2050 1st round draft review***disclaimer***
I've been doing this 1st round draft review for over 25 seasons now and I base it solely on my opinion, my ratings and my knowledge of what works and what doesn't in MFN. I'm not the GOAT or know more then everyone but I do know a little bit about what works in MFN.
I do this for fun and I'm not attacking or taking shots at any owner or their picks but instead I'm giving my brutal honest evaluation much like Mel Kiper Jr who we all know doesn't know it all and gets it wrong alot.
Enjoy the review for what it is and if I give you a bad review and the player becomes an ALLPRO....by all means throw it in my face but be quick about it because I will did it myself when I'm wrong most of the time.
Anyway, just enjoy and don't get offended but comments and remarks are always welcome.
***disclaimer***
Not too soon after Miami beat Notre Dame in the NCAA National Championship game, we find out 2 players from each program go in the 1st round of the XFL draft including the first 2 picks from Miami
MULTIPLE PICKSLos Angeles ×3
Philadelphia ×2
Atlanta ×2
Brooklyn ×2
Zehlendorf ×2
NO PICKSKansas City
Indiana
Buffalo
Daytona
Washington
Montana
1.1 Texas
FS Frank Nunez 31/86
Vol 14
5' 11" 208 lbs
Miami
The #1 overall pick comes out of the National Championship Miami Hurricanes in FS Nunez. He was the defensive captain for the Hurricanes and does everything perfectly in coverage. The only knock on him is he lacks elite or even very good sport which could hurt his chances of becoming a real playmaker in the XFL. Some scouts believe his perfect technique will make up for his high end speed but only time will tell.
Grade A
1.2 Saint Paul
RB Hubert Hernandez 35/80
Vol 16
6' 0" 223 lbs
Miami
Saint Paul selects the starting RB from the National Championship Miami Hurricanes. Hernandez was a battering ram back in college and most scouts see him having good success in the XFL despite lacking elite speed. His speed is still good and if he sheds a few pounds it should improve a bit. Safe pick but not a homerun as Hernandez is considered more of a double.
Grade A
1.3 New England
TE Joseph Reyes 37/83
Vol 10
6' 3" 244 lbs
Southern Methodist
With over a half dozen TEs graded as 1st round talents, it's no surprise the 1st TE comes off the board at the 3rd pick. Reyes is considered the safest of the TEs if not the one with the highest upside based solely on his speed being just average for the position. That's the only flaw you can find in his game as he does everything else at the elite level. New England has struggled for years to compete in the AXC East and Reyes should help the team improve without question.
Grade A
1.4 Oakland
FS James Harris 39/87
Vol 30
6' 0" 206 lbs
Tennessee
Oakland lands what some scouts considered the top defensive player in the draft in DB Harris. He has elite speed along with elite M2M and B&R skills to play anywhere in the secondary plus he is a willing tackler who can both rush the passer and stop the run if called upon. Thus is a homerun pick!
Grade A+
1.5 Atlanta
SS Fred Waite 36/88
Vol 26
6' 1" 202 lbs
Mississippi State
Atlanta's run of 8 straight XFL Titles came to an end last season and they will look to improve their defense with thus DB out of Mississippi State. While Harris who went #4 was considered the top DB in the draft, Waite was considered 1b instead of just 2nd overall. He is a bit slower then Harris but his overall coverage skills may be a hair better overall which should make him a potential elite starter in the XFL.
Grade A+
1.6 Los Angeles
CB Kevin Kangas 34/85
Vol 74
6' 1" 204 lbs
Ball State
Los Angeles has 3 1st rounders this draft and they use selection #1 on a DB as the run on defensive backs continues. Kangas is a hair slower than Waite who went before him in the draft but his overall coverage skills match up about the same. Kangas did have some issues in college with disciplinary suspensions which hurt his draft status a little but he still went 6th overall based on his overall potential. If he can reach that potential without stumbling up then he could become another elite DB in the XFL.
Grade A
1.7 Carolina
TE Leon Reynolds 37/78
Vol 26
6' 3" 235 lbs
Ohio State
Carolina has struggled to compete in the NXC South along side Atlanta, Memphis and Tampa Bay. They used the 7th overall pick to select the 2nd TE in the draft class. Most scouts believe this undersized college TE should transition to RB or even WR in the XFL. By dropping some weight, his speed will improve and his pass catching and ball carrying skills are already considered at the elite level. If Reynolds is handled right by Carolina, he could become an offensive playmaker for the Cobras.
Grade A+
1.8 Miami
RDE Anthony Figueroa 39/82
Vol 6
6' 4" 280 lbs
Mississippi State
Miami selects the first true defensive lineman in this draft. Figueroa played DE in college and did it very well there but he lacks the high-end speed to become an elite edge rusher in the XFL. If he remains at DE in the XFL, he will be a solid player with decent production but some scouts see him transitioning to DT in the XFL where he could become an ALLPRO level talent at the position. Whatever Miami decides, they have improved their defense with this pick.
Grade A
1.9 Toronto
WR Robert Knight 31/83
Vol 30
5' 11" 210 lbs
Arizona State
The first true WR doesn't go until 9th in the draft which is highly unusual but this year's draft class is thin at receiver. Knight is very good everywhere from his speed to his receiver skills but he is an elite ball carrier. He has the skill set to become a very good WR or the starting RB for Toronto so it's all about how the Titans use this versatile talent that will define his career.
Grade A+
1.10 Seattle
RB John Moffet 28/70
Vol 12
5' 11" 219 lbs
Northwestern
Seattle selects the first player not on the pre-draft projection of 38 1st round talents. Moffet has average speed for the position but has elite quickness. His ball carry skills is rated below average but he doesn't fumble and excels at breaking tackles. He does have a solid set of receiver skills but nothing is above average there either. His lack of speed and ball carry could hamper his ability to excel at RB but the scouts and I have been wrong before about players.
Grade B-
1.11 Pittsburgh
MLB Duncan Flynn 36/80
Vol 52
6' 2" 253 lbs
Wake Forest
Pittsburgh gets the draft back on track with selection of LB Flynn out of Wake Forest. He is the opidimy of a MLB, highly intelligent, disciplined and having a complete set of LBer skills all at above average to elite level. His speed is slightly above average but it can improve with so weight lose which he should begin immediately.
Grade A
1.12 Vegas
TE Aubrey Lawson 35/87
Vol 68
6' 3" 249 lbs
Notre Dame
Vegas has missed the postseason in 5 of the last 6 years and they have only won a combined 16 games the last 3 seasons. It's time to turn it around and the turnaround begins with the selection of TE Lawson. Lawson has elite talent with very good speed and if he can lose some weight then his speed can approach near elite which could make him a big playmaker for Vegas in the future. He can stay at TE and be great or he can play RB where he could become special. The decision belongs to Claymore and he will make the best decision for the francise.
Grade A
1.13 Zehlendorf
WLB Andrew Hall 33/72
Vol 48
6' 0" 238 lbs
Penn State
When the commissioner called Hall's name as the 13th pick there was a made scramble as all the pundits tried to find something on this LBer out of LB university. It's not that Hall was unknown but the deep dive wasn't done since most experts saw him as a 2nd round pick. Hall is very strong with great tackling, pass rush and run stopping skills but his IQ was graded below average along with his speed and M2M cover skills. Some scouts believed Hall might transition to be an undersized edge rusher but his speed would hurt him there too. It's a head scratcher based on the other LBer talent still on the board.
Grade B-
1.14 New York
RT Krisofer Foland 32/92
Vol 40
6' 5" 308 lbs
Temple
New York rights the ship with the 14th pick of the top offensive lineman in the draft. Foland has elite speed, size and discipline to go along with elite run & pass blocking skills. The only dig on Foland is his strength which is only above average, not elite level. He projects as a 10 year starter for New York anywhere on the offensive line except Center with a possible ALLPRO or 2 in his career.
Grade A
1.15 Los Angeles
WR Trevor Warrior 42/86
Vol 76
6' 1" 192 lbs
Acorn State
Los Angeles uses their 2nd of 3 1st rounders on a WR after taking a DB with their first selection. Warrior is just the second WR taken in the 1st round and despite some off the field issues in college, he has all the tools along with very good speed and elite quickness to become a top WR in the league. If he can put those issues in the past and has a good camp then LA can take that next leap to challenging Phoenix in the NXC West.
Grade A
1.16 Tampa Bay
SS Boyd Woods 35/84
Vol 58
6' 1" 215 lbs
Stevenson University
Tampa Bay takes just the 3rd DB in the 1st round in Woods. He played for a small college program but scouts love his overall pass coverage skills which all rate on the elite level. He does lack the elite speed to cover the top WRs in the XFL which means he could be better suited to playing SS or covering the other teams "possession receiver" instead of covering the other teams top playmaker. The transition from small college to the XFL has risk but if he makes a successful transition then he becomes a starter in the XFL based on his elite cover skills.
Grade A-