Knights in the Pros: XFL Season Preview

Feb 18, 2023 - 2:40 PM

With the Super Bowl in the rearview mirror, another NFL season has come to an end. However, that doesn’t mean that we will have to wait long for football. The XFL is back for another go.

What once looked like another failed attempt to start a spring football league when forced to cancel its inaugural season in 2020 thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic has returned, now under the ownership of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia.

Several former Knights will be playing in the XFL. For some players, this league will give them a chance to continue their pro careers. For others, it may be a chance to get back to the NFL.

Let’s take a look at all of the former Knights set to take part in the 2023 XFL season.

OL Jordan McCray — San Antonio Brahmas

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McCray played for the Knights from 2011 to 2013. He appeared in 38 games. He made first-team All-AAC in his senior season. After going undrafted in 2014 he was signed by the Green Bay Packers, though he would be part of their final roster cuts. He has had a journeyman career, playing in six different professional football leagues: the NFL, Arena Football League (AFL), Indoor Football League (IFL), Alliance of American Football (AAF), the 2020 edition of the XFL, and the rebooted United States Football League (USFL). He most recently played for the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions, who he would win the USFL championship with. He was picked by the Brahmas with the 50th pick of the XFL’s Supplemental draft.

RB Adrian Killins — Arlington Renegades

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Killins played for the Knights from 2016 to 2019. In college, he rushed for 2,459 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also recorded 70 receptions for 864 yards and 8 touchdowns. He was also named second-team All-AAC twice.

After going undrafted in 2020 he was signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he would mainly serve as a member of the practice squad. He appeared in one game for the Eagles, recording one rushing attempt for -12 yards. He would join the Denver Broncos for the 2021 season, though he would never play in a game for them due to being placed on injured reserve.

He was originally a member of the Houston Roughnecks who picked him with the 8th pick, their first, in Phase 1 of the 2023 XFL draft. He was moved to the Renegades on February 9th.

CB/WR Rannell Hall — Arlington Renegades

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Hall played for the Knights from 2011 to 2014. He played in 49 games and recorded 145 receptions for 2051 yards and 9 touchdowns. He also recorded 43 rushing attempts for 264 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was named an All-C-USA honorable mention once and to the All-C-USA first team once.

After going undrafted in 2015 he was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and would eventually join their practice squad. He would go on to spend time on the practice squads of the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons, as well as with the Orlando Apollos of the AAF, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL, the Massachusetts Pirates of the National Arena League (NAL), the Tampa Bay Vipers during the 2020 XFL season and most recently the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL. He was signed by the Renegades after being released by the Bandits when the team became the Memphis Showboats. He is listed as a wide receiver, though he has also played as a cornerback.

LB Terrence Plummer — Orlando Guardians

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Plummer will be playing close to home, in the Knights’ former home, Camping World Stadium. He played for the Knights from 2011 to 2014. Some of his college stats include 42 games played, 332 total tackles, 181 solo tackles, 30.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries. He also made first-team All-AAC twice.

After going undrafted in 2015, he was signed by the team known at the time as the Washington Redskins. He played in three games for the team, recording one tackle. After spending time with the Minnesota Vikings, though never actually playing a game for them, he would bounce around other professional football leagues. He played for the Orlando Apollos in the AAF and had two different stops in the CFL, playing for the Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. While with the Argonauts, he was part of their 2017 Grey Cup championship team.

Plummer has actually been out of pro football for a while, last playing for the Tampa Bay Vipers in the 2020 XFL season. In between then and now he worked several normal jobs while continuing to work out, just waiting for a chance to play pro ball again. That chance finally came when he was drafted by the Guardians with the 56th pick in Phase 3 of the XFL draft.

The XFL’s 2023 season kicks off this weekend, with every game on national TV. Here’s the slate: