Image via Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
The 2027 UFL Draft is a few weeks away, and more hype surrounds this event than almost anything the league has seen since it started in 2024.
One of the most fascinating storylines from the draft will be what the Dallas Renegades do with their picks. Head coach Kevin Sumlin now takes over after leading the Houston Gamblers in 2026. Sumlin took his Gamblers roster with him to Dallas, which is an adjustment for fans, but leaves some interesting questions about the team.
Sumlin has plenty of spots to fill in the UFL Draft, but one thing to watch is whether he adds any wide receivers. Jalen Moreno-Cropper was one of the top receivers on the team last year, but ended up signing with the New Orleans Saints and is still on the team. That leaves a receiver-and-returner gap to fill, and the good news is that Xavier Weaver would be perfect for it.
Dallas Renegades Should Look at Xavier Weaver in the UFL Draft to Replace Jalen Moreno-Cropper
Here is what the Renegades need to replace in Moreno-Cropper: 22 receptions, 291 yards, 13.2 yards per catch, 213 kickoff return yards, and one touchdown. Those are impressive numbers in seven games that will be tough to replace.
Moreno-Cropper is a versatile weapon who did a lot for the Gamblers last season. His presence on kickoff return will be hard for the team to replace, and his speed makes him a dangerous weapon on offense and special teams.
That said, Weaver is pretty much the same type of player as Moreno-Cropper. They are both 6 feet tall, with Weaver weighing about 15 to 20 pounds more than Moreno-Cropper. Weaver has similar speed, running in the 4.4 range like Moreno-Cropper.
In his last year at Colorado in 2023, Weaver was one of the top receivers on the Buffaloes, posting 908 yards, 13.4 yards per reception, and four touchdowns. After that, he spent the last two years with the Arizona Cardinals, catching seven of 13 targets for 67 yards. He also returned kicks for 51 yards in 10 games with the Cardinals.
This really seems like a no-brainer move for the Renegades to target Weaver in the draft, as he was named one of the league's top wide receiver prospects. He could be a prime candidate to be selected within the first two or three rounds of the draft.
Everything seems to fit perfectly for Weaver to join this roster and be an identical replacement for Moreno-Cropper. The question is whether Sumlin wants to look at receiver in the draft that early on or are there other areas of need for the Renegades.