The Seattle Sea Dragons will travel to take on the DC Defenders in a Sunday night primetime XFL matchup, the first of the 2023 season. With that being said, let's take a look at the XFL odds series with a Sea Dragons-Defenders prediction and final pick.

The Seattle Sea Dragons will be led by Jim Haslett, who has an extensive coaching history, including six seasons as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 2000-2005. Haslett, the 1979 Defensive Rookie of the Year, was last the inside linebackers coach for the Tennessee Titans.

Reggie Barlow, the former electrifying return man, will lead the DC Defenders in their 2023 season. Barlow does have head coaching experience, spending 13 seasons as a college head coach, going 83-58 in his time with Alabama State and Virginia State.

Here are the Sea Dragons-Defenders XFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.  

XFL Odds: Sea Dragons-Defenders Odds

Seattle Sea Dragons: -1.5 (-110)

DC Defenders: +1.5 (-110)

Over: 35.5 (-115)

Under: 35.5 (-105)

How To Watch Sea Dragons vs. Defenders

TV: ESPN

Stream: ESPN Plus

Time: 8:00 PM ET/ 5:00 PM PT

*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Sea Dragons Could Cover The Spread

Ben DiNucci, of brief NFL lore, will be the starting quarterback for Seattle. DiNucci had an unbelievable college career at JMU, leaving in the top five of most passing categories. After being drafted in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft, DiNucci appeared in three games, including a start, with Dallas. However, DiNucci has not appeared in a game since 2021. The headliner of the Seattle offense is Josh Gordon, who at one point in his NFL career looked like the second coming of Randy Moss. Gordon's career was stymied by a laundry list of off-the-field issues, but he has appeared to rebound in recent years. Gordon led the NFL in receiving yards in 2013. Gordon has also spent a brief time in the NFL the previous two seasons.

On defense, linebacker Jordan Evans is the biggest name that fans will recognize. Evans spent five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, including the 2018 season where he ranked fifth on the team in tackles. Safety Antoine Brooks won a Super Bowl title with the Rams last season.

Why The Defenders Could Cover The Spread

Jordan Ta'amu will lead the Defenders' offense after a strong two seasons with Ole Miss. Ta'amu has since spent time with NFL teams in the offseason, spending time with seven different NFL teams since 2019. In the 2022 season, Ta'amu led the USFL in both passing yards and passing touchdowns. Abram Smith, who holds the single-season rushing record for Baylor, will handle the running back duties. Smith spent some time in training camp with the New Orleans Saints last season. Jequez Eddard may not be a familiar name for fans, but the former Sam Houston State receiver electrified FCS football in his career. Eddard averaged over 25 yards per catch in his career, which is an absolutely bonkers stat.

Gregg Williams, the eccentric defensive coordinator, will lead the DC defense. As is the case with most of these teams, the defense is full of players who never got a real chance in the NFL, and are now looking to catch back on. Nydair Rouse, who survived a gunshot to the head, is an easy reason to root for this team.

Final Sea Dragons-Defenders Prediction & Pick

It would be fun to root for a guy like DiNucci.

Final Sea Dragons-Defenders Prediction & Pick: Seattle -1.5 (-115), over 35.5 (-110)