Buckeye fans now have an XFL squad to support.
Three former Ohio State teammates will be reuniting in our nation's capital as Cardale Jones, Doran Grant and Tracy Sprinkle all made the DC Defenders' 52-man roster to start the season. They're the only three Buckeyes to make an XFL roster.
Each member of the Ohio State trio has made a run at the NFL before landing on an XFL roster for the league's return season.
Jones was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, but only saw action in one game during his rookie season before he was traded to the Chargers ahead of the 2017 season. Jones spent the next two seasons either as the team's third-string quarterback or on the practice squad until a brief stint on the Seahawks practice squad during the 2019 season.
Grant was selected in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he bounced between the active roster and the practice squad as a rookie before he was cut during the final roster cuts ahead of his second season. From there, Grant spent time on practice squads with the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears, and most recently played for the Atlanta Legends in the lone season of the Alliance of American Football.
Sprinkle went undrafted out of college, but was quickly signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent. He's spent time on both the Panthers and Cleveland Browns' practice squads.
All three players will be looking to use the XFL as an opportunity to jump-start their professional careers.
The DC Defenders will play in the XFL's season-opening game on Feb. 8 at 2 p.m., which will be broadcast on ABC.
