Tampa Bay Vipers complete the draft hopeful for the coming season
With the XFL’s first season’s kickoff coming up quickly, the Vipers work to solidify their roster
The logo for the new XFL team the Tampa Bay Vipers
The XFL, officially formed in 2001 for a single season, made a comeback this season when Vince McMahon reformed it for a 2020 season. This league contains eight teams spread out across America from Tampa Bay to Seattle. Tampa Bay’s team appears strong with many experienced players on the roster as well as some real breakout performers. They will be a team to watch this season, with great potential.
People have tried to create a secondary football league many times before. The first XFL was in session for one season before it ended, and the Alliance of American Football, or AAF, disbanded midseason last year. Whether it was for the lack of funding or player support, they disbanded and are looking for a successful second run of the XFL this season.
The logo for the revamped XFL league
The Tampa Bay Vipers were busy at work, drafting a dominant team for this season. They picked up a good quarterback in Aaron Murray, who played college football at Georgia. During his first year of college in 2010, Aaron started 13 games in the season and put up a passer rating of 154.5. He had a momentous Junior season with a 174.8 passer rating and threw for 3,893 passing yards, a career high. Murray looks like a reliable quarterback for Tampa Bay based on his college performance.
Murray isn’t the only recognizable name for the Vipers this season. Former USF quarterback turned running back for the NFL, Quinton Flowers, turned to the XFL when the Cincinnati Bengals wouldn’t play him.
Flowers extends the play in a game with
USF.
Throughout college, he was a very reliable quarterback, and consistently had high passer ratings during his three starting seasons. His rushing ability however, was what was really impressive. He isn’t as tall as most quarterbacks, listing at six foot, so he has to rely on his legs to get by. He put up impressive rushing stats near the end of his college seasons, rushing for 1,530 and 1,078 rushing yards in his final two years of college. He will be a very strong player for the Vipers.
Other players on the Vipers include a handful of former Buccaneers players as well as players hopeful for a shot at the NFL in the future. The games begin after the Super Bowl in February, and the Vipers home stadium will be Raymond James Stadium.
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Bradley Rybolt is a junior at Wiregrass Ranch and this is his first year writing for The Stampede. He is interested in writing different pieces for the...
