The XFL’s second weekend is in the books and it was just OK. It felt like the first week’s shine had rubbed off, and we are now left with six teams that can’t move the ball and two that can. That’s not a recipe for success, but the XFL will still be around for the spring, so we should just enjoy it for what it is.
4 questions about the XFL’s relationship to both the NFL and college football
Now that the XFL is in full swing, Geoff Schwartz takes a look at how it fits in with the NFL and college football.
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
I discussed last week the positives of the XFL and how some of the new rules and broadcast features can be useful for the NFL. This week, I’m going to go over a four questions that have popped up about the XFL as it relates to the NFL and college football.
1. Could the best XFL team beat the worst NFL team?
One thing I’ve stayed away from discussing and comparing is the play on the field. I understand the XFL is filled with players continuing their football journeys with the off chance they get an invite to a NFL camp.
Something I need everyone to listen to closely, though, is this: The play on the XFL field isn’t remotely close to what we watch on Sundays in the fall. Maybe some of y’all want them to be because you enjoy feel-good stories or dislike the NFL, but the XFL and NFL aren’t closely related. XFL players aren’t on a NFL roster. I know, shocking.
So even the worst NFL roster would dominate the best XFL team. They’d even dominate an XFL all-star team because, again, they are NFL players and the XFL players aren’t. That might sound harsh, but it’s the reality. And if you’ve been watching, outside of a couple of teams and players, the football is OK to below-average. It appears the same as the AAF, which had a few players make an NFL roster at least. In the end, I’d expect this with the XFL players as well.
2. Could the best college football team beat an XFL team?
On a similar subject, I do believe an XFL team would beat the best college team in the country, like an LSU. A vast majority of the XFL players were above-average or elite college players. Cardale Jones won a national championship, for example.
Plus, XFL players are older and more mature. They should have a physical presence that would be tough for a college squad to handle.
3. Could the XFL become an NFL development league?
A frequent discussion centered around spring football is the idea of a developmental league for the NFL. I’ve covered my thoughts about a development league here. As for the XFL filling that role, that would be a firm “no,” for plenty of reasons.
- Timing. The XFL season starts right after the NFL season. It would be unfair and unhealthy for a practice squad or third-string player to spend an entire season in the NFL and then immediately join an XFL team. After the XFL season, said player would then head directly to his NFL team for the offseason program. That’s not reasonable and would not be productive. These players would get hurt.
- Liability. If NFL players get injured in the XFL, who’s picking up the tab? Do they return to their squad for treatment? Do they go to injured reserve and get their full salary? What if their career is ruined because of playing in the minor league? See, it’s not working.
- There’s no purpose. Even though I might be known for my time in Kansas City or New York, I did spend almost two seasons as a backup, including one on the practice squad. When I was on the 2008 Carolina Panthers practice squad, I spent my entire season practicing against Julius Peppers. We’d run the scout team plays, but I’d use the technique that was taught by my position coach. So, why would I need to play against XFL defensive ends to hone my skills? How would that help me? It wouldn’t. You only get better in the NFL by practicing against NFL players, either in practice or in the preseason.
4. Can the XFL persuade college football players to leave school?
If the XFL wants to remain a viable league, it’s possible it has to pay some college quarterbacks to come over for a season. However, I would not advise a college player, or an elite high schooler, to take up that offer, as I don’t think the risk is worth it.
The NFL currently has a free farm system in college football. NFL personnel know how to evaluate that film. If you move to the XFL, no matter how well you play, they will not understand how to evaluate that film because there’s no base for the talent. When you watch college film, you understand why something is happening on the field and know what should happen based on the talent on the field. With the XFL, scouts don’t have that opinion formed yet because league is new.
Now, clearly if you’re the best on the field, it’s easy to see, but so is seeing the best on the field in college football. And if the new name, image, and likeness rules are loosened, it would allow college athletes to make money off the field, which would lessen the ability of the XFL to grab players out of college.
Like I said last week, the XFL will survive if the talent is good enough. All the other features are fantastic and I commend the XFL for putting on a good show. But in the end, with the NFL Combine approaching and March Madness soon upon us, people will watch the XFL if the play between the white lines can keep them entertained.
See More:
