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+---- Thread: *Looking at Needs of DSFL Teams (/showthread.php?tid=32188)
*Looking at Needs of DSFL Teams - JayWhy75 - 05-14-2021
2x Media Voucher - https://forums.sim-football.com/showthread.php?tid=32156&pid=465043#pid465043
Quote:Word Count: 4316
The DSFL Draft is coming up quickly on the calendar, and when looking at that it makes me think, what do these teams even need really?
You see, as somebody who is from the hockey world primarily, you draft for future need. You draft with the idea that this person fills a spot a few seasons down the line. Especially being an SHL General Manager, it could be three seasons before you see the product of your work hit the ice. However, in football, a lot of the time you’re drafting for need and getting yourself into a more competitive position. Especially so in a junior capacity, so when the DSFL draft is coming up, teams need to not only assess what players will fit their team from a locker room standpoint, but how do they fit the team from a competitive standpoint.
Sure, a quarterback is going to be a great player most of the time. But you can’t run a team out there with 11 quarterbacks on offense. None of them know how to block, let alone how to take a hit half the time.
With that in mind, I’m taking a look at each team individually. Who are their best players, who may be heading out and what is the in between where they have needs. After the draft, I’ll do a look back to see how I did at mapping out needs and seeing if I lined up with what the teams actually did.
So we know what I’m doing, but I need to address some disclaimers of sorts. First off, in no way am I disparaging anybody with this. I don’t know if these teams are good or bad yet, I haven’t really dove into things to know much. That also is where I don’t know if anybody is getting called up, so I’ll make note of people that I could see getting called up and the potential to grab a replacement. Beyond that, I’m also not going to try too hard to mock anybody to a team. I’ll go back and review the draft after, but for now I don’t know the prospects in the draft well enough to feel comfortable or confident in assessing them and trying to match them to a team.
Lastly, I don’t know the systems at play in this world. I know there are 11 players on offense and 11 on defense, and I assume not many offensive linemen in the league. I’m going to work off the idea that there is a base line-up on offense of 1 Quarterback, 1 Running Back, 3 Wide Receiver, 1 Tight End, and 5 Offensive Linemen. I will also be assuming a base line-up on defense of 3-4 Defensive Linemen, 3-4 Linebackers, 2 Cornerbacks, 2 Safeties. This helps me to identify anywhere that a team doesn’t have all of their starting positions filled and may be able to use some help.
Now that that is out of the way …
KANSAS CITY COYOTES
Top Players on Offense: (S28) Troy Abed – QB, (S29) Rejoignez LodreSombre – RB, (S27) Eleven Kendrick-Watts – WR, (S29) Quinton Crash - WR
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Offense: (S26) Owmy Back – TE
Top Players on Defense: (S28) Prof. Godfrey Gravity – DT, (S28) Dexter Hall – LB, (S28) Siege Cameron – CB
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Defense: (S29) Hunter Phelan – S, (S28) Logan Steele – CB
Starting off with an interesting one to me, as I would be willing to bet Eleven Kendrick-Watts makes his way to the ISFL this coming season. Again, I don’t know for sure. What I can guarantee is that if he does, this team is going to need some help at receiver. They only have one other receiver on the roster in Quinton Crash, who looks to be the real deal having been selected second overall in the ISFL Draft, but ultimately one receiver can’t carry the whole team.
That’s especially true for a team that doesn’t have any other threats like him. Crash is considered a speedy receiver, and boy is he. He can get downfield in a hurry and make things hard on a secondary. But there needs to be somebody underneath to draw attention away from him to allow him to do his job, and with potentially both Kendrick-Watts and Owmy Back at Tight End leaving the team, Crash is all they have left as a receiving threat. While I’m sure Rejoignez LodreSombre and Fitted Cuddles are both capable players out of the backfield, lining them up as receivers may not always be an option.
Beyond that, the team has a pretty good defense it looks like, with players at all levels who are capable of being a superstar. There are a few secondary options they could look to fill, with their second cornerback and second safety being lower tpe players, but they aren’t the most urgent needs. Honestly, I would make a bet from looking at this depth chart that the team targets offense right out of the gate, trying to get a wide receiver or tight end to compliment Crash and help create levels to their offense they currently lack.
Prediction of Needs: Wide Receiver, Tight End, CB2, S2
LONDON ROYALS
Top Players on Offense: (S28) Red Arrow – QB, (S28) Manhattan Project – RB, (S29) Buffalo Hunter - TE
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Offense: (S26) Schumi Hulkenvettel - WR
Top Players on Defense: (S27) Fergus Callaghan Jr. - DT, (S28) Glenn Smart – DE, (S29) Sam Squanch – LB, (S28) Willie Miller - CB
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Defense: No listed second Cornerback, No listed Safeties
This one should be fun to review. With Schumi Hulkenvettel on the way out, this leaves the Royals with, by my view, no wide receivers on offense. They also only have one cornerback and no safeties on defense. This is a team that’s built for bruising football if I’ve ever seen it.
Let’s take a deeper look at this team, they have a defensive front that is intimidating to say the least. Callaghan Jr and Will Smyth – the tenth pick in the ISFL draft -- are both very strong defensive tackles, and they have edge players in Glenn Smart and Lucid Dreams, who went fourth in the ISFL Draft, that are remarkable as well. Sam Squanch is a very good linebacker and went seventh in the ISFL draft because of it, and Willie Miller is a very talented player at corner. This a defense that could easily bully people on the run game. They’re set up well in some ways, create pressure, force a bad play. They try to make up for deficiencies in the secondary by having a bruising line that can create a lot of pressure to disrupt the play and give their weaker players a fighting chance. They won’t give up many rushing yards, that’s for sure. However, this is still something I would consider a work in progress, as having one more player in the secondary could put them over the top on defense.
Beyond that, the offense is incredible in some ways. Manhattan Project and Taipan Pete look like a great duo in the backfield compared to some of the rest of the league, and with Buffalo Hunter at Tight End, this is a team built to battle at the trenches and play some possession football. Add in an offensive lineman in Keane Lover and this team is going to rock some opposing defenses at times. The issue is, if you have very little presence for throwing the ball, you can’t really get any openings to run it. This team is losing the one listed receiver on their team, and so literally teams can just pack the box as hard as possible and they won’t get anywhere and this team built for long possessions won’t have many at all.
That all in mind, while I think they need to get somebody for their secondary to really put the defense over the top, they have a greater need to get some help on their offense to open things up more for this monster running game they’re set up for. I have no doubt this team targets a receiver.
Prediction of Needs: Wide Receiver, Safety, Cornerback
MINNESOTA GREY DUCKS
Top Players on Offense: (S28) Jacob Raske – QB, (S29) John Huntsman – RB, (S27) Bobby Tarantino – TE
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Offense: No Offensive Linemen
Top Players on Defense: (S28) Daniel O’Leary - DT, (S28) Anton Bruckner – CB, (S28) Tim Soulja – S, (S29) Conner Craig Jr. - DE
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Defense: (S26) John Price – S
This team looks pretty well built, if I’m being honest. I like working from the defense to the offense, so I’m going to do a quick rundown of the team.
On defense, this is incredible, honestly. They look like a star-studded team. They could probably use another defensive lineman, as Duck Awntop may not be ready to take the spotlight across from Conner Craig, but realistically that isn’t a major need. John Price is leaving the safety position, but with Tim Soulja there, it isn’t a big priority to fix. This is something to keep an eye out for, but they have the means to cover as they have three great season 28 cornerbacks in Bruckner, Amy Wong and Kacper Puntky, as well as two strong Linebackers, including the eighth pick in the ISFL Draft in David Frank. I can’t find a true weakness here, really. This is a team that will be able to stuff the run, and really great at defending the pass. It’s going to be hard to beat them, I think.
Then we look over to the offensive side of the ball, and again it’s masterful. They have two great quarterbacks, actually. They have Huntsman to carry the load as a running back, but Tom Adamo can definitely take a few carries to help take the load off Huntsman. While they have no offensive linemen, I assume that isn’t the most uncommon thing in this league. Really, their weakest point is at wide receiver like other teams, and that isn’t that weak. Janis Lux looks to be developing strongly, and already in his rookie season was seventh in the league in receiving yards. Joe Bay was third. While they may be able to use some extra star power there, they’re definitely capable of making things difficult on opposing defenses.
This is probably the hardest team to come up with anything for. They could go a few ways, with an opening at safety, likely need for one more receiver and possibly could use another running back to help keep from overworking Huntsman. However, none of it is priority. Whoever they take is going to have it a bit easier as they get to come into a set product and develop at their own pace, and isn’t that just enviable.
Prediction of Needs: Safety, Wide Receiver, Running Back
PORTLAND PYTHONS
Top Players on Offense: (S28) Remus Roman – RB, (S28) Saleem Spence – WR, (S29) Panda McKyle - QB
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Offense: (S26) Quavious McGrady – WR, (S29) Stanley Yelnats - TE
Top Players on Defense: (S28) Logan Anderson – DE, (S27) Carter Fox – DT, (S29) Lip Gallagher – CB, (S29) Suggs Upshar - CB
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Defense: (S26) Moe Skeeter – S
This team looks like it is in the middle of developing into a contender. They have some needs, they aren’t the strongest team, but they’re a pretty good one in a lot of ways. Let’s break it down.
Starting on defense, they have a strong defensive line with Anderson and Fox accompanied by Gritt Gurdur from S28 as well. Add in their S29 linebacking corps of Elliot Hord and Teddy Murphy, this team could be a bruising team next season now that they’ve developed a bit. Gallagher and Upshar make up a formidable cornerback duo, and still very young as two S29 players as well, the third and sixth players taken in the ISFL draft respectively. Really this is a young defense that I think is going to be very hard to beat next season and absolutely dominant the season after. Their only true weakness at this point is that Moe Skeeter is making his way off the team. The S26 safety was the only safety on the squad, so they could definitely use at least one to complete their secondary and really make this a scary group to play against.
On Offense is a similar story, actually. Panda McKyle is a young quarterback who is probably set up to break through this season after going ninth in the ISFL Draft. Remus Roman combines with Noah Jones to make a dangerous backfield duo. Saleem Spence could probably use some help, as a receiver with some legs under him. Spence put up the fourth most yards in the DSFL last season, but in order to do it again is going to need some help. The team is lacking beyond him, as their tight end position has plateaued and the other wide receiver on the team, Aleksandr Vasiliev, has effectively grinded to a halt as well. This team could use some additional weapons in the passing game to help give McKyle the breakout season he’s primed to have, and I fully expect to see them make some moves to get that game breaker on the opposite side of Spence to draw some attention and let the superstar do what they do.
Prediction of Needs: Wide Receiver, Safety
BONDI BEACH BUCCANEERS
Top Players on Offense: (S28) Dexter Zaylren – QB, (S28) Brandon Prince – RB, (S29) Chevvy Bronko - TE
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Offense: (S26) Akil Ozymandias – RB, (S26) Big Chungus – RB, (S26) Bismo Funyuns - WR
Top Players on Defense: (S28) Mongo – DE, (S28) Henny Tingzpahcol – CB, (S28) Chathack’rius Smith IV – S, (S29) Tre’Mendous Johnson - LB
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Defense: N/A
We’ve made it to the South division of the DSFL, and I’m going to switch things up a little as the interesting part of this team is going to be the offense.
This team is losing two running backs, one of whom was their top receiver. Akil Ozymandias put up 82 catches for over 1300 yards this season, second in the DSFL in receiving yards. While Prince took over the running back duties, putting up 799 yards, Ozymandias was also used to help support him. This is going to be a big moment for Prince to step up even more and really break through this season. Meanwhile, Bronko put up 933 yards on 72 catches and was the top tight end in the DSFL in receiving yards last season. He’s going to be heavily relied on again, and it’s going to be a pretty heavy load. While he went fifth in the ISFL Draft, it’s hard to be good enough to carry a team’s whole passing game on your shoulders. This is a team definitely in need of outside help. They need to spread the defense as much as possible as their two top players, outside of Zaylren, are going to be taking up a lot of space and attention in a similar area mostly inside the hashmarks. I’d bet on them trying to find a speedy receiver to put outside and draw the defense back and out.
On the defensive side, Mongo is an absolute animal at defensive end. Tre’Mendous Johnson just was drafted to the ISFL at thirteenth overall. Henny Tingzpahcol and Chathack’rius Smith make a formidable duo in the secondary that can make things difficult on opposing offenses. While this team could probably use some depth on defense, they have good players at every position, including Amadeus Redding at Defensive Tackle. I think if they do target defense, it’ll be after the first round when they’ve really solidified that offensive position and can afford to work on their depth for the long term.
Prediction of Needs: Wide Receiver, Running Back, Defensive Depth
DALLAS BIRDDOGS
Top Players on Offense: (S27) Joliet Christ Jr. - QB, (S28) Erik Gaare – RB, (S28) Bayley Cowabunga - WR
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Offense: (S26) Sirdsvaldis Miglaskems – RB, (S29) AJ Tirrell - WR
Top Players on Defense: (S28) Cole Maxwell – S, (S28) Luke Watterson – LB, (S29) Pope Francis - DE
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Defense: (S26) Primo Berto – DT, (S26) Erik Kirkland – LB, (S29) Zaaron Pryor – LB
I have to wonder when I look at this if Joliet Christ Jr will be returning this season. If so, this may be the year for Dallas. Just taking a look at the offense was remarkable and leaves very little in the way of needs.
Starting on offense, Bayley Cowabunga seems to have some serious chemistry with Christ Jr. Cowabunga put up 97 receptions – good for second in the league – and 1601 yards – first in the league – last season. This is a magical connection on the deep ball. It helps that they have some good players like Joey Martson – the second tight end in receiving yards in his rookie season with 873 – and Ivan Toastovich, who was fourteenth in receiving yards with 720, to help open things up all over the field. Then you add in a player like Erik Gaare who was fifth in rushing yards with just over 1000 yards, and you have to imagine this is a super high-powered offense. This is a team that is prepared to compete, and while they lose 733 yards out of the offense with Miglaskems, they’re set up to add to this group still. The only danger is if Christ Jr. makes his way to the ISFL, they need to jump on an early quarterback to make sure this engine still purrs while it has the chance to.
And while this team is going to be driven by their offense, the defense is no laughing matter. Cole Maxwell is potentially the best safety in the league. Luke Watterston holds it down at linebacker well. Beefcake Johnson and Lebron Brady join Pope Francis to form a really tough defensive line group that can really make a team sweat over their coverage. They have the pieces to be competitive. Realistically, they could maybe use one more piece in the secondary to help elevate them at cornerback, or could use another linebacker to replace Erik Kirkland and his 88 tackles with 4 for a loss, 3 sacks and 2 interceptions line. However, they have a good defensive unit that I would expect to see be able to manhandle teams.
This is a team that competes with the Grey Ducks on the North division in terms of how difficult it is to identify weaknesses. I’d say they may want to target a quarterback just to be safe, and to start preparing for the next season. Meanwhile, they could just look to add some depth and really make a push for the championship.
Prediction of Needs: Quarterback, Cornerback, Linebacker
NORFOLK SEAWOLVES
Top Players on Offense: (S28) Raeni Clarke – QB, (S29) Jay Cue Jr – RB, (S29) Dante King - RB
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Offense: No listed WR
Top Players on Defense: (S28) Kelvin Harris – S, (S28) DeAndre Chuggs – LB, (S27) Benjamin Ankers - LB
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Defense: (S28) Kris Krieg – CB, (S29) JR Reigns – DE, (S29) Malik Doom – DE, (S29) Hououin Kyouma – CB, No listed DT
Woof. This team knows it’s identity, I guess. This is the only team I’ve seen employ multiple offensive linemen so far, and I’d say it’s for good reason. Dante King, the first overall pick in the ISFL Draft, and Jay Cue Jr, the eleventh overall pick, are two absolutely incredible running backs who are able to make an offense work. However, this is a bit bleak to the outside eye.
Let’s just take a look deeper at this offense. They have Zack DiNozzo at Tight End to catch the ball and … that’s it. That is how this offense runs. I mean it when I say runs, because that’s all they can do. They run the ball down your throat, with Cue Jr and King combining in their rookie season for over 1600 yards. This is a great backfield, but everybody is bunched up here. This is a team that has no outside threats, literally no receivers are listed on their team. DiNozzo can only do so much, and isn’t going to be a deep threat and neither will a running back typically. This team is in dire need of some weapons for Raeni Clarke to work with. Clarke was third in the league in interceptions and second worst in passer rating, and by no fault of their own. When your window to throw is out routes, drags and really a lot of plays in the middle of the field, you’re going to be in a difficult spot to make anything happen. This team should be prioritizing giving weapons to Clarke and helping open things up for their two superstar running backs.
Then comes some more trouble as we look at the defense. They have three players over 100 TPE. They have no defensive tackles listed, and two S29 defensive ends who haven’t developed much. They have a good linebacker in Chuggs, and a great safety in Harris, and that’s just about it. Their cornerbacks are weak and would struggle against any kind of pressure, and in a league with players like Bayley Cowabunga or Quinton Crash, they just don’t stack up at all. Meanwhile, sure they have two of the top running backs on their team, but against a line that has no defensive tackles, they aren’t going to stop anybody from breaking through really. This team needs to basically revamp their entire defense.
Prediction of Needs: Wide Receivers, Defense – All of It
TIJUANA LUCHADORES
Top Players on Offense: (S28) Cade Williams – OL, (S28) IsHe ReallyInvisible – QB, (S29) Gronku Muerto – TE, (S29) Emperor de Pengu - OL
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Offense: (S26) Rocky Jackman – WR, (S26) Mauteers Rico-Shea – OL, No listed RB
Top Players on Defense: (S27) Devonte Crook – LB, (S29) Marcus Jones – LB, (S29) Sir Peter Jackson – CB, (S28) Lux Opal - S
Exiting or Replaceable Players on Defense: No listed DT
This one is interesting. The bright side is, I can kind of see where they’re going with it I think. Like I’ve said before, I don’t know very much about this league and am working on learning more about it now so this one is a bit of a test for me.
I’ll take a look at the offense again because, once again, it should be the most interesting part of this team. They have no listed running backs and with Jackman on the way out, they have no wide receivers either. This team is really interesting in that they employ three offensive linemen, or at least did until Rico-Shea now is on their way out as well. They do have Gronku Muerto, the fourteenth pick in the ISFL draft, who put up 47 catches for 485 yards last season to kind of carry the load, but a tight end can’t really carry the load of a missing wide receiver and running back corps. This is another bleak situation where they really need an infusion of talent on offense quickly to support their quarterback.
The good part here, the defense is actually okay. While they have no listed defensive tackles and will aim to remedy that I’m sure, they have a good group after the line. Marcus Jones went thirteenth in the ISFL Draft, and partners with Devonte Crook to really make an intimidating crew at the linebacker position. Add in In Active from S29 as well and the trio is probably the best linebacker group, and have two very young players in Jones and Active. Sir Peter Jackson and Rean Schwarzer are also S29s at cornerback and are definitely a good crew. Jackson is a bit ahead in development, but Schwarzer isn’t a slouch and should be perfectly capable of making plays when teams are too afraid to look Jackson’s way. Meanwhile Lux Opal is a good safety that should be able to help manage the play and support both Jackson and Schwarzer well. Even at the line, Gyle Marrett is a fairly young player that is perfectly capable of disrupting the pocket and helping to make lanes for the linebackers to attack.
This team has a young defense, now they just need the offense to match it and so I’d expect them to go hard for offense in this draft. If they do look defense, I’d say look toward defensive tackle, but right now that would be low priority to me as I’d try to get some weapons to get this offense moving down the field consistently and make my quarterback happy.
Prediction of Needs: Offensive Weapons – Wide Receiver and Running Back, Defensive Tackle
So there we have it, a not so quick and simple look through of the DSFL teams and the needs that I could see from the outside. As I’ve said before, I’m not very familiar with this league yet and so this is a learning exercise for me. In no way am I intending to attack anybody or anything, I have a lot of respect for everybody here.
What I’ve learned from this exercise is, playmakers are needed. Wide receivers especially. Getting more spacing on offense is crucial, and offense ultimately dictates play so the better your crew there, the more dangerous you’ll be. While defense wins championships, there’s a good amount of defensive players in this league and there is definitely a need for playmakers to actually challenge those players and make them work for their paycheck.
I appreciate anybody who’s read this, and want to wish luck to all of these teams and to all the players in the DSFL Draft coming up.
RE: Looking at Needs of DSFL Teams - 124715 - 05-14-2021
Woahhh fantastic article! Super fun read!
RE: Looking at Needs of DSFL Teams - Tomasnz - 05-15-2021
Great read dude. I think there might be more call ups than you have predicted. But then maybe not. Will be interesting to see more media from you once you get a feel for the league some more too.
RE: Looking at Needs of DSFL Teams - BOOM™ - 05-15-2021
Great read and well worth the payout you'll receive from the effort.
RE: Looking at Needs of DSFL Teams - Kotasa - 05-15-2021
This is high quality
RE: *Looking at Needs of DSFL Teams - Crodyman - 05-16-2021
Great read, man.