The Colorado Yeti are obviously ready for a turn around season after boasting a pedestrian 1-13 record in the fourth NSFL Season. This has been a very big draft for them and they have acquired what many consider some of the key pieces for their success in the upcoming season. We sat down with some of them to see their thoughts about the Yeti and the upcoming season.
Carlito Crush TE #1 Overall (Round 1 Pick 1) Portland Pythons. 272 TPE
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Nogan Loble: You were one of if not the highest heralded rookie going into the draft. Do you feel pressure to live up to expectations?
Carlito Crush: Pressure is just something a weak minded individual feels when they aren't confident in themselves. I have all of the confidence in the world about my abilities, so I don't feel any pressure.
NL: You are apart of an obvious rebuild team, does that change your mind set knowing things might take some time to start rolling?
CC: Not at all. My mindset has always been to keep training hard and practice even harder. I'm fully aware that this is going to take a few seasons and I'm okay with that. I'm looking forward to developing the right Yeti culture on and off the field.
NL: You had an amazing season in the DSFL but as everyone knows, there is a big difference from DSFL to NSFL. Do you think you will be able to produce the same results?
CC: I've always been able to perform at a high level no matter where I've gone. This should be no different.
NL: Did you have any peers in the Colorado Organization that might have helped get you drafted by them?
CC: I did not. I had no idea about anything Colorado until the GMs reached out to me a whole bunch before the draft. They really kept me in the loop and informed me in great detail about their vision. I'm glad they did.
NL: Who's your favorite football player?
CC: I was always partial to Derrick Thomas, the KC linebacker in the NFL as a kid. As for now, Paul Dimiro is the gold standard for NSFL TEs. I look forward to competing against him.
NL: Why did you choose Tight End
CC: Because at 6'6, 260 pounds, you don't play wide receiver.
Andre Bly Jr. CB #2 Overall (Round 1 Pick 2) Kansas City Coyotes 305 TPE
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Nogan Loble: You were the highest ranked rookie coming into the draft. Do you feel any pressure to perform?
Andre Bly Jr.: Yea, there is pressure, but I am turning it into a positive. I am going to come in and do my job, earn my contract, and win the Ultimus in a couple of years. The coaches have a plan and our job is to make sure it happens.
NL:You are the newest addition to a struggling Yeti team. Does that change your mind set coming into the season?
AB: No. Like I just said, I am coming in and doing my job of not letting my guy score. If they don't score, we can't lose. It's not a bad thing if we start winning now.
NL: Your stats in the DSFL were incredibly well rounded and was one of the most dominant seasons a DB has ever had in the league. Do you think the jump to NSFL will affect you?
AB: Throughout my 14 games with KCC, whoever I was covering never scored. Go look at the tapes, it's all there. That's my goal in the NSFL as well. Expect the guy I am covering not to score. It's who I am and it's what I'll do.
NL: Did you have any peers in the Colorado Organization that might have helped get you drafted by them?
AB: Brice Boggs and GM Matthew Vincent. I played 1 season with him Both Boggs and Vincent at Florida and they were truly inspirational both on and off the field. Boggs helped me hone my skills at corner while Vincent kept me cool headed and gave me insight on what I'm doing from the other side of the ball. Boggs and I can continue to trade strategies now and Vincent is here to give me business advice, so I don't go and spend my contract all at once.
NL: Who's your favorite football player?
AB: Trey Willie. He has that 'gives no shit' attitude and just does what he is told. It's gonna be fun keeping him out of the endzone 3 times a year.
NL: Why did you choose to be a Cornerback?
AB: I like quiet perfection. No one knows you are good until you stop doing your job. It keeps you on your toes and let's others know that I am needed.
Michael Tillman #9 Overall (Round 2 Pick 1) San Antonio Marshals 121 TPE
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Nogan Loble: Your draft stock rose at a very high rate just days before the draft, are you surprised?
MT: I am very surprised. I wrote an article to just get my name out there, I didn’t even know if any NSFL GM knew my name at that point. After that I received a little buzz but never could have expected to be taken this high.
NL: Are you surprised the Yeti took you?
MT: I was very surprised. I did not hear back from them after a short interview and kind of wrote them off. I was very glad to hear they hadn’t forgot about me.
NL: You were often seen in the shadow of your fellow safety in San Antonio Darren Morris. How does it feel to be picked ahead of him.
MT: I believed myself that I was in the shadow of Darren and was very surprised to see myself picked just a few spots ahead of him in the draft. He made more plays and was a better player for our team in San Antonio but I believe that I can make as much if not more of an impact in the NSFL as him.
NL: How do you feel to be in Colorado?
MT: I couldn’t be happier. Colorado my top choice to land in the draft aside from Arizona which is where I went to college. It saddens me the position the Yeti are in and I will try to the best of my ability to bring them back to their glory days.
Issac Brown QB #17 Overall (Round 3 Pick 1) Tijuana Luchadores. 91 TPE
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Nogan Loble: How do you feel on the transition from playing on the offensive side of the ball to defense?
Issac Brown: It will be a big change especially size-wise but I think it will be a nice refreshment of things
NL: How did you feel getting your name called by the Yeti on draft day.
IB: I was expecting the team right after, the Legion, to pick me as the co-gm was my dsfl teammate and was planning to take me and told me that their next pick was gonna be on me. But happy becuase being drafted is being drafted, it's amazing. Doesn't matter who drafts you
NL: How do you think you will fare in the jump from DSFL to NSFL
IB: Can't really judge with the position change coming up but I think it will go well
NL: Who’s your favorite football player?
IB: I grew up in Royal Oak, Michigan so I of course had my Lions affiliations but I never paid much attention to them, though I was a die-hard Red Wings fan and Steve Yzerman was one of my favorite though he was getting older as I grew up, but like I said I didn't watch much football but I played it a bunch.
Joining the S5 Yeti Draft Class are Luke Kraken (4th Round LB), Thomas Mango (5th Round RB) and Lawrence Mils (5th Round CB). All could not be reached for comment while preparing for the move to Colorado. Reporting from Colorado, Nogan Loble out.
1,339 Words Total
Carlito Crush: 15%
Issac Brown: 15%
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