LA Wildcats Waive Oakman, Spicer And Three Others, Sign Stanton

For the past couple of weeks, XFL players finally took the field with their new teammates, in their new threads, under new coaches at each team’s inaugural minicamp. Now that coaches and team front office personnel are seeing what they’ve drafted, some dominos are beginning to fall.

The Winston Moss led LA Wildcats were the first team in the XFL to pull the trigger on some post minicamp transactions.

Moss Said;

” It’s an ugly part of the business. It’s something you don’t ever want to go through. It’s my first time having to do this. The players were very emotional. You get attached to these guys very quickly, it hurts to see them go. “

Winston Moss On Cutting Players

LA Wildcats signed:

Johnny Stanton – Runningback/Fullback

Stanton was actually drafted in the open round of the initial XFL player draft, so this mainly signals that Stanton signed his official player contract. Stanton was a Quarterback in college for Nebraska, prior to transferring to a Junior College.

Stanton then finished out his NCAA eligibility where he played Special Teams, Linebacker, and started games back at QB. Stanton is one of the few players that can honestly claim to have 10 career touchdown passes and an interception as a Linebacker.

It was the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings that converted Stanton to Fullback. The big athletic player will work to find a role in the Norm Chow led offense.

LA Wildcats Released:

C.J Moore – Cornerback

Anthony Morris – Offensive Tackle

Shawn Oakman – Defensive Tackle/Defensive End

Damian Prince – Offensive Tackle

Jerimiah Spicer – Linebacker

The XFL released arguably their two biggest storylines heading into the season. Shawn Oakman and Jerimiah Spicer weren’t just some of the most interesting players for the Wildcats but in the league.

Shawn Oakman, recently found innocent of sexual assault, was an extremely prominent player at Baylor University. He was an All American in 2014 and reached social media fame as the subject of widely shared Twitter memes. Oakman was a recognizable name with baggage to match. It’s safe to assume that Moss and Wildcats staff saw major red flags with Oakman, whether thats a player too far gone from his prime or character concerns, we cannot confirm. The LA Wildcats social media team will have to find a new player to feature.

Another high profile name, Jerimiah Spicer, was perhaps the most feel-good story in the XFL.

From homelessness, eight high schools, no four-year college offers, and extreme poverty to 147 tackles in Arena Football and NFL tryout invites. Unfortunately, Spicer’s skill set probably was proven to be too raw and he’ll have to return to the Arena ranks.

With that said, It’s surprising that Moss and staff didn’t find it worthwhile to bring him back in for actual training camp. The Wildcats mean business and are showing that they will dress the best players, regardless of name recognition.

“Jerimiah was a special case. He deserved a shot. We gave him an opportunity. It was unfortunate we had to release him, but we have to do what is best for the Wildcats.”

Winston Moss on Spicer

C.J Moore was a standout defensive back at FCS North Carolina Central University. C.J was selected fairly early in the defensive back portion of the draft, in the third round of that phase. C.J’s other professional experience was a brief stint in the Canadian Football League.

Anthony Morris is an experienced NFL, CFL, and AAF (Memphis Express) Veteran. Fellow released Offensive Lineman Damian Prince was in training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers. There is potential that these two were no-shows to camp. With two cut offensive linemen, expect the Wildcats to be in the market for additional big bodies in the rumored January 2nd Supplemental Draft.

Keep your eyes on @XFLNewsHub for the rest of the team’s post Minicamp transactions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Konnor Fulk excelled in the Sports Management Program at Georgia Southern University. He spent several seasons working with the Washington Redskins in fan engagement, strategy, and sales strategy. Additionally, Mr. Fulk continues consulting services across the sport of NASCAR. Konnor has a longstanding obsession with the concept of Spring Football and is looking forward to sharing his expertise and opinions about the XFL relaunch. Connect with Konnor on LinkedIn or give him a follow on Twitter @XFLKonnor