The DC Defenders had a remarkable first season in the XFL in 2023. Reggie Barlow, served as the head coach, the Defenders showcased strong performance throughout the season. Playing their home games at Audi Field, they finished with an impressive 9-1 record, topping the XFL North division. In the playoffs, they secured a victory in the Division Finals against the Seattle Sea Dragons with a score of 37-21. However, their journey concluded in the XFL Championship game, where they faced a challenging match against the Arlington Renegades, ending with a 26-35 loss.
Defenders News
Mike Mitchell
March 17, 2025
Mark Perry
February 12, 2025
Defenders Roster
Head Coach Reggie Barlow
General Manager Von Hutchins
Defensive Backs Vernon Dean
Offensive Coordinator Fred Kaiss
Wide Receivers Sean Anderson
Offensive Line Russ Ehrenfeld
Linebackers Deion Harris
Quarterbacks Shannon Harris
Defensive Line Jeremy Watkins
Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams
Quarterback
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mike DiLiello | Quarterback | Austin Peay | - |
| Spencer Sanders | Quarterback | Oklahoma State | - |
| Jordan Ta’amu | Quarterback | Ole Miss | Pearl City,HI |
Tight End
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mason Fairchild | Tight End | Kansas | - |
| Ben Bresnahan | Tight End | Vanderbilt | - |
| Trae Barry | Tight End | Boston College | Summerdale,AL |
| Devin Asiasi | Tight End | UCLA | - |
Running back
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darius Hagans | Running back | Virginia State | - |
| Deon Jackson | Running back | Duke | - |
| Abram Smith | Running back | Baylor | Abilene,TX |
| Darius Harper | Running back | Cincinnati | - |
| Lynn Bowden | Running back | Kentucky | - |
Wide receiver
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Copeland | Wide receiver | Maryland | - |
| Shaq Davis | Wide receiver | South Carolina State | - |
| Joshua Matthews | Wide receiver | McNeese State | - |
| Ty Scott | Wide receiver | Missouri State | - |
| Chris Rowland | Wide receiver | Tennessee State | - |
| Jaydon Mickens | Wide receiver | Washington | - |
Offensive tackle
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Satkowski | Offensive tackle | Stonehill | - |
| Mason Brooks | Offensive tackle | Ole Miss | - |
| Tykeem Doss | Offensive tackle | Southern Miss | - |
| Darrell Simpson | Offensive tackle | Tusla | - |
| Yasir Durant | Offensive tackle | Missouri | - |
| Badara Traore | Offensive tackle | LSU | - |
| Jarrid Williams | Offensive tackle | Miami (FL) | - |
| John Yarbrough | Offensive tackle | Richmond | , |
Defensive tackle
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devonnsha Maxwell | Defensive tackle | Chattanooga | - |
| Rayshad Nichols | Defensive tackle | Stephen F. Austin | - |
| Dennis Johnson | Defensive tackle | Grand Valley State | - |
| Kevin Atkins | Defensive tackle | Fresno State | San Diego,CA |
| Joe Wallace | Defensive tackle | Sam Houston State | - |
Defensive end
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson Ceaser | Defensive end | Houston | - |
| Andre Mintze | Defensive end | Vanderbilt | Philadelphia,PA |
| Malik Fisher | Defensive end | Villanova | New York,NY |
| Quincy Roche | Defensive end | Miami (FL) | - |
| Derick Roberson | Defensive end | Sam Houston State | - |
| Fadol Brown | Defensive end | Ole Miss | Charleston,SC |
Middle linebacker
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Abraham | Middle linebacker | Albany | - |
| Shayne Simon | Middle linebacker | Pittsburgh | - |
| Momo Sanogo | Middle linebacker | Louisville | - |
| Anthony Hines III | Middle linebacker | Texas A&M | Plano, TX |
| Brandon Bouyer-Randle | Middle linebacker | UConn | - |
| Ferrod Gardner | Middle linebacker | Louisiana | , |
Cornerback
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willie Drew Jr. | Cornerback | Virginia State | - |
| Adam Sparks | Cornerback | Louisiana-Monroe | Baton Rouge,LA |
| Bryce Thompson | Cornerback | Tennessee | Irmo,SC |
| Kelvin Joseph | Cornerback | Kentucky | - |
| Sam Kidd | Cornerback | James Madison | - |
| Michael Ojemudia | Cornerback | Iowa | - |
| Kiondre Thomas | Cornerback | Kansas State | - |
| Deandre Baker | Cornerback | Georgia | - |
| Isaiah Johnson | Cornerback | Houston | , |
Safety
| Player | Position | College | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Proctor | Safety | Ohio State | - |
| Tayler Hawkins | Safety | San Diego State | - |
| Deontay Anderson | Safety | Houston | Houston,TX |
| Montae Nicholson | Safety | Michigan State | , |
XFL Conference
| Pos | Team | W | L | T | Pct | PF | PA | Streak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  STL | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 260 | 202 | W1 |
| 2 |  SA | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 192 | 153 | L1 |
| 3 | | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 209 | 251 | L1 |
| 4 |  ARL | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 247 | 249 | W2 |