ORLANDO - Carson-Newman football alumnus Braxton Westfield has signed a letter of intent with the XFL's Orlando Guardians.
Westfield earned All-American honors from Don Hansen's Football Gazette as a senior in 2022, becoming the football program's first All-American receiver since 1978 and its 128th All-American all-time.
The signing with the XFL marks Westfield's third professional stop after signing initially with the Indianapolis Colts before moving on to the CFL's Winnipeg Jets.
Westfield is the first Carson-Newman football player affiliated with an XFL team.
Considering Carson-Newman's four decades of option football, it should come as little surprise that Westfield is only Carson-Newman's fifth All-American wide receiver and the first since Tank Black (1978). Black, Tim George (1972) and Tom Jones (1968 and 1969) would all also go on to sign with NFL teams.
Carson-Newman's 128 All-Americans are the most in the South Atlantic Conference.
Westfield also went back-to-back as a first-team All-SAC selection and all-region honoree. He is the only Carson-Newman football player in program history who has three consecutive 100-yard receiving days.
Westfield closed out his career with a bang, earning TSWA State Offensive Player of the Week honors. He snared five passes for 162 yards in the Eagles' 61-23 win at Catawba in the regular season finale.
The senior tied the single-game C-N record with three receiving touchdowns in the contest. All three of his touchdown grabs came in a 27-point third quarter and 40-point second half for C-N.
They covered 33, 61 and 37 yards.
His three-score day gave him 21 for his career to match him for fourth all-time with Tank Black.
All told, Westfield snagged five passes for 162 yards and the three scores. The 162 yards are the 11th-highest single-game total in Carson-Newman history.
His 886 yards receiving as a senior are sixth all-time and the most in the option-era. Westfeld finished his Carson-Newman career with 1,752 yards – the seventh-most in school history and the third-most in the option era.
The senior led the league in receptions per game, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns – a sure fire sign that the underworld has cooled given an Eagle hasn't led the league in any of those categories in the last 12 years.
Westfield's 5.0 catches per game also registers as a school record. His 55 catches are the most in the option era and the sixth-most all-time.
