The XFL might have a hint of the “Patriot Way” about it in its inaugural season.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert on Monday included two former New England Patriots on his list of likely XFL Draft picks. The rebooted football league will stock its eight teams with players from a draft pool of approximately 1,000 hopefuls during the selection process, which will take place Tuesday and Wednesday.
Ardent Patriots fans will remember quarterback Ryan Mallett and running back Jonas Gray as players who arrived in New England with aspirations of stardom but left without fulfilling them. They now eye the XFL as a place to showcase their talents and perhaps breathe new life into their respective football dreams.
Seifert offers brief snippets of Mallett’s and Gray’s careers to date.
Mallett, Arkansas
After spending three years as Tom Brady’s backup for the New England Patriots, Mallett held the Texans’ starting job for parts of 2014 and 2015. He had nine career touchdowns over 21 games and has been out of the league since the end of the 2017 season.
Gray, Notre Dame
A brief sensation for the Patriots in 2014, Gray still holds the single-game record for most rushing touchdowns (four) in franchise history.
The XFL, which legendary wrestling promoter and WWE CEO Vince McMahon owns, will begin play in February.
