When looking at the rosters for the teams in the newest edition of the XFL, there is a reminder that the world of alternative professional football can be a small one. Several players currently on XFL rosters come to the league after making an effort to make a mark in the CFL.
Several of those players like wide receivers Martavis Bryant (Vegas Vipers) and KD Cannon (D.C. Defenders), defensive backs Matt Elam (Orlando Guardians) and AJ Hendon (Houston Roughnecks), and quarterback Cole Mcdonald (Houston Roughnecks) were given a limited opportunity to make plays in the CFL. Others like linebacker Terrence Plummer (Orlando Guardians), which helped Toronto win a Grey Cup in 2017, could be familiar names to those XFL fans that may also be fans of the CFL.
While most of the players are known as players that failed in the CFL, defensive edge rusher Daniel Joseph (Seattle Sea Dragons) is unique. Joseph is a native of Toronto, ON and he was drafted by the BC Lions as the 4th overall pick in the 2021 CFL Draft. The 6’2″ 261-pound Joseph is legitimately an elite player that has experience in the NFL while attending training camp with the Buffalo Bills.
Joseph played college football at North Carolina State after transferring from Penn State. While at North Carolina State, Joseph produced 83 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries.
Typically, the most dedicated fans of the CFL look at the XFL in a negative light, and many look at the US spring league as a threat to the future of the CFL. But with Daniel Joseph as the only native Canadian playing in the XFL, his inclusion in the league could be a positive reason for the fans of Canada to pay attention to the XFL. Joseph may have the opportunity to be a difference-maker as an edge rusher for the Seattle Sea Dragons.
For Daniel Joseph, the opportunity to play for the Sea Dragons is another opportunity to show that he belongs in the competitive world of professional football in the US. For those fans looking for a reason to get excited about the XFL, Daniel Joseph is a unique player that Canadian fans can rally around this spring.
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