Throughout 2023, we covered many instances where XFL athletes drew interest from the NFL after the XFL season ended in May. Now the end of the 2023-24 NFL season is in sight, with the Chiefs advancing to face the 49ers at Super Bowl LVIII. For XFL fans, however, these are the players to watch in the NFL next season.
Ben DiNucci, Denver Broncos
As one of the only QB sign-ups that stuck in 2023, Ben DiNucci got his reserve contract with the Denver Broncos this year. Dallas Cowboys fans will know him for relieving Andy Dalton during the 2020 season. He even made a career start, though a lackluster pair of games followed. Now he’s with the Broncos for 2024 after a stint with the Seattle Sea Dragons.
Fans can watch DiNucci’s second NFL bid after Super Bowl LVIII, where the 49ers are up against the Chiefs. The 49ers are favorites to win according to NFL betting odds at -125 against the Chiefs’ +120. However, Kansas City is carrying a lot of crowd excitement into the game from inside and outside of the major league. Once that excitement is over, it’ll be time for the new season where a raft of XFL hopefuls get their future NFL contracts stamped.
Ben DiNucci will get his second pass at the NFL, though this time he’s backed by some of the XFL’s best plays in 2023. For the Sea Dragons, DiNucci won seven of ten games started and took the squad to the playoffs. When the league wrapped up in the summer, DiNucci led with 2,671 passing yards, 374 attempts, 272 completions, and 13 interceptions. This made him one of the best XFL QBs by the stats, so it makes sense that the Broncos want to hold onto him for 2024.
Multiple, Atlanta Falcons
More than any other team, the Atlanta Falcons have been looking to the XFL when draft season comes around. In 2023, the Falcons signed seven members from the XFL. From them, just four are still in the running to appear next season. Those would be nose tackle LaCale London, safety Lukas Denis, defensive end Caeveon Patton, and center Michal Menet. London has been activated while Denis has a reserve contract, and the other two ride the waiver wire in the meantime, so they can be traded or let go entirely. So next season, XFL fans can expect a stacked Falcons lineup that could include two to four familiar athletes.
LaCale London made his NFL debut with the Minnesota Vikings in 2021, before spending 2022 playing for the St. Louis Battlehawks. There he made XFL Defensive Player of the Week after a game with the Seattle Sea Dragons. Lukas Denis’ has a similar experience, playing for the Battlehawks before the Falcons picked him up.
While uncertain, offensive tackle LaColby Tucker is an honorable mention who could sign up to the Falcons or other NFL squads in the future. He was signed by the Falcons but didn’t survive the 2023 roster cut. His formidable size and previous experience with the team may make him a shoo-in for future sign-ups.
