10-27-2023, 11:52 AM
(This post was last modified: 10-28-2023, 03:19 PM by DL14. Edited 4 times in total.)
S18 ISFL Draft Recap: A Trip Down Memory Lane
As an enjoyer of football in both real life and simulated form, I've always really enjoyed following along with drafts. Even if it's a sim league draft that I don't have any involvement in, it's always fun to follow proceedings along through the day and see what comes out on the other side. With a desire to capitalize on the incredibly generous media multiplier that the league has in place at the moment, I thought it might be fun to spend some time looking back at a draft class of years gone by and providing some discussion into the players who were selected. Given that I wanted to go for a class where the players would all be long retired and would have had more than enough time for the dust to settle on their careers and be inducted into the hall of fame if something like that were on the horizon for them, I opted to focus my attention on S18. Happening over 26 seasons ago, the class features its fair share of recognizable names along with some others that newer members to the league might not be so familiar with. I think it should be a fun one to take something of a foray into, and I’m hoping that you’ll find it interesting to follow along with!
Given the nature of the ISFL draft and the multitude of teams it features, I’ve opted to follow a format where I’ll talk in some depth about all of the players drafted in the first round of the draft, before going on to focus after that on notable players taken in later rounds. These players weren’t given their shine on the day of the draft, but they’ve certainly managed to change opinions on them through what they achieved on the field and I’m looking forward to taking a bit of a look into what might have made them be so undervalued on the day. So with all that being said, there’s nothing left to do other than get into the meat of the issue and talk about the S18 Draft!
1st overall – Bjorn Ironside – New Orleans Second Line
To be selected first overall in any draft is something that many players covet, but few will ever actually achieve. The league was well into its stride by S18, and teams by this point had an idea of the type of player that they would look to add to their roster if they were in possession of the first overall pick, and in this instance that team was the New Orleans Second Line, who must have seen something in Bjorn Ironside that pointed to him being a franchise altering player.
A defensive tackle who had played his junior career with the Norfolk Seawolves, Ironside would be called up to play with the Second Line immediately and actually posted some pretty respectable numbers for a true rookie, totalling 5 sacks on the season to go alongside 28 tackles. Ironside’s undoubted best season would come in S20, where he hit double digit sacks on the season and put up a very impressive 59 tackles to go along with a fumble recovery.
I can’t go back and view the mood of the general managers at the time, but I’d be surprised to learn that the GMs of the Second Line at the time wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that two seasons later, Ironside would be out of the league having played his final year with the team in S22. All in all, maybe not the career longevity a team might hope for with the first overall pick but Ironside did have a couple of good seasons and would walk away from the league with a Pro Bowl honour to their name and their head held high.
2nd overall – Zach Hall – Philadelphia Liberty
The second overall pick of the draft and the first offensive player taken off the board, tight end Zach Hall made his way to the league by way of the now defunct Palm Beach Solar Bears, a short lived DSFL franchise responsible for giving a fair amount of talent relative to their actual time spent as a franchise in the league.
Despite what I said there, Zach Hall would not remain the first offensive player taken in the draft for long. But how does that sentence make any sense? IT makes sense because he soon switched position to line up on the other side of the ball, playing as a defensive end. The man known as Zach Hall would undergo a rebrand also, to change his name to Ilove Gimmy. On balance, the career Hall/Gimmy had in the league wasn’t a massively memorable one, which featured some strong seasons in the middle as they were selected to consecutive Pro Bowls in S21 and S22, but ultimately did not last very long, with S23 marking his final year in the league.
The main impact felt by this pick was bringing the user behind Hall/Gimmy to the team, as they would go on to become the team’s General Manager and an important figure in the franchise, helping to make some major decisions and shaping the way that the team would line up in ways to come. It would probably be fair to say that the pick for the player was okay, but the user that it brought to the team definitely elevated the value of the selection to a much more significant level.
3rd overall – Tyrone Biggums – Orange County Otters
Continuing the trend of players in this draft who started out on offense before transitioning to defense, Tyrone Biggums was the selection made by the Orange County Otters with the third overall pick of the draft. Making his way to sunny Orange County after a stop in San Antonio with the Marshals of the DSFL, Biggums soon moved positions to Safety and would begin a long stint with the Otters that would see him suit up with them for 11 straight seasons.
Biggums career was marked not only by his longevity, but by productive play, being named to 3 Pro Bowl rosters and winning the Safety of the Year award for his sterling play in S26, which saw him tally some very impressive numbers including 5 interceptions and over 100 tackles for the season.
Biggums was also able to enjoy a level of team success that very few players get to experience upon immediately joining the league, being part of an Ultimus winning team in not just his first season, but also in his second. There are not many players who have managed to win back to back championships in their first two seasons in the league, and although I unfortunately don’t have the full numbers to back it up in front of me, I can imagine that Biggums is part of a very short list in this regard.
The user behind Biggums would also serve as co-GM of the Otters during his time with the team, putting this pick into the kind of category that would mean no one could have any complaints with the way that it shaped out. A glittering career in the league and a very notable name to feature on a team as storied as the Otters, Biggums should rightly be remembered as a very shrewd pick in the S18 draft.
4th overall – Louisiana Purchase – Colorado Yeti
The fourth overall pick in the draft saw focus shift once more to the defensive side of the ball, where the Yeti opted to use their first pick of the day to add talented young cornerback Louisiana Purchase. Known for their speed and ability to play not only as a corner but as a talented kick and punt returner, Purchase defended passes for the Yeti for 9 seasons, over which he managed to rack up 560 tackles and 18 interceptions.
Purchase saw great success returning kickoffs and punts also, and was named as the best returner in the league during S23. He would also be given the chance to be part of 3 different Pro Bowl rosters across his role as a corner and returner. Purchase would also be among those players who got to experience the thrill of winning an Ultimus championship, being a part of the Colorado Yeti roster in S22 that achieved the feat for the first time in franchise history.
A very solid player who is remembered fondly by Yeti fans for all he gave to the team during his time there, Purchase was a talented player who would go on to give the kind of play that would make any coach happy.
5th overall - Marcella Tōriki - San Jose Sabercats
The first player taken in the draft as an offensive player who would actually go on to play a game in the iSFL as one, the Sabercats opted to take talented running back Toriki with the fifth overall pick. The second player from the Norfolk Seawolves to be taken on the day, Toriki would go on to join the Sabercats in the ISFL immediately, posting impressive numbers for a rookie as they rushed for nearly 900 yards and picked up 47 more through the air which would earn them the honour of being named the Offensive Rookie of the Year for the league in that season.
I was actually around to witness the shock around Toriki early in their career, as they opted to leave the Sabercats after just one season with the team to join the New Orleans Second Line via free agency. Toriki played 8 seasons in New Orleans where they would rush for over 8,000 yards and be named to 2 Pro Bowls. Toriki also would earn the Offensive Performance of the Year Award for their efforts in one of the weeks in S26, the final season of their career in the ISFL.
Toriki ultimately enjoyed a very impressive career in the ISFL, and would no doubt have left the game being very happy with what they were able to achieve, but unfortunately for the fans of the Sabercats, nearly all of their contribution was given to another franchise. One that would almost definitely be looked back on as a painful memory!
6th overall – Thud Kassel- New Orleans Second Line
The New Orleans Second Line had already picked at first overall and would go on to add the 5th overall pick to their roster after just one season, but it was also their turn to acquire another player with the 6th overall pick. Kassell was the Second Line’s second attempt at bolstering their defense, but its fair to say that this attempt didn’t prove to be very successful, with Kassel arguably having the honour of being the very first “bust” to be taken in the draft. While that’s something of a loaded term and very much open to interpretation and discussion, I think the shortness of Kassel’s career based on where he was drafted makes it hard for me to look at him as anything but this.
Kassel joined the Second Line’s roster as a true rookie but was traded to the Philadelphia Liberty during his rookie season. He would go on to play 2 more seasons for the Liberty before ultimately departing the league, his career petering out after just 3 seasons in the ISFL. Given the hype he enjoyed as a prospect, which was sufficient to see him picked in the top six, this would not have been the kind of outcome that anyone was hoping for.
Kassel didn’t enjoy any league honours during his short time as a pro, and is maybe the first example of a name that you wouldn’t really know unless you were there at the time to see him for yourself.
7th overall – Maurice Virtanen – Yellowknife Wraiths
The honour of being the 7th overall pick in the S18 ISFL Draft would fall to Maurice Virtanen, a linebacker who fans of the Yellowknife Wraiths will remember as a player of some note. Virtanen was a member of the Kansas City Coyotes, who had taken him with the 4th overall pick in the DSFL draft a season earlier, and after being taken by the Wraiths at 7 would go on to join them immediately for S18.
S18 would be the first of an impressive 10 seasons spent in Yellowknife, and Virtanen would be one of the premier linebackers in the league for a long time, being named to 3 Pro Bowls in 4 seasons during his peak. Crucially, Virtanen was a part of a Wraiths team that would win an Ultimus championship on two separate occasions, and as part of a team known for crushing defense no less.
Virtanen was a very good pickup for the Wraiths in the 7th overall spot and looks even more shrewd given the failings of Kassel at the same position, who was taken one spot earlier. One that the Wraiths would likely make again without a doubt, Virtanen will be a player well remembered for some time.
8th overall – Pete Parker – Colorado Yeti
The second team to have a second pick in the first round, the Yeti would use their next trip to the podium to add to their roster a talented young safety from the San Antonio Marshals in the form of Pete Parker. Joining the Yeti straight out of the draft in S18, Parker would play 8 seasons for the team, posting some impressive career numbers during his tenure.
Parker’s showing straight out of the gate was so strong in fact that he was given the honour of being named the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year for S18, the same year in which he would make his only appearance as a Pro Bowler. It’s interesting to see that Parker played so strong straight out of the gate, but was never quite able to replicate the kind of play that got him there during the remainder of his career, but he was undoubtedly an important piece for the Yeti for many seasons.
So much so in fact, that he would be a part of the same roster as Lousiana Purchase that won the S22 Ultimus, with both players being an important part of the Yeti’s secondary on their way to doing so. Another player who was very solid for the Yeti during his time there, Parker was another good addition to the team made with the 8th overall pick.
9th overall – Korrin Abernathy – Orange County Otters
The second selection of the Otters in the first round, Abernathy would be another player who would spend a great deal of time terrorising opposing offenses in the ASFC, and would also see his user become the team’s general manager.
Abernathy was drafted from the Kansas City Coyotes of the DSFL as a linebacker, but would transition to playing as a cornerback for the Otters. I mentioned earlier that Tyrone Biggums was on a short list of players who won Ultimi in both of their first two seasons in the league, but right there with him on that list would be Abernathy who was a part of the same roster. Korrin’s play improved year on year until his undoubted best season in S23, where he was named to the Pro Bowl and as the best cornerback in the league for that season.
Across his 9 seasons spent in Orange County, Abernathy would accumulate career totals including 542 tackles and 17 interceptions. His user was a long time GM of the Otters also, and would come close on a number of occasions to winning another Ultimus. Abernathy enjoyed a solid career with the Otters, and if he had been able to replicate the play seen in S23 for another season or two, would possibly be an inductee into the ISFL Hall of Fame.
10th overall – Net Gaines – Austin Copperheads
The final pick of the first round of the S18 draft belonged to the Austin Coperheads, who had acquired it via trade and used it to select Net Gaines. Gaines would play for the Copperheads immediately, and spent two seasons as a linebacker before switching to the other side of the ball, where Austin would start to make use of his ability to catch the ball by employing his talents as a wide receiver.
Gaines enjoyed an impressive career in Austin, being an important part of their S20 Ultimus championship win, and racking up 3 Pro Bowl selections during his time playing as a receiver. The switch in positions really seemed to unlock Gaines’ talent and he would go on to spend 6 seasons on the Copperheads offense before retiring from the league.
Due to the vast depth of talent to have played the wide receiver position during the history of the league, Gaines may not hear his name mentioned among the very best at the position but there’s no doubt that he enjoyed a successful career and made some really important contributions to an Austin team during that era.
With Gaines finishing off the first round of the draft, we now can move our attention onto some of the notable players taken later in the draft. Something that I found interesting when looking at the first round was that while several players taken there went on to enjoy undoubtedly successful careers in the league, none of them would ever see there likeness inducted in to the ISFL Hall of Fame. Four players in this class would go on to see this happen however, and with that in mind it is those players I’ve decided to focus in on for the remainder of this article.
17th overall – Mathias Hanyadi – Yellowknife Wraiths
The Wraiths added a very good player with their first selection in the draft, but they would add an all-time great with their second. Mathias Hanyadi was taken toward the end of the second round, having been a 6th round pick the season before by the San Antonio Marshals, and was considered to be something of a prodigious talent at the running back position.
Hanyadi would actually be sent back to the DSFL for another season’s conditioning before joining the Wraiths roster permanently ahead of S19, where he immediately showed his potential as an offensive threat both rushing and catching the ball. His breakout season came in S20, where he totalled over 1,500 yards from scrimmage and 15 total touchdowns. These efforts meant he was selected to his first Pro Bowl in his second season, the first of five successive seasons in which he would earn this honour, and would also earn him recognition as the league’ s Offensive Player of the Year and Running Back of the Year. He would replicate both of these feats again in his undoubted greatest season, S23. His efforts that year earned him recognition as the league’s Most Valuable Player, an incredible feat and one he was completely deserving of.
Not only did Hanyadi post highly impressive individual statistics, he was also a huge part of the Wraiths’ Ultimus winning roster of S23. There aren’t many players who’ve been named regular season MVP and Ultimus champion in the same season, but Hanyadi proudly sits among those who have.
Hanyadi enjoyed a glittering career with the Wraiths and is deservedly recognised as one of the premier talents to have come out of the S18 Draft, and will certainly be thought of as one of the greatest ever players to line up at running back in league history.
18th overall – Jay Cue – Arizona Outlaws
It’s quite staggering that the S18 Draft required us to wait 17 picks before a Hall of Famer was selected, but would then see two drafted in consecutive picks. The Arizona Outlaws hadn’t possessed a pick in the first round of the draft, but used their second pick of the second round to add a quarterback talent who had turned heads during his time in the DSFL and was looked at as a can’t miss signal caller of the future for the team that drafted him.
Cue spent two seasons getting some additional reps in the DSFL before being called up to play as the Outlaws starting QB in S20, a season in which he took the league by storm straight out of the gate. Cue threw for nearly 4,000 yards and posted a passer rating of 91.5 on the year, enough to earn him recognition as the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, in addition to the first of 5 Pro Bowl selections he would earn through his career.
Cue would lead strong Outlaws teams for a number of seasons, but unfortunately was never quite able to get over the hill required to win an Ultimus. Despite this, he racked up a laundry list of honours and even enjoyed a season helping out the Outlaws as an offensive lineman. The Hall of Fame committee were impressed enough with Cue’s efforts that he was inducted after retiring, and represents a notable and memorable era of Outlaws history.
21st overall – David Rector– New Orleans Second Line
The only defensive player taken in the S18 Draft to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, Rector was acquired by the New Orleans Second Line with the first pick of the third round of the draft. Given the struggles faced by some of their other selections with earlier picks, Rector more than made up for them and became one of the franchise’s greatest ever players through his 10 seasons with the team.
Rector joined the Second Line as a true rookie in S18, and given a fairly limited role posted decent numbers. What he showed during his rookie season was enough to earn him increased opportunities going forward, and he slowly built up his standing in the team to become their number one cornerback going forward.
While his first few seasons in the league showed flashes of what he was capable of, it was in S22 that Rector’s talent truly began to manifest and turn into statistics to back it up. He posted his first 5 interception season, Earning his first selection to a Pro Bowl roster and picking up a Defensive Performance of the Year award to go alongside it.
Rector continued to demonstrate impressive play during the next few seasons, but his magnum opus would come in S26, when he delivered one of the best cornerback seasons in memory. Racking up 7 interceptions, two of which were pick 6s and over 60 tackles, Rector was an unstoppable force that year who quarterbacks would throw the ball as far away from as they could. Rector’s highly impressive play saw him recognised as the Defensive Player of the Year for the season, in addition to adding a Cornerback of the Year award to his trophy cabinet. Rector played his final season with the Second Line the following year, and walked away from the game as one of the best to play his position. He would be a worthy inductee to the Hall of Fame and undoubtedly one of the best picks made in this draft.
34th overall – Givussafare Rubbe – New Orleans Second Line
The final Hall of Famer from the S18 draft was also picked up by the Second Line, this time in the depths of the fourth round of the draft. Rubbe was something of a pioneer at his position, leading the charge for an entire generation of Offensive Linemen and is someone whose contribution to the league’s bigger picture history can’t be ignored.
Rubbe was drafted from the DSFL’s Myrtle Beach Buccaneers, and would rejoin them for the S18 season before heading to New Orleans ahead of S19. Rubbe started his career strongly, allowing zero sacks through his first 3 seasons in the league and immediately garnering attention for his ability to provide his quarterback with a clean pocket. Rubbe would continue to impress over the following seasons before being recognised as the best at his position in the league for the first time in S20, a feat he would go on to repeat again in S21 and S24.
Additionally, Rubbe would be selected to the Pro Bowl on 4 separate occasions. After hanging up his cleats, in addition to his induction to the Hall of Fame, Rubbe was given the honour of being a part of the ISFL’s All Time Team. A truly dominant force at his position during his 11 seasons in the ISFL, Rubbe would see out his career with the Chicago Butchers and walk away from the game with his head held high.
And so that takes us through this whistle stop tour of the S18 ISFL Entry Draft. It’s been a fun exercise to comb back through some of the players of note and talk a little bit about what they’ve been able to achieve through their careers. The draft really did boast a wide range of talent, and outside of the four Hall of Famers, there was a large group who were able to leave their mark on the league’s history and achieve some very impressive things. Quick thank you to the league’s brilliant historic resources again for making this a fun and straightforward exercise to look up and research, those responsible have done an incredible job!
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4,230 words (2.5x payout pls)