Napoleon Sykes '96

Napoleon Sykes was recently hired as an operations analyst and outside linebackers coach for the Washington XFL franchise for the league’s re-launch season starting in 2020. This summer, Sykes was selected by two NFL franchises, the Washington Redskins and Chicago Bears, to serve in the prestigious Bill Walsh Diversity Fellowship. Most recently, he was the outside linebackers coach at the United States Naval Academy for the past three seasons (2016-18). Sykes has also served as an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (2012-16), assistant coach at the Naval Academy (2010) and a graduate assistant at Wake Forest (2008-09). He played linebacker for the Demon Deacons where he was a three-time letter winner. He began his coaching career in the high school ranks in 2006 as an assistant coach at his high school alma mater, Gilman School. He also spent brief stints as defensive coordinator for the semi-pro Bay Atlantic Sharks and co-defensive coordinator at Charlotte's Mallard Creek High School.