The XFL is taking another step toward stocking rosters for next year’s inaugural season.
The league announced that invitations to take part in the league are starting to go out to players. The league will hold its first draft in October and has held eight showcases this summer to scout potential players.
Players interested in taking part will be required to sign a HIPAA release form and consent to a background check. Failure to clear that check would leave the player ineligible to play next year.
“Extending invitations to our draft process marks the next step on an extraordinary football journey,” XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck said in a statement. “Many of the outstanding athletes who receive a Commissioner’s Invitation will be among the first to take the field in our new league, proudly representing their fans and their communities. I am delighted to offer them this exciting opportunity.”
Luck told Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com that the invitations will go out in installments in order to reserve space for players who fail to make their team’s cut to 53 players in the NFL. The door also remains open to players not yet eligible for the NFL Draft and Luck said they would need to contact the league after their college seasons to request a spot. Those players and any other additions after the October draft would be distributed to teams by the league.
