Former Packers Jack Heflin and Delontae Scott named All-XFL

The has XFL released their All-XFL team leading up to their championship game on Saturday. Among the players named All-XFL were two former Green Bay Packers defensive linemen: Jack Heflin and Delontae Scott.

Heflin, who embraced his “trash can full of dirt” nickname during his time with the Packers, played college football at Northern Illinois and Iowa before signing with Green Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2021. In his two years with the Packers, Heflin was able to play in four games (all in 2021) and in 2022 made Green Bay’s practice squad up until December 13th, when he was released and picked up by the New York Giants.

Heflin typically played the 3-4 defensive end position for the Packers — arguably their weakest position heading into 2023. It might not be a bad idea for the team to kick the tires on him, as they have two open roster spots on their 91-man roster. We’ve seen head coach Matt LaFleur give preseason second chances to former Packers before, including running Dexter Williams and receiver Travis Fulgham last season. In the 2022 preseason, no player earned more key snaps at 3-4 defensive end for Green Bay than Heflin, including first-round pick Devonte Wyatt and Chris Slayton — who is still on the roster.

Heflin started five of ten games defensively for the Houston Roughnecks in 2023 and was able to post 25 tackles and a sack for the team. Heflin has already earned a camp tryout by the New Orleans Saints.

Scott is more of a hybrid player than Heflin, as he was listed as a defensive end by Green Bay but had the body of a 3-4 outside linebacker. He signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2020, earning a spot on the team’s practice squad that year. Following a second-straight release at the final roster cutdown, Scott signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers (and later Carolina Panthers) where he ended up playing three games over the next two seasons.

Scott started seven of eight games for the San Antonio Brahmas and recorded 36 tackles and 7.5 sacks in 2023.

Receiver Darrius Shepherd of the St. Louis Battlehawks, another former Packer, was able to make the All-XFL team as a return specialist. He has been invited by the Detroit Lions to try out for the team for this upcoming season.

In other Packers-related XFL news, former Packers first-round pick defensive back Terrell Buckley led the Orlando Guardians to a 1-9 record this season — the worst mark in the league. The Guardians’ -106 point differential was nearly 40 points worse than the 2-8 Vegas Vipers, the seventh-ranked team in the eight-team league. Somehow, though, the Guardians earned their one win in 2023 by a score of 37-36 over the DC Defenders, who are the overwhelming favorites to win the title game after posting a 9-1 regular season record.