After being drafted to Arizona and meeting some of the new faces there Purdy was sent back to Kansas City, Fresh off their draft as well it was an experience to meet all the new faces there as well. The new faces now in the Coyotes look to round out their roster and make them contenders this season. Some young and eager players that are all looking like they are ready to put in the work in to get better quickly and that is all you can ask for from your rookies. This will lead to not only this season but future seasons success. So overall the additions this season look really incredible for both the outlaws, Purdy’s future home, as well as Kansas. It is his opinion that both teams really nailed their picks in the draft and are looking to be contenders this season. Here is hoping that both teams are able to come out on top!
The Yellowknife Wraiths added a few faces to the team this past ISFL draft. The first overall pick, Silence Suzuka, was the only immediate callup. Maximus Boudreaux is of course, ecstatic to have a young promising WR to throw the ball to, and Silence made their presence known by turning their first career ISFL reception into a touchdown. The Wraiths receiving corps is fairly weak and Silence will change that very quickly. Max is certain that we will once day see Silence's Wraiths jersey in the ISFL Hall of Fame. The Wraiths also added a pair of second round draft steals in cornerback Sergei Nunkanblok, who will be a stud addition to the Wraiths secondary in a season or two, and Billy van Goff, a QB who may one day be Max's replacement or switch to another position. The future is definitely bright in Yellowknife and Max is super excited about the new additions to the Wraiths family this offseason. 160 words
When looking at the additions the the reigning Ultimini runner up Kansas City Coyotes, there is a lot to like. This was a very successful draft for the coyotes as we were able to fill positions of need and buff up our offense at the same time. To start the Coyotes drafted Tim Riggins with their first pick, he is my player but as a high earner and active member the pick will surely pay off and add a formidable 2 TE duo to complement the Coyotes electric run game. In the second round, the coyotes were able to nab D’Glester Hardunkichud, who is also a high earning rookie and will make an immediate impact on defense at the linebacker position as a coverage LB which should complement star pass rusher Duilio’s Beard. The Coyotes stuck with defense the next round and grabbed Eric Beaty Jr. who will help complement second year corners Hearty Harry and Terry Keller over the top. The fourth round pick was an absolute steal getting Will Nuck who will add some explosive speed to the backfield. 5th round pick Russell Jimmies will be a future starter and will learn from McRobinson about the ins and outs of playing QB as a dual threat QB. The last few rounds were completely tailored to defense where the coyotes selected Brennan Kennedy II, LaMarcus Love and waiver edition Jack Destroyer. With 8 rookies already over the 100 TPE threshold and 4 of the rookies over 130 TPE, watch out for the coyotes.
The Seawolves had the first overall draft pick, and they had the opportunity to select the top talent in the draft in Roquefort Cotswald. This cornerback is going to be a game-changer, and future defensive standout. He bring a new level of intensity and skill to the team, invigorating the locker room and promising to be a force for seasons to come. The Seawolves really targeted defense in this draft and as a result the defensive side of the ball is stacked with Talent. Veterans Sergei Nunkanblok and Lasse Zeigler anchor a promising crew of new faces that look to be a menace in the DSFL.
Sconnie brings fresh blood to the war room and looks to help Tmoney in reversing the fortunes of last season. The Norfolk Seawolves are already DSFL champs in locker room hype and commitment and it's only a matter of time before that translates to results on the field.
Bob Kronkowski is going to be a legend in the DSFL (and later ISFL).
FACT 1:
Kronkowski caught 26 of 39 targets (good for 66.67% catch percentage) for 182 yards (7 yards per catch). While this seems like a pedestrian statline, this is despite subpar play from his QB at the time, who went 122/249 for 1266 yards, 5 TD and 10 INT. Needless to say, Kronkowski's potential was severely limited on this team, and his stats cannot be taken completely at face value.
FACT 2:
Kronkowski was drafted by the Tijuana Luchadores, one of the most prolific teams in the DSFL. This team will likely have the coaching staff to focus on Kronkowski's growth (once he earns a prominent position on the team).
FACT 3:
Kronkowski was not featured in the preseason game, but did come down with a 18 yard grab that was brought down inside the 5 yard line, which set up one of his teams touchdowns in the 38-17 win. While Kronkowski was not a featured player in the gameplan, an attentive review of the game film demonstrates that he was a key lead blocker for many of the team's explosive runs, which the team could lean on in the game (34 rushing attempts at 4.6 y/c, while 17/30 passing).
It is highly likely, with Kronkowski's improved speed, that he will be a bigger part of the game plan in future, especially with defenses keying in on other receiving threats on the team (P. Patter, 6/10 78yds 2TD and A. Benn, 5/8 106yds 1TD). Kronkowski finds himself in the position to start with low expectations and high potential, and anything can happen in this league of the most beautiful game.
Rookie Linebacker Ali Star is definitely one to watch on the Sarasota Sailfish. The linebacker from Florida State University was picked up by the Minnesota Ducks for his first season in the DSFL and he put on a show. In S44, Star made 126 tackles (the most in the DSFL that season) with 17 TFLs and 8 sacks to his name. His strong rookie performance put him on the map and the Sailfish snapped him up quickly to reunite him with his longtime friend, Ace Anderson. In his second season in the DSFL, Ali Star continue right where he left off surpassing his tackles by making 138, leading the league for the second season in a row. The Sailfish management took notice and promoted Ali Star to the starting lineup for S46. While his involvement will be limited to begin with, keep an eye out for the talented linebacker as they continue to improve and earn a larger role in the defense over the coming seasons.
Berlin had a pretty quiet free agency, not signing anyone. But there were two new players called up to the ISFL: CB Devin Jones and DE D'Jasper Probincrux IV. Despite only being 1 game into the season, Devin Jones has already made significant impact with 2 tackles a sack and PD in his debut. Devin Jones also had a respectable 359 TPE and will slide into CB 3 and hopefully contribute as much as he did in week 1. And with CB2 Charlie Thorsen starting to get deep into regression, Jones has a bright future as a star corner for the Fire Salamanders. D'Jasper Probincrux IV is also in an interesting spot, as he is getting some solid opportunities at the beginning of his ISFL career. He is a big rawer with only 227 TPE to his name but was immediately instated as a starting DE. If he continues to earn he will hold the position all season and I'm interested to see how he starts his promising career in Berlin.