A number of former Minnesota Vikings players were given another chance to play professional football this week when they were selected in the XFL Draft.
When the Minnesota Vikings selected former Western Michigan offensive tackle Willie Beavers in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, the hope was that he would eventually blossom into a member of their starting offensive line or at least become a key reserve.
Unfortunately, neither of these scenarios were able to play out for Beavers during his tenure with the Vikings. The young offensive lineman spent less than two years in Minnesota and since his departure from the Twin Cities, he’s had stints with four other teams around the NFL.
Still only 26-years-old, Beavers is hoping to continue his career as a professional football player even if it means he has to spend some time in a league outside of the NFL.
On Tuesday, the former Vikings offensive tackle was selected by the Dallas Renegades in the XFL Draft. Beavers was actually the fifth offensive lineman taken in the entire draft, which was broken up by specific position groups.
The young offensive tackle was one of many players selected in the XFL Draft this week who also spent some time with Minnesota in the recent past.
Below are a few more of the former Vikings who were drafted by an XFL team on either Tuesday or Wednesday.
- Jeff Badet – WR (Dallas Renegades)
- Adam Bisnowaty – OT (Dallas Renegades)
- Reshard Cliett – LB (Dallas Renegades)
- Stacy Coley – WR (Dallas Renegades)
- Greer Martini – LB (Dallas Renegades)
- Derron Smith – S (Dallas Renegades)
- Jhurell Pressley – RB (DC Defenders)
- Jalen Myrick – CB (DC Defenders)
- Cornelius Edison – OL (Houston Roughnecks)
- Isame Faciane – OL – (Houston Roughnecks)
- Edmund Robinson – LB (Houston Roughnecks)
- Mar’Sean Diggs – S (Los Angeles Wildcats)
- Storm Norton – OT (Los Angeles Wildcats)
- Johnny Stanton – TE (Los Angeles Wildcats)
- Jack Tocho – CB (Los Angeles Wildcats)
- Zac Kerin – OG (New York Guardians)
- Will Sutton – DT (Seattle Dragons)
- Nick Truesdell – TE (Tampa Bay Vipers)
A number of these players are guys who actually spent time with Minnesota as recently as this year including Badet, Cliett, Martini, Smith, Diggs, and Norton. Along with Beavers, some of these players were also drafted by the Vikings within the last few seasons including Coley, Robinson, and Tocho.
If Minnesota fans are looking for an XFL team to root for this year, it seems like the Dallas Renegades is the squad that is home to the most former Vikings players. The Renegades are led by former University of Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops.
The 2020 XFL season will kick off on Saturday, February 8. Each team will play 10 games during the regular season and the league’s championship will take place on Sunday, April 26.