The Las Vegas Outlaws today added eight players in the
XFL Supplemental Draft, as VP/General Manager Bob Ackles
and Head Coach Jim Criner put the final touches on the
70-man roster that will arrive in Las Vegas on January 1
for the team’s Inaugural Training Camp.
“I’m very excited about being able to get four of
the top five guys we had on today’s board,” said
Criner. “We addressed some needs and improved already
strong positions on our team, especially on the
offensive side of the ball. We were able to add
immediate challengers to starting positions on the
offensive line, at quarterback, wide receiver and tight
end, and at defensive end and kicker.”
With the fourth overall pick, Criner and the Outlaws
selected offensive tackle Jon Blackman, a former
Philadelphia Eagle and Detroit Lion who attended college
at Purdue. Blackman is joined by four other offensive
players: QB Mike Cawley, formerly of the Buffalo Bills;
WR Brett Bech, who spent four seasons with the New
Orleans Saints; former Colorado State standout TE Eli
Workman; RB Pepe Pearson, who starred at Ohio State
before training with the San Francisco 49ers and
Pittsburgh Steelers.
On the defensive side of the ball, Las Vegas selected
two players: DE Carl Simpson, a 7-year NFL veteran who
spent six seasons with the Chicago Bears before moving
on to the Arizona Cardinals; and former Vanderbilt DE
John DeWitt. The final Outlaws selection was K Omar
Cardenas, a Mexican national who is expected to compete
for the Outlaws’ punter/kicker roster spot.
“Now we’re ready to kick things off next week,”
said Ackles, on the eve of his 48th professional
training camp. “We have 70 quality players competing
for 38 roster spots and everyone is looking forward to
the intensity, contact and excitement of major-league
professional football in Las Vegas.”
With 69 players on the roster entering today’s draft,
the Outlaws were forced to waive six players in order to
reach the 70-man roster limit for Training Camp (wide
receiver Jake Hoffart broke his collarbone after being
blindsided by a snowmobile in Lake Tahoe). Following is
a list of recent transactions for the Las Vegas Outlaws
of the XFL:
Friday, Dec. 29, 2000
Added OT Jon Blackman, QB Mike Cawley, WR Brett Bech, TE
Eli Workman, RB Pepe Pearson, DE Carl Simpson, DE John
DeWitt and K Omar Cardenas; Waived QB Ty Grovesteen, TE
Giles Cole, C Josh Heskew and RB Clinton Childs; Placed
WR Jake Hoffart on the Reserve – Non-Football Injury
list
Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2000
Added DE Vince Amey;
Monday, Dec. 18, 2000
Added LB Kurt Gouveia, RB Vershan Jackson; Waived QB
Chris Kasteler, LB Tom Matijacic, K Mike Scott and DE
Andre Wray;
Thursday, Dec. 14, 2000
Added OL Lonnie Palelei;
Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2000
Added WR Cedric Tillman, RB Clinton Childs; Waived WR
Tariq McDonald, RB Orlando Smith;
Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2000
Added LB Mike Crawford; Placed WR Randall Lane on
injured reserve |
