There has been a flurry of former XFL players getting workouts, or signed by the NFL. It is a testament to how strong the league really was and is a big reason why it was so successful prior to being shut down.
There is one player that has not gotten a look from NFL teams and it is truly shocking. The kicker for the St. Louis BattleHawks, Taylor Russolino, remains a free agent to this day and it is difficult to see why.
Russolino was 9 for 10 in field goals last year for the BattleHawks and he even hit a 58-yard field goal in St. Louis. Obviously there are no PATs in the XFL so that stat line may not jump out at first, but there are several teams in the NFL who could use a kicker with that kind of consistency.
Russolino has got a big leg and it shows when you break down his stats. He was 1/1 in the 20 to 29-yard range,4/5 in the 30 to 39-yard range. 3/3 in the 40 to 49-yard range, and 1/1 in the 50+ yard range. Any NFL team that might have an opening at the kicking position would be smart to take a look.
Russolino does a fantastic job of getting his footage out for everyone to see. on his twitter feed, he has included a highlight reel from this past season, as well as his own personal workouts kicking and punting to show he is willing to do what it takes to make it with the NFL.
Maybe Russolino was overlooked because the XFL did not put as much emphasis on kicking as other areas of the game. Maybe he will get a call soon for a look from an NFL team, but the fact that he is a free agent is Ka-crime.
