Today at 8 p.m. ET, Inside the League will host XFL officials Doug Whaley and Russ Giglio on a Zoom session. This will be the last chance football insiders get to ask Doug and Russ about the league’s draft, which will take place Wednesday and Thursday of next week.

Though we’ve hosted XFL officials on several Zoom calls, we expect this one to be more closely watched due to the imminent selection meeting. We’re giving ITL members a chance to get their questions answered one-on-one, and we think it’s a unique opportunity.

Here are some of the questions we have for Doug and Russ.

The Draft Pool

• What percentage of the draft pool is from the ’22 draft class? What percentage from ’21?
• Is there an equal number of players by position in the draft pool? Is there a shortage anywhere?
• There are close to 2,000 players in the draft pool and only about 400 that will be drafted. What does this mean for the 70 percent of players in the pool who aren’t selected next week?
• Is it too late to get a player into the draft pool? If not, when’s the deadline?

The Draft

• Will the draft be broadcast anywhere? If not, where will we learn the results? How will the draftees be notified?
• How long do you expect the draft to last?

The League

• Last time we Zoomed, you were still finalizing league contract structure. Can you provide details on that now?
• In the NFL, all teams do their own evaluation. How does it work in the XFL?
• Will there be practice squads? Will teams maintain their own short lists or will injury replacements be handled through the league.
• Will evaluation and scouting be centralized in the league office? How much evaluation is local to the team?
• Do all teams have the same size scouting staffs?
• When does camp start? Will there be preseason games?
• Will there be any post-draft evaluation camps or opportunities to be considered for 2023 rosters?

If you’d like to join us, please do. One caveat: you must be a member of Inside the League. Register here. We’ll also review everything we hear tonight and lead off the Friday Wrap with it. Register for the Wrap here. See you tonight.

Monday night, I hosted a Zoom session with XFL officials Russ Giglio and Doug Whaley. I hope you made it; we cast a pretty wide net and didn’t put any restrictions on who could join us. However, the summer’s a busy time, so I thought maybe a recap was in order.

Here’s a look at what Doug and Russ shared with the mostly agents and media members who participated in Monday’s call.

Pay/compensation: The XFL has a pretty nice compensation package for players who do nothing but attend camp, and for those who go beyond, there is a base $50,000 contract for players active for all 10 games (plus $1,000 per win “incentive”). Even for a team that goes winless, it’s a $5,000 bump over USFL salaries. Also worth noting: because the league begins play early in ’23, players with NFL offers will be able to make Phase 2 of NFL off-season programs. 

• $800 per week for training camp (five weeks) 
• $5,000 per game regular season active list (10 games)
• $1,500 per week inactive list (10 games)
• $1,000 per win (active and inactive list)
• Playoff bonuses for winners and losers of playoff games
• Significant championship bonus for both winning and losing teams
• Players will be released following their team’s final game (late April or early May) if they receive an NFL offer.

Housing/meals: The league will house its players in hotels during the season and cover two meals per day (three meals per day during training camp). After figuring in insurance and other benefits, the league estimates that players get an extra $20,000, bringing the total package to about $70,000.

• Three meals and a snack per day during training camp
• Two meals and a snack per day during the regular season
• Full health, dental and vision insurance included for players. Option to pay for family members to be covered.   
• XFL has budgeted for approximately $20,000 per player in fringe benefits

Showcases/Player Evaluation/Drafts: The XFL will hold a draft In November, then supplement it with one or more subsequent drafts early in 2023. Important note: a player who attended one of the league’s showcases this summer is not necessarily entered into the player pool. Though all showcase attendees will be evaluated, only those who are tendered an offer to enter the player pool are given that opportunity (and they must accept the invitation; no one is automatically entered). It’s important to note that each team’s personnel director will attend NFL training camps in order to scoop up the best players who don’t make the cut in September. That’s a potential 600 players who are on 90-man rosters right now, but who could be in the player pool come October. Doug and Russ added that the player pool will be established well in advance of the draft; there will be no last-minute confusion on who can be drafted. 

• Player draft pool invitations have been emailed to players on a rolling basis
• DPPs will be visiting NFL training camps
• Draft in November, supplemental drafts as more players become available (expiring contracts from other leagues)

Quarterbacks: League officials know the XFL will go as far as its passers do, so it’s making a commitment to its signal-callers, paying a selected few of them a little more than other position players and bringing them in earlier. Once in camp — all training will take place in Arlington, Texas — they’ll be instructed by elite QB trainer who will be announced at a later date. Recruiting is already under way. 

NFL Alumni Academy: The XFL has partnered with the Arlington, Tx -based NFL Alumni Academy, and will give XFL players-to-be a chance to hone their skills. Players who attend the Academy will be eligible to be picked up as injury replacements for the NFL, but if they do not, they will be offered the ability to opt into a XFL contracts. 

We’ll discuss the XFL and more in today’s Friday Wrap. Make sure to register for it here.