Xazavian Valladay Bio
Xazavian Valladay is an American professional football running back who currently plays for the DC Defenders of the United Football League. He played college football for the Wyoming Cowboys and the Arizona State Sun Devils before entering the professional ranks in 2023. Valladay went undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft but signed with the Houston Texans as a free agent. He has since spent time with several NFL organizations, including the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New York Jets, the New Orleans Saints, and the Minnesota Vikings, before joining the DC Defenders.
Early Life and Background
Xazavian Valladay was born on July 3, 1999, in Matteson, Illinois. He grew up in the Chicago area and attended Brother Rice High School, a well-known Catholic school in Chicago, Illinois. At Brother Rice, Valladay was a standout on the football team and helped lead his squad to a 9-3 record. The team advanced to the 2016 Illinois Class 8A State Playoffs as the number eight seed. His performance in high school drew attention from college programs across the country.
Coming out of high school, Valladay committed to play college football at the University of Wyoming. He chose the Cowboys as his first college destination, a program competing in the Mountain West Conference. He has been listed at five feet eleven inches tall and roughly 204 pounds during his professional career, giving him a compact, durable build for a running back.
Path to American Football
Valladay’s path to the professional level began with his high school success at Brother Rice. After committing to Wyoming, he spent his first season developing behind more experienced rushers. His breakout moment came in the 2018 season finale, when he rushed for 192 yards and two touchdowns to help the Cowboys beat New Mexico and become bowl eligible. That game signaled his emergence as a workhorse back for the program.
Across his four seasons at Wyoming, Valladay steadily grew into one of the Mountain West Conference’s top running backs. He posted a 1,265-yard season in 2019, followed by a shortened 550-yard campaign in 2020, and a 1,063-yard effort in 2021. After the 2021 season, Valladay entered the NCAA transfer portal to use his final year of eligibility at Arizona State, where he delivered a 1,192-yard, 16-touchdown season in 2022. That senior year helped position him for a professional opportunity.
Xazavian Valladay Career
Early Career (2018-2019)
Valladay’s early college years at Wyoming were defined by steady improvement. In 2018, he finished with 396 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 71 carries while adding four receptions for 35 yards. His role expanded in 2019, when he opened the season strong and capped it with a record-setting Arizona Bowl performance. He rushed for 204 yards and a touchdown against Georgia State while adding 91 receiving yards and another score, earning Offensive MVP honors and helping Wyoming win the bowl game.
He finished the 2019 season with 1,265 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns, 11 receptions, 211 receiving yards, and two receiving scores. That production earned him First Team All-Mountain West recognition, the first of his two straight all-conference honors at Wyoming.
Wyoming Breakthrough (2020-2021)
In the shortened 2020 season, Valladay continued to produce at a high level, highlighted by a 163-yard, two-touchdown performance in a 31-7 win over Hawaii. He finished the year with 550 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns, 13 receptions, and 105 receiving yards. His consistency across the campaign earned him a second consecutive First Team All-Mountain West selection.
Valladay’s 2021 season was another strong year, as he racked up 1,063 rushing yards, six touchdowns, 23 receptions, and 233 receiving yards. A 172-yard rushing performance against San Jose State was among his top individual outings, even though Wyoming fell 27-21. He was named Second Team All-Mountain West for the season. After the year, Valladay announced his decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
Arizona State Era (2022)
Valladay transferred to Arizona State for his final year of eligibility and immediately made an impact. In his Sun Devils debut, he rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Northern Arizona. He later added a 118-yard, three-touchdown performance against Colorado. Across the 2022 season, he totaled 1,192 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns on 215 carries, plus 37 receptions for 289 yards and two receiving scores.
For his work in 2022, Valladay was named Second Team All-Pac-12. He closed his college career with 4,466 rushing yards, 35 rushing touchdowns, 88 receptions, 873 receiving yards, and four receiving touchdowns across Wyoming and Arizona State.
Houston Texans Era (2023)
After going undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft, Valladay signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent. His initial stint with the organization was brief. He was released by the Texans on August 13, 2023, during the team’s roster-shaping process.
Pittsburgh Steelers Era (2023)
Valladay signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 15, 2023, two days after his release from Houston. He was again working to earn a roster spot in a crowded backfield. On August 29, 2023, Valladay was released by the Steelers during final roster cuts, ending his second training camp stint of the year.
New York Jets Era (2023-2024)
On August 30, 2023, Valladay signed with the New York Jets practice squad, providing a path to remain in the league. He was promoted to the active roster on January 6, 2024. In 2024, Valladay was waived by the Jets on August 27 and re-signed to the practice squad. He was released from the practice squad on September 11, 2024.
New Orleans Saints Era (2024-2025)
Valladay joined the New Orleans Saints practice squad on November 6, 2024. He signed a reserve or future contract with New Orleans on January 6, 2025. His time in New Orleans ended on June 20, 2025, when he was waived by the Saints.
Minnesota Vikings Era (2025)
On August 19, 2025, Valladay signed with the Minnesota Vikings. He was waived on August 26, 2025, as part of final roster cuts. He was signed to the Vikings’ practice squad the following day. Valladay was released from the Minnesota practice squad on September 23, 2025.
DC Defenders Era (2026-Present)
On January 14, 2026, Valladay was selected by the DC Defenders of the United Football League, joining the spring football circuit. The DC Defenders compete in the UFL, the merged league formed from the XFL and USFL. Valladay’s move to the UFL gave him an opportunity to resume a full-time playing role.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Valladay’s career came in the 2019 Arizona Bowl, where he rushed for 204 yards and a touchdown and added 91 receiving yards and a receiving score to earn Offensive MVP honors. His 16-touchdown season at Arizona State in 2022 stands as his single-season touchdown high. Earning two consecutive First Team All-Mountain West selections, followed by Second Team All-Pac-12 honors, marks him as one of the more decorated undrafted running backs to enter the NFL in his cycle.
Xazavian Valladay Career Wins
Valladay’s win totals are best measured at the college level, where he spent five seasons between Wyoming and Arizona State. As a professional, his regular-season action has been limited, with the available NFL data showing one game played through the 2025 season. He has notched no verified regular-season wins at the NFL level from the available records.
College Highlights
At Wyoming, Valladay helped lead the Cowboys to bowl eligibility with a victory over New Mexico in the 2018 regular-season finale. He was also a key contributor in Wyoming’s 2019 Arizona Bowl win over Georgia State, rushing for 204 yards and a touchdown. At Arizona State, Valladay helped the Sun Devils to a season-opening win over Northern Arizona in 2022, rushing for 116 yards and two touchdowns, and to a victory over Colorado in week nine, where he added 118 yards and three scores.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his college production, Valladay has yet to register a verified NFL regular-season win as a primary statistical contributor. His 16 rushing touchdowns in 2022 with Arizona State represented a career high across all levels. His 1,265 rushing yards in 2019 at Wyoming stand as his second-highest single-season rushing total.
Xazavian Valladay Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Publicly available details on Valladay’s parents and broader family background are limited. He grew up in Matteson, Illinois, and attended Brother Rice High School in Chicago, Illinois. The names of his parents and any siblings have not been verified in available sources.
Personal Life
Valladay is not publicly known to be married, and no information about a spouse or children is verified in available sources. He is from Matteson, Illinois, and has continued his football career across multiple states. His social media presence includes accounts on X and Instagram under the handle xfactor4_, where fans can follow his updates.
2025 Season Performance
Valladay’s 2025 professional season was a series of short stops. He signed a reserve or future contract with the New Orleans Saints on January 6, 2025, giving him an offseason path to a roster spot. That opportunity ended on June 20, 2025, when the Saints waived him. Valladay then signed with the Minnesota Vikings on August 19, 2025, and joined the team’s practice squad a day after being waived on August 26. He was released from the Vikings’ practice squad on September 23, 2025.
Across the 2025 calendar, Valladay did not log a verified NFL regular-season game. He remained in roster and practice-squad movement throughout training camp and the early regular season. His statistical line for the 2025 season is not substantial, reflecting the practice-squad and waiver wire nature of his year.
Looking ahead, Valladay’s path through the 2025 cycle underscored his resilience and persistence. He remained in the league’s ecosystem with multiple teams before transitioning to the DC Defenders of the UFL. His selection by DC on January 14, 2026, sets up his next chapter in the spring football league, where he will look to resume a featured offensive role.