Graphic by RobRobGraphics
Written by: Roy Countryman @PreacherBoyRoy
Offensive Player of the Week
Quinten Dormady: QB, Orlando Guardians
27-34, 328 pass yds, 9.6 avg, 3 pass TD, 8 rushes for 22 yards, 12 long, 3 rush TD.
Dormady has had quite the tumultuous road in his football career. He is a former four star recruit who went to Tennessee, and battled his way to a starting spot in 2017. A shoulder injury eventually led him to lose his starting spot, and in turn he decided to go to Houston. He only saw action in one game while with the Cougars, due to his still recovering from the prior shoulder injury. He then decided again to transfer for a second time this to Central Michigan, where he won the starting job, and put together a solid yet unspectacular final season.
After going undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft, he made his way north of the border to the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes until being released by the team in May 2022. In November of 2022, he was assigned to the Guardians, where he was dwelling on the periphery of playing time, until he had to deal with an unfortunate scandal that accused him of giving away a team playbook to a rival team.
The basis of those accusations was largely blown out of proportion and were entirely baseless, and after an investigation he was rightly reinstated to the Orlando roster. His fortitude for being able to put hard situations behind him was that he started for the first time against the Seattle Sea Dragons, and played well. But it wasn’t until this game that he exploded onto the scene by knocking off the juggernaut in the XFL, the undefeated DC Defenders, by putting up six total touchdowns.
What you saw was a decisive player who could cycle through progressions, and showed poise under pressure, while also understanding when to break the pocket to pick up yardage. While Dormady doesn’t have a cannon of an arm, he has enough velocity to layer passes down the field with touch. He also has the confidence in his playmakers to make a play for him.
Dormady's upside is that of a backup in the NFL, but he needs a lot more development and reps, which is exactly what he should get for the remainder of this year in the XFL, and could put him on the inside track to be a returning starter for year two.
Defensive Player of the Week
Nate Meadors: Safety, St. Louis Battlehawks
11 Total Tackles (7 Solo), 2 TFL.
Meadors is a former high school quarterback from San Bernadino, CA, who decided to attend UCLA where he was a four year starter at cornerback. After going undrafted back in 2019, he signed on with the Minnesota Vikings, where he spent most of two seasons on their practice squad, until bouncing around a few other teams (Jaguars, Eagles, Browns, Giants, Titans) until the Battlehawks took him in the fourth round of the XFL Draft.
Meadors has been a steadying presence for Anthony Becht’s defense, as he has played both safety and nickel for the majority of the season. He has flashed solid tackling ability to go along with good instincts that led him to snagging two interceptions so far this season. He has smooth transitional skills, which allows him to trail his assignments in phase, and is adept at disrupting the catch point.
Due to his versatility, playmaking ability, and prior NFL experience, it would be a mild surprise if after a strong showing, Meadors isn’t in an NFL training camp with a shot at snagging a practice squad spot with someone.
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