With NFL Season Over, Former LSU Football Players Are Preparing for Life in the XFL
With the Kansas City Chiefs knocking off the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 on Sunday, it marked the end of another crazy football year. Let's rephrase, it kind of marked the end to a crazy football year.
That's because this week for the first time since 2001, the XFL is back in business. Eight teams will kick off their seasons on Feb. 8 and with a heavy dose of purple and gold in the league, here's a list of Tiger players and their teams that are now in the XFL.
Malachi Dupre (receiver, DC Defenders)
Dupre came to LSU as a five-star receiver in 2014 but was never quite able to live up to the hype in Baton Rouge. In his three year career with LSU, Dupre finished with 98 receptions for 1,609 yards and 11 touchdowns.
He was then drafted in 7th round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers and bounced around the NFL the next few years with the with the Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers.
Nick Brossette (running back, DC Defenders)
After patiently waiting for three years behind the likes of Leonard Fournette and Darius Guice, Brossette finally got to leave his mark on the program in the 2018 season. Brossette rushed for 1,039 yards and 14 touchdowns in a season that ended with a Fiesta Bowl win over UCF.
Brossette went undrafted before signing with the Patriots practice squad during 2019 training camp, scoring three touchdowns in four preseason games. He also spent time with the Detroit Lions after being cut by the Patriots.
Sam Montgomery (defensive end, DC Defenders)
A former third round pick of the Houston Texans, Montgomery spent 2009-12 at LSU, recording 104 tackles, 32.5 tackles for a loss (T-8th in school history) and 19 sacks (T-6th in school history). Mongomery was named a First Team All-American in the 2011 season by the Football Writers Associaton of America, the same season LSU made the national championship game in New Orleans.
Montgomery spent two season in the NFL with the Texans, Raiders and Bengals and has bounced around from different leagues in Canada to the U.S. ever since.
Toby Weathersby (offensive tackle, Houston Roughnecks)
Weathersby played for LSU from 2015-17, appearing in 31 games with 15 starts. In 2017, he recorded 661 offensive snaps and recorded 38 knockdown blocks before electing to forgo his senior year.
After going undrafted in the 2018 draft, Weathersby signed with the Philadelphia Eagles and also played with the New England Patriots during the 2018 season. In 2019, Weathersby played in the AAF with the Memphis Express.
Anthony Johnson (linebacker, Los Angeles Wildcats)
The consensus No. 1 defensive tackle prospect in 2010, Johnson spent three seasons in Baton Rouge and appeared in 40 games with 16 starts. Mostly a defensive tackle in his time with LSU, Johnson recorded 77 tackles, 22 tackles for a loss and seven sacks before going undrafted in the 2014 draft.
Johnson would bounce around the league, playing for five different NFL teams but did record 16 tackles and recovered a fumble in his time in the pros.
Terrence Alexander (cornerback, New York Guardians)
Alexander spent just one year with LSU, spending his first four with Stanford before getting a graduate transfer year for the 2018 season. Alexander played in 13 games, earning five starts with LSU, recording 23 tackles and three passes defended.
Garrett Brumfield (center, New York Guardians)
One of the liveliest spirits to come through the LSU program in recent memory, Brumfield became a two-year starter and leader of the offensive line in 2017 and 2018. Nicknamed “Bruiser” for his punishing block style, Brumfield appeared in 45 games with 22 starts before going undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Brumfield spent a short stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers that season but ultimately moved back to Baton Rouge before being drafted in the XFL.
Cole Tracy (kicker, Seattle Dragons)
After one of the most prolific kicking seasons in LSU history in 2018, it was a bit of a surprise to not see Tracy land on an NFL roster. Tracy went 29-for-33 on his field goals in his lone season with the Tigers, including the infamous last-second 42-yarder that took down Auburn.
Tray announced in December he'd signed with the Dragons, calling it a "relief" to wind up somewhere playing the game he loves.
“It was just a relief. It’s been a process that wasn’t expected with all the ups and downs," Tracy said. "It’s a weight that’s been lifted off my shoulders -- not that I’ve made it, but I had pressure over the past few months."
Colin Jeter (tight end, Seattle Dragons)
Jeter was one of those players that didn't jump off the screen when watching but rarely did he ever make a mistake. A two-year starter at tight end, Jeter appeared in 23 games, catching 23 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns in his career.
He spent time with the Colts and the Buccaneers before moving on to the XFL this year. He and Tracy, while never teammates at LSU, posted this on Twitter after the national championship win.
Jalen Collins (cornerback, Tampa Bay Vipers)
At 6-foot-2 corner with a lengthy build, Collins had the chance to be a long time NFL player but just couldn't keep his nose clean. He recorded 90 tackles with 17 pass breakups and three interceptions during his three year career at LSU.
His performance made him a 2nd round pick in the 2015 draft by the Atlanta Falcons. Collins was suspended four different times throughout his NFL career, all for use of performance-enhancing use and substance abuse. He'll now try to get his pro career back on track with the Vipers.
