Behind a group headlined by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, the XFL is back in business and will restart in February 2023. This week, the XFL Draft was held for the 8 teams that will be featured in the upcoming season.

For players that have not had NFL opportunities, the XFL can provide them with the ability to continue playing and possibly earn looks from NFL teams. Several XFL players got a chance in the NFL after the league's 2020 season.

Five former Purdue Boilermakers were selected and will participate in the spring football league. Jackson Anthrop, Terry Wright, Tyler Witt, Greg Long, and Gelen Robinson are the five Boilermakers who will see action this spring.

All five players could get some insights from someone they know who played in the XFL, none other than their former college head coach Jeff Brohm. Believe it or not, Brohm threw the first-ever touchdown pass in XFL history back in February 2001.

"I'm happy for them. I think that everybody wants to continue to play football as long as they can. I'm sure it will be a fun league, it was when I played. I'm sure they'll get a chance to showcase their skills, and I think a lot of them will be on TV so we'll be able to watch those guys play." Brohm said when asked about the newest XFL members.

Brohm also had a signature moment in the league's debut season that has followed him throughout his coaching career. The infamous "Do I or do I not have a pulse? Yes I do. Let's play football" line came when Brohm suited up for the Orlando Rage that year.

Purdue Hall of Famer Rod Woodson will be the head coach of the Vegas Vipers, although the team did not select any Boilermaker alumni in the draft.

Woodson coached in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders in two stints and worked with the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff in the 2013 season.

Woodson was one of the greatest players to come through Purdue. He finished his Boilermakers career with 445 tackles and 11 interceptions, and over 1,700 return yards. He was the No. 10 overall pick in the 1987 NFL Draft by the Steelers and became a Pro Football Hall of Famer over the course of his 17-year career.

Jackson Anthrop:

The third Anthrop brother to come through Purdue was selected by the Arlington Renegades in the 9th round of the XFL Draft. He is following in the footsteps of Danny Anthrop, who spent time with the Indianapolis Colts in training camp and had a brief stint in the CFL.

Anthrop went undrafted in the NFL Draft this past spring and went to rookie mini camp with the Indianapolis Colts during the summer.

The Central Catholic standout finished his Purdue career with 1,420 receiving yards and collected 11 touchdown passes. He added 147 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground as well. Over his six years at Purdue, he lined up in the slot next to guys like David Bell, Rondale Moore, and others.

Terry Wright:

Wright was selected with the 62nd overall pick by the San Antonio Brahmas. His selection was the third wide receiver the Brahmas picked in the draft behind Kendrick Rogers and Jalen Tolliver. Since leaving Purdue following the 2018 season, Wright has bounced around with several NFL teams, including the Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins.

The former receiver under Jeff Brohm had 742 yards and two touchdowns over two seasons in West Lafayette. He was the team's fourth-leading receiver during his senior season and finished third on the team in receiving touchdowns with five.

Gelen Robinson:

Robinson was the third Boilermaker selected in the draft, going in the 8th round to the St. Louis Battlehawks. The defensive lineman has had cups of coffee with NFL teams but has not gotten an opportunity to play. He spent time in the AAF and the CFL and was drafted to play by the Dallas Renegades in the 2020 XFL season.

He had a productive career with the Boilermakers, totaling 164 tackles, including 35 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks. Robinson played just one season under Jeff Brohm after starting his career with former Purdue head coach Darrell Hazell.

Greg Long:

Long was the first of two former Purdue offensive linemen selected in this week's XFL Draft. Long was picked in the fourth round by the D.C. Defenders. He was signed as an UDFA by the Arizona Cardinals and spent time on their practice squad this season.

The UTEP transfer played two seasons with the Boilermakers and was a key cog across the offensive line for Jeff Brohm. He was named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in both 2020 and 2021. He also gave Purdue fans this iconic photo after the Boilermakers upset No. 2 Iowa last season.

Tyler Witt:

Tyler Witt will join Greg Long on the D.C. Defenders' offensive line after he was selected in the 8th round of the XFL Draft. After leaving Purdue, Witt spent time with the Atlanta Falcons and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL before being picked in the XFL Draft.

Witt was a graduate transfer from Western Kentucky before coming to Purdue in 2021. He started at guard next to Gus Hartwig and was a key piece for the Boilermakers last season. Witt was named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention following his lone season in West Lafayette.