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We are so excited to be back for another season of XRFL football. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we worked through the offseason, draft, supplemental draft, and preseason. We realize most people want to get back to the action as quick as possible, and we don’t blame you! This week kicks off the 2018 Regular season, and we can’t wait to see who ridses to the top and who sinks to the bottom. Good luck everyone!

6 XRFL Readies for Kickoff 8 Can Atlanta Stay on Top? 10 Power Rankings 13 Team of the Week

14 2018 Draft Grades 24 Lions: Staying Relevant 27 Meet your Opponent 28Constructing a Monster 30 Top 5

XRFL Commissioner

31 Fantasy Player of the Week

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Written by Adolfo Einstein Krieger

Today marks another season in the XRFL. The off season was filled with plenty of action, starting with the relocation of several teams. Due to financial concerns moving forward the owner of these teams have decided to move to a more stable location. New fans and new rivalaries will come with the new locations. Hopefully this means more money and stability for these franchises. Keep an eye on the Wizard’s they have had stable coaches, fans and now a brand new stadium. Others to keep an eye on would be the Beats and Black Knights.

There will be more relocations in the near future because of the landscape of the NFL but you will see classic teams staying in the natural areas. Will there finally be a team in Las Vegas? Will a second team join the Bears in Chicago? You heard it hear first both will be answered in the near future my sources are telling me. Chicago has cleaned up the North side and will be looking to add a brand new stadium and whatever else the potential team would want. A stadium is already being built ready made for any NFL to come in and look at. Las Vegas will also be looking to add at least one team maybe a second team. For years the XRFL did not want to touch Vegas but they have really stepped to the plate to keep gambling away

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from NFL games.

Next we are going to talk about the rash of injuries hitting the XRFL, with the risk of injury as high as it’s ever been the commissioner of the XRFL has gotten in touch with any medical professionals and has struck a deal to provide more medical attention to the players.

Players will now have immediate medical attention 24/7 365. This is a major step in cutting the amount of time and number of injuries in the NFL. Who is going to be the first major injury? Could it be Teddy Bridgewater? Or a star running back? Injuries as we know are part of the game but today the XRFL has provided the long term assurance for it’s players that it lacked for years. Many have tried to help before but this time we have turned the corner, joining partners with the health community and the NFL was a must after last season when there was nearly a work stoppage due to the amount of injuries. Thursday night football is in the process of being eliminated and football will be Sunday, Monday and some Saturday’s.

Also we are going to discuss more about the top stories lines of the year. My vote for MVP of the league will be Zeke Elliott. IF Zeke keeps his nose clean he is dangerous and behind the Cowboys offensive line watch out. Defensive MVP- Clowney, you can start preparing his headstone in Canton. The rookie of the year will come from the Wizards, their draft was second to none and they flat out killed it. Coach of the year will also come from the Wizards. Wide Receiver of the Year will end up being Dez Bryant or Deandre Hopkins.

Last I am going to talk about how I came to gather my information and my sources. I have spoken to many NFL teams about this coming season. Unlike other companies I provide the team with respect and integrity and in return they give me all the information that others don’t get. Rumors are that just rumors all my information is coming first hand so please enjoy!! I look forward to providing you the most accurate draft coverage and any other coverage that I can provide. You can catch on at all the college football games around the country and feel free to come up and introduce yourself.

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The Atlanta Falcons are riding high in the XRFL, eight months after taking home the Lombardy trophy. During the 2017 season the Falcons were one of the most dominant teams on both sides of the ball. Coming out of an offseason filled with uncertainty and massive salary cap issues, the Falcons have had to make some unsavory moves. This begs the question of whether or not the Atlanta squad can stay on top or will they struggle this season?

It will be hard having the leagues number one target on the Falcons back. Every team will be gunning for this team and looking to knock them off the top of the mountain.

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The Falcons have a fairly rough schedule in 2018 but not nearly the toughest. This year they will face off against four of the playoff teams from last season: the Cowboys, Diablos, Seahawks and Steelers. In fact their first two matchups are against the Cowboys and Seahawks. The Falcons do have homefield advantage for those bouts though, which should fair well for Matt Ryan and his crew. Week 3 of the Season the Falcons travel to Brooklyn to take on a new owner on the Beats. These two have not formerly matched up so it will be interesting to see who takes this one. They will host the Orlando Wizards in Week 5, who have a much improved defense since last year.

This could be a tough game for the Falcons, although it could also be a blowout in their W column. They also face the Eagles, which should in theory be an easy victory unless they have improved drastically since last year. A good matchup will be the Falcons-Browns tilt in Week 10. Cleveland is a competitor and only barely missed the playoffs last year and are sporting a much improved defense. They also face off against the Ravens which might be a very interesting game. Then of course, the Falcons will face their normal bout of divisional rivals: Saints, Oilers, and Desperados. Last year the games between Atlanta and both the Saints and Oilers were competitive. The Falcons did well against them, but it was a hard fought battle. We could easily see this going both ways, but we are going to predict a 10-6 final record for the Falcons. It will be up to them in the postseason to ride the wave back to the big Bowl.

In terms of roster movement, the Falcons have been fortunate to not have much. Despite having a massive salary cap issue going into last years offseason, Atlanta was able to retain almost all of it’s key roster pieces. The only piece they weren’t really able to afford was ROLB Ryan Anderson, who fled town into free agency and was picked up by the Giants.

Anderson played defensive end for the Falcons, but now they have Adrian Clayborn and Takarist McKinley in the right and left end spots (respectively). In the draft they picked up a journeyman left guard in Blair Eby (70 OVR, normal), a wide receiver Tyler Orr ( 65 OVR.

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Normal), two fullbacks, a halfback with monster numbers in Dawson Brown (70 OVR, normal), and a quarterback Jordan Echols (59 OVR, Normal).

The real problem for Atlanta remains their salary cap, which currently sits at -$870K. They have some major roster pieces in contract years: QB Matt Ryan, LT Jake Matthews, LOLB Vic Beasley, MLB Jerrell Freeman, DT Grady Jarrett, LG Andy Levitre, CB Jalen Collins, WR Taylor Gabriel, among a few others. THAT’S going to be a HUGE minefield for Atlanta to negotiate this season, and one wrong step could blow this team up. Atlanta can only hope to take home one more Lombardy before their team is riddled with roster holes as everyone leaves to free agency later this year.

Given the schedule analysis and somewhat intact roster, we currently believe that the Falcons are a sure thing for the playoffs, and possibly repeat Super Bowl contenders. It will be a very competitive year for them, and we offer them the best of luck in defending their shiny new Championship trophy.

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One of the newest members of the XRFL family are the London Monarchs. In the 2017 season, the then Cardinals were middle of the pack on offense and defense. Now that they have taken on a new identity in a premier location, the Monarchs will be looking to become King of their division.

Two key names that the Monarchs acquired during the offseason was CB Tramaine Brock and CB Denzel Ward. Ward is a young superstar out of Ohio State that will develop very quickly. He should be able to contribute to a defense that desperately needed help. Will the Monarchs be able to take the crown in 2018?

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Written by: Adolfo Einstein Krieger

The Draft is a special time of year for teams in the XRFL to go shopping for their future franchise players. This Draft and Supplement Draft proved fruitful for some teams, barren for others. Despite all of the maneuvering and trading that occurs to place teams in the best position in the draft, there are always draft winners and losers. XRFL Insider Adolfo Krieger takes an in-depth look at each team’s draft haul and scores them.

Editorial Note: These draft charts below may not be completely accurate as people made roster moves before I could snapshot them.

Bears

HB WR MLB CB CB

70 68 75 72 71

Henry Biddle DeMarcus Wyms Rashaan Evans Jordan Byrd Steven Saunders

Normal Normal Quick Normal Normal

FS

77

Hunter Johnston

Slow

FINAL GRADE:

Hunter Johnston has the potential to be a stud with the slow development trait. Rashaan Evans has the potential to be the best LB in the LONG line of Bears linebackers. Overall a small but power packing draft for Bears

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Beats

Bills

Black Knights

Broncos

HB WR LT LG RT CB CB CB

64 65 77 80 71 82 71 70

Rasean Hawthorne Deron Porter Darius Ballard Andre Bowen Marion Peters Jaire Alexander Lester Swope Javares Graham

Normal Normal Normal Superstar Normal Normal Normal Normal

FS

69

Shamell Hall

Normal

QB HB HB WR C RG RE DT DT DT MLB CB CB

81 81 68 67 71 80 69 72 72 71 80 71 68

Tyrone Colombo Shaquan Radley Reggie McMillon Sefa Rudolph Duncan Walsh Lynn Worthen Solomon Tell Ben Amaro Morgan Cecil Denard Walters Daquon Wilson Joey Garrett JKJ Bookman

Superstar Superstar Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal

SS

70

Doran McKenzie

Normal

HB WR LT C RG

65 69 72 81 70

Martinez Day Adrain Burress DeAndre Burnett Austin Gholston Morris Lewis

Normal Normal Normal Quick Normal

HB WR TE C RG RT MLB MLB CB FS SS

72 77 77 74 74 76 73 71 70 70 72

Terrell Davis II Langford Greco Chris Herndon Graham Burr Bryan Bass Garrett Schulz Tank Carter Pete Schuler Watts Middlebrooks Keylo Dimanche Rashawn Byrd

Normal Normal Quick Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal

SS

71

Hudson Campion

Normal

ANALYSIS: Bowen and Alexander have the potential to be Pro Bowlers after a few season of development. Ballard will be a stud in this league for a long time, will hold down the left side of the offensive line for years to come. Large class with plenty of hidden gems.

FINAL GRADE:

ANALYSIS: Columbo and Radley will be superstars by the end of the first year if developed right. Those two coupled with Wilson and Worthen will bring back the Bills of the early 90’s.

Great moves by Bills to secure the long term overhaul that was needed for them to be competitive again. Defensive Line was a key target in his draft with 3 defensive tackles taken. Defense was very poor in Buffalo last year so all of these moves along with free agency will surely get the Bills back in the hunt. Great Draft for the Bills.

FINAL GRADE: ANALYSIS: Overall a small class. Found one stud in Gholston. He will anchor the line and be in the pro bowl for years to come. Lack of depth and pop was the biggest blunder for the Knights.

FINAL GRADE: ANALYSIS: WOW nothing more I can say.

TOP to bottom the best draft in Franchise history. This also will kick start the Broncos back into dynasty mode. GET use to the names Davis and Herndon you will be hearing a lot of them.

Broncos made moves up and down the draft, also securing proper picks and players to go along with overall top talent. WOW.

FINAL GRADE:

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Browns

QB RG LE RE LOLB MLB MLB ROLB CB CB FS

72 71 81 68 69 70 70 70 72 68 71

Ryan Walker Earl McKinnie Adren Key Ben Udeze Kyaunn Mullins Morgan Logan Farrington Duncan Russell Zachary DeAndre Griffin Antoine Robinson Rioll Howell

Normal Normal Superstar Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal

SS

72

Exil Bouye

Normal

WR WR DT

77 71 71

Christian Kirk Venson Wright Tre McIntosh

Normal Normal Normal

ANALYSIS: Kirk will be another wide receiver that you need to keep your eyes on for years to come. After starring at Texas A&M he was brought into Kansas

CB

73

Taylor Gaylor

Normal

City to help their core out. Solid moves by Kansas City but not a lot of depth.

TE LE RE RE DT CB

73 70 81 68 69 74

Darby French Gilbert Brown Steven Hyde Elijah Filani Walker Conley Verlon Durham

Quick Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal

CB

69

Randall Preston

Normal

ANALYSIS: Sleeper of the Draft Steven Hyde is a name to watch. Overall Indy reached for numerous people in each of the rounds.

Durham could develop into a Pro Bowler or he could bust out of the league in 2 years. Nothing of substance stuck out to me with Indy. Two

ANALYSIS: Solid core of talent, Key stuck out

as a name to watch. Browns went defense heavy with numerous picks from defensive line to linebacker and cornerback. Browns need a HUGE infusion of talent across the board and I believe they might have turned the corner with this draft. Keep your eyes open for Walkercould be special if given the time to develop.

FINAL GRADE:

Chiefs

FINAL GRADE:

Colts

FINAL GRADE:

Cowboys

after this blunder.

HB LT RT LOLB ROLB CB

67 71 68 66 68 66

Kobi Konrad Spencer Grossman Darrayl Hymes Crishone Sutherland Serderious Herbert Griffin Hubbard

Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal

FS

70

Christian Weems

Normal

FINAL GRADE:

steps backwards for this franchise. I’m calling it now sweeping changes in Indy’s front office

ANALYSIS: Jerry Jones has messed up again. Time for Jerry to step down or let someone else draft. Al Davis type picks for Dallas. Someone save the Cowboys!! Huge disappointment.

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Desperados

LT

80

Jamarco Jones

Quick

LT

70

Marshall Curry

Normal

RE

65

Gordon Bannister Normal

LOLB

69

Michael Pierce

HB WR RG RG RT DT ROLB

65 70 74 68 65 68 78

Fernando Stevens Banks Moon Blair Hoese Latevin Winburn Spencer Burleson Lenerick Mann Roquon Smith

Normal Normal Quick Normal Normal Normal Quick

FS

71

Matt Bennett

Normal

QB LT C LOLB CB

62 69 74 64 70

Jason Clare Damian Jacobs Frank McLeod Todd McGowan Ross Quarles

Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal

FS

72

DeAndre Ray

Normal

Normal

FINAL GRADE:

Diablos

FINAL GRADE:

Dolphins

HB TE LT C LOLB ROLB CB FS

64 72 72 72 68 70 82 70

Leveon Lefeged Conor D'Owd Connor Williams Gabriel Carney Cory Madsen Cecil Pittman Sjamir Cochran Jaron Fitzgerald

Normal Normal Slow Normal Normal Normal Superstar Normal

SS

70

James Mays

Normal

FINAL GRADE:

the line for years to come. Overall nothing of value outside of Jones. The GM will be on the hot seat if this draft doesn’t come through. Lack of depth and game changers plagued these guys.

ANALYSIS: Hoese and Smith- WOW need I say more. They both acceled at the combine.

Showing off plenty of talent in all the drills.

Draft stock rapidly rose and both guys will be animals for the Diablos. Bennnet and Moon are sleepers to be on the lookout for. They both tested out well and show all the tools to be potential long term fixes. Late round steals for the Diablos helped them gain ground on the rest of the division.

ANALYSIS: Yet another year of having a good draft choice and yet another year of mistakes for the Dolphins. They reached in each round and took someone because of physical tools instead of the player that they needed. McCloud is nothing special but was solid never missing a start in 4 years of college. The Dolphins picks could end up late bloomers but time will tell with all the distractions in Miami Beach.

FINAL GRADE:

Eagles

ANALYSIS: Left Tackle Jones is a stud, one of a few found in this draft. He will hold down the left side of

ANALYSIS: Cochran is the next big thing. He tested out extremely well during the combine and was given the nickname “ The Beast Incarnate” He will lock down one side of the field like Champ Bailey, Deion Sanders and Ty Law. He will come up and stick you in run support. Offensive Line was a key position that Philly targeted during the Pre draft camps. Lefeged is a late round underrated animal in the making. He ran slower than people thought but that was due to off season hamstring injury sustained in the combine. He will be a late bloomer and will be a potential bowler. Overall up and down the draft it was very solid for the Eagles.

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Falcons

QB HB FB FB WE

59 68 84 80 65

Jordan Echols Dawson Browns Blake Kropog Jason Benoit Tyler Orr

Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal

ANALYSIS: What were these guys think-

LG

70

Blair Eby

Normal

in recent history. Get a clue ATL brass!!

ing? You rarely draft ONE full back let alone TWO. The rest of the class was small and nothing stuck out. Could be some late bloomers but this looks like the worst draft

FINAL GRADE:

Giants

HB LT RT LE LB CB

63 Josh Alexis 79 Navassa Herron 80 Paul Fields 82 Markus Wyrick 77 Malik Jefferson 68 Rasean Austin

Normal Normal Normal Normal Superstar Normal

SS

71 LaMarcus Datko

Normal

FINAL GRADE:

Huskies

WR WR TE LG C LE LE FS

77 Willis Thrash 63 Tacoi Dixon 80 Lawrence Gradkowski 81 Leonard Debose 71 Raymond Nelson 82 Javonte Caulcrick 70 Dakotah Bradley 85 Derwin James

Normal Normal Superstar Quick Normal Normal Normal Superstar

FS

68 Gilbert Hambrick

Normal

FINAL GRADE:

Jaguars

ANALYSIS: The draft was very very kind to them. They got Wyrick, Jefferson, and Fields sounds like a law firm doesn’t it? You will learn these names very quickly. These guys coupled with the moves in the off season have vaulted the Giants into the dynasty conversation. Jefferson will develop very quickly and become the next Giants STUD linebacker. Lawrence Taylor all over again? Wyrick looks like the next Strahan, holy cow the Giants have taken the draft to the next level with these picks. Datko a late round pick could be a nice piece next to Landon Collins.

ANALYSIS: Derwin James is a bigger Ed Reed, will be a Pro Bowler from day 1.

Debose and Gradkowski will be two other solid pieces as the Huskies look to build off a solid Free Agency. Caulcrick will be yet another piece to the puzzle and will be a stud.

Thrash will be a great addition to the core that the Huskies have already at wide receiver.

This will be a make or break draft class for Huskies team.

WR WR TE LG RG CB

71 Jordan Moraeno 64 Jarrell French 78 Gordon Sunseri 83 Mike McGlincey 77 Josh Kennedy 79 Cullen Ringer

Normal Normal Normal Superstar Normal Quick

ANALYSIS: McGlincey will be end up being a stud barring injury. He has been known for being reliable and will

SS

67 Garic Gilbert

Normal

their positions, they will step up to the plate and knock it out of the park. Both are 3 year starters for their teams.

FINAL GRADE:

not miss a start. Ringer could be a great corner next to Ramsey. Ringer has been lockdown since freshman year and had 8 ints his senior year capping off the best year of his career. Sunseri and Kennedy are plug and play guys at

Rest of the class is hit or miss.

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Jets

HB WR WR LT LE DT DT FS K

77 Jeiwone Zeigler 71 Joseph Rayford 67 Bennett Lamb 70 Cameron Munnerlyn 68 Ben Conrath 80 Dareon Amey 64 Kent Farley 70 Sherard Bishop

Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal

75 Max Dahl

Normal

top kicker of the draft and will be a household name. Hit a 65 yarder going into the wind against Colorado. Bishop could be a late round find with size, speed and intangibles to play the position but could end up being a B plus.

QB HB C RG LE MLB CB

78 Mason Rudolph 68 Sheldon Cross 70 Quinn Schmidt 75 Zach Merritt 71 O.J. Payne 68 Henry Baxter 82 Kirkland Walters

Slow Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Superstar

ANALYSIS: Mason Rudolph was graded out as the top quarterback but attitude held him back. He was a great teammate but struggled with immaturity off the field. Has a cannon for a right arm. Makes great decisions with the football, lead Okie State to a 13-1 record and a win over Illinois in the Fiesta Bowl. Threw 55 touchdowns and had only 2 interceptions. Also ran

FS

72 Marshall Mouton

Normal

for 900 yards and 10 scores. If he can keep his nose clean he will elevate the Lions. Walters will lock down the other side of the field, should benefit from the crafty vet Slay. Merritt will beat out Laken Tomlinson for the guard position. The rest of the draft graded out fairly well, value picks in each round.

FINAL GRADE:

Monarchs

gler will push the pile if need be and has extra gears to hit the home run. Amey is as strong as an Ox and is fundamentally sound. Max Dahl was the

the big question is will his body hold up. This draft

FINAL GRADE:

Lions

ANALYSIS: Homerun picks Zeigler and Amey, they will step in year 2 and never look back. Zei-

QB WR DT

63 JaQuan Boyd 65 Griffin Jasper 69 Spencer Grimes

Normal Normal Normal

CB

80 Denzel Ward

Superstar

FINAL GRADE:

ANALYSIS: How can one team keep messing up and the GM still keep their job? The one bright draft

choice was Denzel Ward. On paper this looks like a knockout pick but questions surrounding his decision making still concerns most GM’s. The rest of the class was reached for in each round. The owner was quoted as saying this is it for the scouting department and General Manager.

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Nighthawks

QB HB WR LE LE DT MLB ROLB ROLB CB

59 Brent Zukauskas 78 Steven Hodge 63 Clayton Greenberry 77 Austin Bryant 70 Dalton Louis-Jean 71 Matt Cherry 66 Beckett Crocket 72 Lee Lower 68 Marquess Keith

Normal Quick Normal Quick Normal Slow Normal Normal Normal

68 Olen Poe

Normal

FINAL GRADE:

Oilers

QB QB WR LT RG RT DT LOLB CB SS

73 Lamarcus Jackson 60 Antoine Rodriguez 67 Zach Casey 72 Brady Boller 70 Leonard McMillon 68 Spencer Urschel 68 Blake Batten 69 Joshua Malone 70 Leslie Carswell

Quick Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal

71 Dalton Ayers

Normal

ANALYSIS: Steven Hodge is the nephew of Merrill Hoge, this pick will turn out to be the turning point of this franchise. He has the vision, size, and speed combo to turn out to be the best running back in the league someday. Austin “Big Daddy” Bryant has been underrated since he was recruited to the university of Minnesota. Bryant has the work ethic of 10 men and will not stop until he beats the offensive lineman into the ground. Lee Lower is a late round size and speed guy, will end up this draft top linebacker. Taken in the late round due to torn ACL in his senior year at Maryland. Rest of the draft was value picks made by the GM. Great value each round for the Nighthawks.

ANALYSIS: Lamarcus Jackson could turn out to be the 2nd best quarterback in the draft. Size, speed, and arm strength set him apart. Ran for more touchdowns than he threw but was a valueable weapon when his team needed him. Nothing else stuck out to me but their draft was rock solid all around. Not missing a beat the GM drafted multiple times and invested multiple picks on surrounding the talent that is already in place with more weapons.

FINAL GRADE:

Patriots

WR WR TE DT MLB

74 Vincent Armour 67 Gilbert Fleming 68 Blair McMahon 80 Da'Ron Payne 75 Willie Hammond

Normal Normal Normal Superstar Superstar

MLB

67 Marcus Guenther

Normal

FINAL GRADE:

ANALYSIS: Yet another pull by the Patriots brass. Wow is all I can say. How do these guys keep doing this? Payne, Hammond and Armour are all outstanding prospects, each of them graded out in the upper half of the draft. Needing to fill holes in the roster defensive tackle and linebacker clearly were the needs of the Patriots who normally keep their interests under lock and key. Armour is the missing link in receiver core, he’s a mix of Randy Moss and Jerry Rice. Value choices in the later rounds.

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Raiders

WR LH RT RT LE MLB CB CB

Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal

71 Jimmie Howard

Normal

switched to safety due to lack of depth. Interesting prospects taken with the other choices, this is a solid draft but by no means a great draft. Time will tell.

ANALYSIS: Cobbs Junior saved this class from being grade F. Cobbs Jr. isn’t the biggest or the fastest but will catch everything and will go over the middle. He has no off the field issues and is a solid teammate. Wasted picks in the other 3 rounds.

FINAL GRADE:

Rams

ANALYSIS: Crawford and Davis, wow. Both

64 Kevin Reese 67 Easton Winters 76 Delbert Crawford 73 Carroll Cheek 67 Quantavious Gibson 66 Bryant Andrews 77 Carlton Davis

WR DT ROLB

78 Simmie Cobbs Jr 67 Eldon Harrington 71 Ben Fleck

Quick Normal Normal

ROLB

67 Kierre Snow

Normal

slipped due to plenty of depth at the positions they are. Cheek was another mid round sleeper. Crawford and Cheek both mammoths at left tackle will eat up blockers and have wonderful feet. Jimmie Howard will be switched to safety and will becoming the next bust. Lacks the skills at corner but was

FINAL GRADE:

Ravens

WR TE TE RT LE ROLB CB

70 Eugene Combs 79 Jamaal Hunter 75 Rodman Molden 78 Dawson Talib 68 Rafael Barton 72 Carroll Robinson

Normal Normal Quick Normal Normal Normal

69 Avion Armour

Normal

FINAL GRADE:

Saints

HB WR LT CB

82 Cedric Ihedigbo 63 Joseph Fudge 72 Dion Crawford 69 Anthony Phillip

Normal Normal Normal Normal

CB

66 Casey Harris

Normal

FINAL GRADE:

ANALYSIS: Hunter and Talib are instant plug and play starters. They were taken in the right position at the right time. Molden was a 7th round choice and is going to be the star of the tight end class. He has the size, speed and blocks like an offensive lineman. He is a bigger version of Todd Heap. Ozzie Newsome does it again!! Digging up more prospects.

ANALYSIS: Cedric Ihedigbo will take over the part time load that Kamara had. Clocked at 4.40 in the 40 he is more quick than fast. Rest of the draft was for need nothing major stood out.

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Seahawks

QB HB WR TE C LOLB MLB FS

60 Carey Ferwerda 76 Nick Chubb 79 Lindsey McMillan 70 Nblake Herrera 70 Lucas Spellman 67 Julius Combs 67 Kasen Jean-Baptiste

Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal

68 Javonte Pickens

Normal

ANAYLSIS: Nick Chubb despite the knee injuries will become a stud. McMillan will be the next Steve Largent. These two picks will help Seattle get back on track offensively. Defensively they drafted some talent but nothing that really stuck out. Solid draft after the 2 offensive weapons.

FINAL GRADE:

Steelers

QB HB HB WR TE LT C LE RE LOLB CB

58 Demarcus Houshmandzadeh 66 Jamichael Pope 68 Lajarvis Singletary 71 Anthony Roach 68 Vlad Dunn 69 Stuart Myslinski 68 Duncan Kriewaldt 67 Cameron Holloway 68 Randall Hudson 67 Ross Gash

Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal

71 Sefa Schillens

Normal

ANALYSIS: This draft was all around solid but nothing jumps out at you. Roach will be a nice prospect at tight end, he should replace Jesse James at some point. Drafted well for numerous picks, did not reach but did not add top end talent. Time will tell with the Steelers draft. 2 running backs? Why when you have

FINAL GRADE:

Titans

LT CB

72 Jewone Howard 69 Tramon Boyd

Normal Normal

SS

82 Ronnie Harrison

Normal

ANALYSIS: Ronnie Harrison is the relative of Rodney Harrison and in all rights is a stud all his own. He should help stabilize a unit that was picked on a lot last season. Howard is a LARGE man who will provide

FINAL GRADE:

much needed depth along the offensive line. Small draft class. This team needs to step it up on the field now with all the pieces in place to make a run.

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Vikings

WR WR C RT MLB ROLB CB

67 Duane Levine 62 Graham Kingsbury 71 Dakieston Russ 70 Josh Mormino 66 Fisher Ghent 73 Chad Thomas

Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal Normal

69 Joey Conley

Normal

FINAL GRADE:

Wizards

QB QB HB WR C

82 Sam Darnold 75 Aaron Webb 73 Lewis Montgomery 71 Derrick Hammond 78 Josh Driesbach

Superstar Superstar Slow Normal Normal

SS

72 Deron Tolbert

Quick

FINAL GRADE:

ANALYSIS: Chad Thomas is a flat out animal a line backers body. He will start out on special teams and quickly earn a spot next to Anthony Barr. Along with watching Barr work Thomas has a real shot of being special. Russ will take over when the current Vikings center retires. This should get him ready to go and he will not let go of the position until HE retires.

Mormino is a HUGE bust factor, not only is he immature for his age he showed that he could not handle pressure well by leaving the combine early. Hopefully the Vikings offensive line coach can get to him before it’s too late.

ANALYSIS: Sam Darnold will be the franchise quarterback when he hits the field. He has size, speed, intangibles and most of all he is pin point on his accuracy. His agent Paublo Esco bar may provide some problems to deal with but Darnold will be ready to go regardless. Aaron Webb is a strong candidate to be traded once the season starts, he has all the tools to be the next big thing. If Webb has a solid showing during the pre season someone will scoop him up and NOT be sorry. Dreisenbach will step in day one and never let go of the Center position. He is smart calling every game from his freshman year to his senior year. He allowed only 1 sack as a freshman and has not allowed one since. Deron Tolbert will be another player to watch when this season get started.

Rookie of the year Candidate on the defensive side of the ball.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adolf Einstein Krieger is a draft insider working for the XRFL. He has inner working knowledge of the league and looks forward to contributing to the XTRA magazine.

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Written by: Jason Kinger

After a disappointing season, the Detroit Lions have focusing on the long offseason to make the necessary moves to propel them to the top of the NFC North.

With a very strong division filled with the Mexico City Diablos, Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings, big changes will be necessary to stay competitive. Veteran quarterback Matt Stafford says “This division is the best in the league. There’s no doubt about it”. Will the Lions make the right moves in the off-season to be competitive next year? That is the real question.

As most of the league knows, the owner of the Lions, Martha Ford, was dismissed mid-season amid a money laundering investigation and the team brought in a newcomer, billionaire tech investor, Jason Kinger. Kinger saw the opportunity and took it. During his first press conference he said, “Although I grew up in the booming steel town known as Pittsburgh, owning an NFL franchise has al-

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ways been something that intrigued me. I never had a chance as player but as a life-long fan and being presented with the opportunity, I couldn’t think of a better place to wind up.

The city of Detroit is much like Pittsburgh. It is filled with resilient people that have dealt with adversity and have overcome the odds to become one of the greatest cities in the world. I am excited for this incredible opportunity”. Big words from a man that most do not know. Whether or not he can take this franchise to the super bowl remains to be seen.

Because of the previous owner’s transgressions, many key players coming off of contract decided to look elsewhere for employment. This is going to make it complicated for Kinger to remain competitive but he has already made some keys moves in the tail end of the season to shape his roster for next season. Keith Marshall, a free agent, had undiscovered potential that Kinger sought out. From his first game, he has been a catalyst to Lions offense; helping them develop a balance offense. Speaking of balanced, another key pickup at the end of the season was free agent wide receiver Roger Lewis Jr. Lewis has amassed more catches, yards and touchdowns than any receiver on the roster since he was picked up. Lewis is grateful for his newfound opportunity, “I can’t find the right word to describe him [Kinger] he is one of the most generous people that I’ve ever met. He flew me into Detroit and set up me up in a suite for 2

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nights, allowed me to tour the facility and told me he wanted me to be a big part of this team. I am so grateful for this chance to show the league what I can do”. Hopefully he can continue to improve this offseason and remain a top target for Stafford; maybe.

Matt Stafford is in a contract year. After the events during the season unfolded, Stafford was quoted, “I cannot believe she [Martha] could do that to us, man. After all we do week by week, I couldn’t bear to hear that. I don’t know if I can see myself here but I will evaluate my situation with the team and the owner [Kinger] week by week and through the off-season and see if we can move forward”. He has officially said he will not sign a contract but this was before Kinger took the reigns. Unfortunately for the Lions, he has denied any contract conversations moving forward but the Lions still have a trick up their sleeve; the franchise tag. Will Kinger use the tag on Stafford and allow other key contributors to move to free agency? That question may be the most important of them all as Stafford has been the backbone of this team since he was drafted.

There are a lot of question marks for Detroit moving into the off-season but suffice it to say, the new ownership team seems to know what they are doing. If they tag Stafford, have a strong draft and continue to develop their young, talented offensive stars, they could be a major force to be reckoned with in the NFC North next season. Only time will tell.

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Tim Harper Lives in: Hagerstown, Maryland Age: 29 Occupation: Restaurant Manager Married with 2 children Favorite Team: Ravens Favorite NFL player:

Ray Lewis because His

passion for the game. How he overcame his allegations and did not let it effect his gameplay one bit.

His knack for leadership and carry a team on his shoulders. His intensity is remarkable also.

Played and Coached football: I played 4 years in high school as a LOT and DT field goal snapper, I had a perfect snap lol. I helped coordinate the Middletown Football Camp one year as my senior project and I also helped out coaching the lineman during that camp for an additional two years

Biggest Piece of Advice to Youngsters: Stay positive. No matter how the game is going never let negativity effect your gameplay and give 110% on every play.

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Written by: Mark Sickle

The Redskins had an extremely hard year last season. Defensively speaking, they ranked last in every major category of statistics that are currently used as metrics for the XRFL. Offensively, they were ranked well within the middle of the pack. But on defense, the Redskins just couldn’t stop anything. Now that the Redskins have relocated to Orlando to become the Wizards, they look to change that narrative in the 2018 season. New owner Mark Sickle, in consultation with first-year head coach Roger Caylor, open the pursestrings to bring in added talent to the much-depleted defensive roster. The goal, of course, would be to construct a monster defense that can carry this team into the posteason. This article will be a fourt three part series about the moves they made to shore up the defense and how it could be the best offseason moves of all.

PART ONE — DEFENSIVE LINE In 2017, one of the biggest areas of concern for the Redskins was generating pressure on the quarterback. Sending the proper blitz and the proper time and bringing down the opposing team’s signal caller is a huge benefit to any team. Secondary players can only provide coverage for so long, so ensuring pressure on the quarterback is a must if a team

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wants to get off the field on 4th down.

The 2017 defensive line for the Redskins was anchored in the middle by strongman DT Marcel Dareus, who was acquired from Buffalo early in the season. Dareus has monster numbers (94 STR, 91 TAK, 86 BSH, 88 PWM) but tends to be a little slow in getting to the quarterback. The depth chart behind Dareus included Ian Williams in 2017, who lacked great shed blocking abilities but boasted 96 Strength. When defensive packages called for both to be on the field, they could literally pish the interior line out of the way for the blitzing linerbackers. Williams has since been released to free agency (for salary cap reasons) and replaced by Ricki Havili-Heimuli. He doesn’t boast nearly the same strength or agility that Williams did, but fortunately most of the Wizards defensive gameplans only require one defensive tackle on the field.

The largest and most concerning problem for the Redskins 2017 defensive line were the defensive ends. The left end spot was held down by Mario Williams, who used to be a beast in earlier versions of Madden but has since dropped off considerably. Williams used to be one of my favorite players but sadly age has gotten to him. He barely got any pressure on the pocket last year, recording only 4 sacks all year. His counterpart on the right side was Randy Starks, who also used to be a freak of nature. Starks provided nothing to the equation last year, not garnering a single sack all season. He had great tackling ability and so would assist on tackling of the runner went outside right. Neither Williams now Starks were dominant forces in 2017.

The Wizards desperately needed to shore up the defensive end spots, and immediately went shopping on the market. Almost as if in answer to their prayers, shortly after the 2018 draft two teams put their star-talent DE’s on the trading block. The Diablos were looking to make moves for salary cap reasons, and were looking to dump LE J.J. Watt. The Wizards pounced on the opportunity to add the Pro Bowl player to their roster, completing a trade that sent SS Jabrill Pepperss, and a 2nd and 3rd round picks to Mexico City.

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Watt in his first game as a Wizards player recorded 2 sacks and a strip sack. Shortly thereafter, the Los Angeles Rams put up RE Robert Quinn for trade. The Wizards finalized a deal with the Rams that would send Quinn to Orlando in exchange for a first round pick.

Quinn also performed well in his first outing in a Wizards uniform, logging 5 tackles for a loss and 1 sack.

The Wizards will pay handsomely through the nose for these three players: Dareus, Watt and Quinn. J.J. Watt has a $13.4 million cap hit in 2018, and it only gets worse from there. He has four years remaining on his current contract, and in year 4 his cap hit jumps to $21.4 million!

That’s a heft jump, but Watt would be worth it if he continues to perform at the high levels fans have expected from him since his league debut. Dareus has a $6.23 million cap hit and has 4 years remaining on his contract as well. Quinn only has 2 years remaining, and his cap hits for the next two years are $12.2 and $15.3 million (respectively).

The combination of these three defensive lineman should pay dividends for the Wizards in the 2018 season. If they can find chemistry, they Wizards defensive front should be absolutely dominant. We will know more as the weeks pass whether these three will gel into an unstoppable monster.

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Night Hawks Rams Bears Diablos Beats

Beats Falcons Monarchs Bears Steelers

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WEEK

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The above map shows approximate locations for each team user. This map can be used to help schedule your games against a certain opponent by understanding what time zone they are in.

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Oshawa, Ontario

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