On August 9th, the XFL held a combine rights draft. During the event, the Arlington Renegades selected TE Tyler Roberts, being the only player they picked up in the draft.
Breaking: The @XFL2023 held an acquired right draft today, claiming 28 players from the #XFLCombine.
Plenty of familiar names in this list. Love to see it. pic.twitter.com/tTHgx1NU7l
— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) August 9, 2023
The Arlington Renegades are looking to bolster their tight end core, one that has recently lost Sal Cannella to the NFL. Nate Becker and Shaun Beyer remain as the two tight ends on the roster, with Roberts joining the crew having his rights acquired by Arlington.
Tyler Roberts brings quite a bit of experience to the table for the Renegades. In college, he played at multiple positions – beginning as a linebacker/defensive back hybrid.
During the 2018 season, Roberts posted 54 tackles, starting in ten games for Merrimack. He also recovered two fumbles, recovering one.
In 2019, he decided to switch to playing tight end – and started all 11 games for the school. Tyler Roberts recorded three receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown during his first season on offense.
Merrimack HB/TE Tyler Roberts at 6’2” 240 is an intriguing prospect who can land on a team as a special teamer with tools to develop.
-2x captain
-physical blocker
-sells his routes well
-good ball tracking
-Models game after Kyle Juszczyk, Irv Smith Jr.
– @TropicalBowlUSA alum… pic.twitter.com/P65w4zQVDM— Steph Sanchez (@Steph49K) March 9, 2023
It wasn’t until 2021 that Tyler Roberts would fully break out as an offensive star. During that season, he caught 52 passes for 535 yards, racking up six touchdowns. This performance earned him NEC First Team All-Conference honors, alongside being an All-New England selection.
Warriors take the lead!! Westin Elliott to Tyler Roberts!
7-0 MC | 10:01 | 1Q #MackTough // #GoMack pic.twitter.com/DuJPa21b5n
— Merrimack Football (@Merrimack_FB) November 6, 2021
Since then, Roberts has been searching for stability in the professional scene. This past spring, he was invited to the Kansas City Chiefs mini-camp.
Now, he’ll look to fight for a roster spot with the Arlington Renegades. Considering Cannella was released this morning by the Seahawks, the door is still open for Tyler to make an impact, if Sal doesn’t return.
What are your thoughts on Tyler Roberts being acquired by the Arlington Renegades? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
