Topic #2 - Tell us about your draft class (600+ words)
Normally I dread doing these off season tasks because the prompts are usually not something I want to write about. However, this time it's different, as I am a fresh faced draftee that just took place in the Season 43 ISFL Draft! Going through the scouting process I talked to a few teams, one team reached out and then ghosted me (Hello, Yellowknife!) and in general I didn't have a ton of draft day interest. It was really going to be tough to tell who wanted me the most as I felt it was going to be more former team in Sarasota or a new team in the Baltimore Hawks. After a lot of great pre-draft discussions I felt comfortable that the Hawks would draft me if they could and it turns out that is exactly what happened. They traded up to get the 28th overall pick to end my slide and select me there. Bad news for every other team that passed on me, it happens every time I am a draftee, when will these general managers learn that I bring first round talent and loyalty to the table? Regardless of that, we are here now, and I am a proud member of the Baltimore Hawks organization. Not only am I excited to be here but I am very excited about the draft class we were able to come away from the draft with. It started out with a savvy move in trading down to acquire an extra pick while still getting the guy at the top of the Baltimore draft board in Anakin Skywalker. Skywalker is a receiver by trade and has been a force in the DSFL at the position. There is the question of will he remain there based on the current roster make up of the Hawks but regardless of where he plays he will be a force on the field and in the locker room. As a matter of fact Skywalker was so sought after he had a whole management team crying literal tears when he was selected before they got a chance to. After Skywalker the Hawks used their next pick to grab a big bruising defensive lineman in Tunkha Danstrol. This was a great value pick to get a defensive lineman with his potential in the second round as that position is one of the tougher ones to get true talent in that is motivated to play the position. Danstrol will be a force off the edge for the Hawks in the future and he will be terrorizing many quarterbacks and running backs alike. The Hawks weren't done there as due to their previous trade they had back to back selections and followed up the Danstrol pick with running back Berte Mannering-Phipps. The Hawks don't have many holes on the roster but an area of need for the future was the running back position. Grabbing Berte in the second round certainly gives them hope that the running back position will be well taken care of when their current bell cow gets old and walks away. Berte is a great player in this league and a fun guy to have around in the locker room. He will surely adjust to the ISFL game quickly and be a nice weapon in the future for the Hawks. Getting three draft picks of this caliber would be a huge success for any draft but the Hawks had one final move under their wing. They made one more trade to move up to the first pick in the third round and select linebacker Sam Mercury. This is without a doubt the steal of the draft, unironically, as Mercury has done nothing but impress after joining late in the draft process. It is a wonder how a player like him falls in these drafts but it happens and the Hawks benefit from it. There is never any guarantees in these leagues but the Hawks certainly gave themselves a great chance at future success with this draft class. Skywalker, Danstrol, Mannering-Phipps, and Mercury will play a vital role in the future success of Baltimore and I am excited to see how these fantastic four turn out in their ISFL careers.
Normally I dread doing these off season tasks because the prompts are usually not something I want to write about. However, this time it's different, as I am a fresh faced draftee that just took place in the Season 43 ISFL Draft! Going through the scouting process I talked to a few teams, one team reached out and then ghosted me (Hello, Yellowknife!) and in general I didn't have a ton of draft day interest. It was really going to be tough to tell who wanted me the most as I felt it was going to be more former team in Sarasota or a new team in the Baltimore Hawks. After a lot of great pre-draft discussions I felt comfortable that the Hawks would draft me if they could and it turns out that is exactly what happened. They traded up to get the 28th overall pick to end my slide and select me there. Bad news for every other team that passed on me, it happens every time I am a draftee, when will these general managers learn that I bring first round talent and loyalty to the table? Regardless of that, we are here now, and I am a proud member of the Baltimore Hawks organization. Not only am I excited to be here but I am very excited about the draft class we were able to come away from the draft with. It started out with a savvy move in trading down to acquire an extra pick while still getting the guy at the top of the Baltimore draft board in Anakin Skywalker. Skywalker is a receiver by trade and has been a force in the DSFL at the position. There is the question of will he remain there based on the current roster make up of the Hawks but regardless of where he plays he will be a force on the field and in the locker room. As a matter of fact Skywalker was so sought after he had a whole management team crying literal tears when he was selected before they got a chance to. After Skywalker the Hawks used their next pick to grab a big bruising defensive lineman in Tunkha Danstrol. This was a great value pick to get a defensive lineman with his potential in the second round as that position is one of the tougher ones to get true talent in that is motivated to play the position. Danstrol will be a force off the edge for the Hawks in the future and he will be terrorizing many quarterbacks and running backs alike. The Hawks weren't done there as due to their previous trade they had back to back selections and followed up the Danstrol pick with running back Berte Mannering-Phipps. The Hawks don't have many holes on the roster but an area of need for the future was the running back position. Grabbing Berte in the second round certainly gives them hope that the running back position will be well taken care of when their current bell cow gets old and walks away. Berte is a great player in this league and a fun guy to have around in the locker room. He will surely adjust to the ISFL game quickly and be a nice weapon in the future for the Hawks. Getting three draft picks of this caliber would be a huge success for any draft but the Hawks had one final move under their wing. They made one more trade to move up to the first pick in the third round and select linebacker Sam Mercury. This is without a doubt the steal of the draft, unironically, as Mercury has done nothing but impress after joining late in the draft process. It is a wonder how a player like him falls in these drafts but it happens and the Hawks benefit from it. There is never any guarantees in these leagues but the Hawks certainly gave themselves a great chance at future success with this draft class. Skywalker, Danstrol, Mannering-Phipps, and Mercury will play a vital role in the future success of Baltimore and I am excited to see how these fantastic four turn out in their ISFL careers.
S25 Sarasota: 26 rec, 437 yds, 16.8 ypc, 4 TD
S26 Sarasota: 45 rec, 724 yds, 16.1 ypc, 7 TD
S27 Sarasota: 81 rec, 1,122 yds, 13.9 ypc, 8 TD **Ultimus Champs**
S27 Sarasota: 81 rec, 1,122 yds, 13.9 ypc, 8 TD **Ultimus Champs**
S28 Sarasota: 84 rec, 1,182 yds, 14.1 ypc, 3 TD
S29 Sarasota: 105 rec, 1,470 yds, 14.0 ypc, 14 TD **PRO BOWL**
S30 Sarasota: 80 rec, 1,174 yds, 14.7 ypc, 9 TD **Ultimus Champs**
S30 Sarasota: 80 rec, 1,174 yds, 14.7 ypc, 9 TD **Ultimus Champs**