Head coach Anthony Becht led the Battlehawks to a 7-3 record in 2023. (Photo courtesy: XFL.com)

Torrance Terrell
Staff Writer

ST. LOUIS, MO — The XFL hosted 2023 Summer Rookie Draft, with teams selecting the rights of up to 10 players.

The St. Louis Battlehawks chose to use all 10 of its selections. The Battlehawks picked fourth in each round and selected five offensive and five defensive players each.

The players the Battlehawks selected were:

Nico Bolden, DB — Kent State
James Bostic, TE — Ohio
Johnny Buchanan, LB — Delaware
Darion Chafin, WR — Incarnate Word
Jacob Gall, C — Baylor
Kemore Gamble, TE — Central Florida
Matthew Jester, DL — Princeton
Kevon Latulas, RB — Missouri State
Jadrian Taylor, DL — UTEP
Anthony Witherstone, DB — Merrimack

Bolden is currently on the Carolina Panthers roster. He signed a free agent contract with them in July.

During his college career, he played two seasons for Kent State after transferring from New Mexico. He appeared in 23 games for the Flashes, recording 188 tackles, including 103 last season. His 64 solo tackles also led the team and were good for second in the Mid American Conference. Bolden recorded 3.5 tackles for loss, including a sack, broke up five passes, made two interceptions, and forced a pair of fumbles.

Bostic played wide receiver in his college days at Vanderbilt and Ohio, but is expected to move to tight end as a pro. Last season, he played in all 14 games for Ohio and caught 33 passes for 607 yards and one touchdown.

Buchanan led the Football Championship Subdivision with 150 tackles in 2022, was named All-CAA First Team and was a Buck Buchanan Award finalist.

Chafin had two dynamite seasons at Incarnate Word. In 2021, he caught 59 passes for 771 yards and 11 touchdowns. But then he topped that in 2022, with 70 catches for 1,244 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Gall finished the 2022 season as the 12th-highest-rated center in the country, according to Pro Football Focus. He was also named the Offensive Lineman of the Year in Texas.

Gamble played his final college year at Central Florida, but his most productive years came in 2020 and 2021 when he was at Florida. In 2020, he caught 10 passes for 160 yards and three touchdowns. And in 2021, he caught 31 passes for 409 yards and four touchdowns.

Jester is on the Los Angeles Rams roster, after signing as a free agent in June. During his time at Princeton, he was a two-time All-Ivy League performer, who led the Tigers in tackles and sacks last season.

Latulas played three seasons at Missouri State, where he totaled 144 carries for 1,029 yards and six touchdowns. He also caught 38 passes for 488 yards and four more touchdowns.

Taylor led Conference USA with 9.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss last year. He mostly played linebacker in college, but most pro scouts believe he’s perfectly suited to be rush end as a pro.

Witherstone, who originally signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs back in May, was cut in June, but then re-signed with the club on Sunday, and will join them for preseason training camp this week.

He primarily played outside cornerback at Merrimack and turned in strong campaigns in each of the last two seasons. He gave up a passer rating of 76.0 or lower both years, with six pass break ups and two interceptions (both returned for touchdowns) in 2021, before recording four passes defensed and one interception last year.

Players who were drafted will be placed on XFL rosters and the teams will hold exclusive rights to them.

Undrafted players can participate in a series of showcases, hosted by the XFL. The showcases will give players a chance to show off their skills and be evaluated ahead of the XFL Player Draft this winter.