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Tennessee XFL Preview

The XFL kicks off this weekend, so we will look into which Tennessee players will be a part of the league this season.

The XFL is back. One of the most famous professional football leagues has officially been revived, and several rosters hold multiple former Tennessee Volunteers.

Tight end Alex Ellis is on the Arlington Renegades. His production as a pass-catcher was very limited in his time in Knoxville, racking up just 232 yards and one touchdown.

The D.C. Defenders have wide receiver Josh Malone and tight end Ethan Wolf. Malone tallied over 1600 yards and had 14 touchdowns with Tennessee, while Wolf had 927 yards and five touchdowns from 2014 to 2017.

The Orlando Guardians have JaVonta Payton at wide receiver, Ja’Quain Blakely on the defensive line, and Shaquille Wiggins in the secondary. Quarterback Quinten Dormady also played three seasons at Tennessee before transferring to Houston and then Central Michigan. Payton had 413 yards and six touchdowns in 2021 after transferring from Mississippi State. 

Blakely had 44 tackles and three-and-a-half sacks in five years with the Vols, and Wiggins had ten tackles in his lone season with Tennessee in 2017 after being with Georgia and Louisville. Dormady had 197 total yards and seven passing touchdowns for Tennessee. The Seattle Sea Dragons have Bryce Thompson in the secondary. At Tennessee from 2018 to 2020, he had eight interceptions, including one for a touchdown, over 100 total tackles, and two forced fumbles.

Lastly, the Vegas Vipers have Kahlil McKenzie on the offensive line. The XFL begins its season with the Vipers taking on the Renegades on Saturday at 3:00 on ABC.

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