to prove week in and week out.