06-23-2019, 05:54 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-27-2019, 09:41 AM by Fordhammer.)
A little while ago, I discussed in detail some of the receivers that I had the hardest time competing against in the DSFL. With my debut in the NSFL on the horizon, I figured I’d spend some time talking about receivers that I am looking forward to covering or wish that I would’ve had the chance to play against.
As a fan of football since childhood, there are many receivers that I idolized growing up. It is extremely tantalizing and disappointing that there are some receivers who I admired who just retired before I entered the league and started my career.
It goes without saying that this list is not in any particular order and that it would be unrealistic to definitively rank these receivers as they are all extremely talented and played with different supporting casts.
First off, I grew up loving watching Jordan Yates play. That’s right, my first dream matchup isn’t even a wide receiver. Whenever Yates was on the field, you knew you were in for a show and I’m sure defenders were terrified when they saw the Otters on the schedule because of him. Averaging 15.4 yards per reception, Yates ended up setting a league record 1860 receiving yards in season 6. As a running back. Such dominance by a receiving back may never be seen again in the NSFL. Hell, it’s insane that it ever happened to begin with. Receivers train for their whole careers to set records like that and a running back was able to steal and hold the record for 10 years now. With only 14 games in the season, Yates averaged 133 receiving yards per game alone. Honestly, I’m not even sure how I would perform against such a versatile player. Playing against Yates would be the ultimate test to evaluate my skill as a player and to truly challenge my instincts and reflexes on the field.
Next on my list is another Otter alumnus: Bradley Westfield. This one can’t be a surprise for anyone, as he had the second most career receiving yards at 13,457 when he retired in 2028. On top of that, Westfield tied the league record for average yards per catch in a single season in season 5 at 22.2 and has the second most career receiving touchdowns at 109. Standing across from Westfield in his prime must have been a surreal experience. The stress of knowing that if he got his hands on the ball, the Otters were essentially guaranteed a first down and then some must have been horrible. Westfield also has the most career playoff receiving yards of all time at 1388, meaning that he was able to bring it when the stakes were high. Getting the chance to compete against Westfield would probably crush my ego, but it would be the opportunity of a lifetime.
The next player I wish I could’ve played against is someone who I just missed in the league: Trey Willie. He retired the same year that I was drafted to the NSFL, which was extremely disappointing for me. As a veteran in the league for 12 years, it goes without saying that it was probably time for him to finally rest his body. As the all-time leader of career receiving yards at 14,421 and career receiving touchdowns at 118, Willie is a player that most cornerbacks dream of getting the chance to play against (though for some, it might be a nightmare). Because of his recent retirement, the most surreal thing about him is that many of my peers actually did get the chance to cover him in the past few seasons. I have been talking to my new teammate Achilles Hondo about what it was like and, honestly, those stories are the stuff of dreams for a corner like me.
The first current player I’d like to compete with is someone who I have the honor of sharing a locker room with: Kazimir Oles. Honestly, even before I was drafted to the Butchers, he was a player that I had been eyeing from the DSFL as someone I wanted to play against. Getting the chance now to play against him at every practice is already more than a dream come true. Oles led the league in average yards per catch last season at 20.5 and is tied for the fifth longest reception in league history for 77 yards. Oles’s explosiveness and experience is something that challenges me every single day and thanks to him, I’ve already vastly improved compared to when I first joined the Butchers. I honestly never expected to hone my craft against him at all in my career, never mind being able to do it all the time now.
The final player on my list is Errol Maddox of the Ultimus Champion Baltimore Hawks. Maddox led the league in receiving touchdowns last season at 13 and was a part of the Hawk team that crushed the Sabercats at the Ultimus. Playing against a receiver that excels in the red zone is a completely different challenge from playing against a receiver in an open field. Maddox demonstrated that he can force his way into the end zone against the best that the NSFL has to offer and I consider that a personal challenge. Maddox also holds the longest reception in NSFL history at 86 yards. To truly make my mark in the league, I have to prove myself against the best and Maddox is without a doubt one of the best. For reference, Maddox completed 56 passes last year, which means 23% of his catches led to touchdowns. As he has only played four seasons in the NSFL, Maddox is probably looking to enter his prime now, which is the perfect time for me to get in his way and knock him down a peg. A rivalry between us could truly lead to something special with our iron sharpening iron and I greatly look forward to the challenge he will present to me.
Overall, there are a ton of players in the current and past NSFL who I would love to play against and listing off only five does not do them all justice. These five were the ones who I have been thinking about the most recently, but I am sure over the course of my NSFL career, I will begin rivalries with many incredible receivers and I may even find myself surprised by receivers younger than me. Also, I’d like to note that all of the receivers from my DSFL list should be included in this one, as I am excited to see how far we have all come since our time in the developmental league. Hopefully, we will all stay healthy and have long careers warring against each other on the field.
Make no mistake though: even though we are deep into draft season, I’m still watching a ton of film on all of the NSFL receivers out there. No one is safe next season.
X
As a fan of football since childhood, there are many receivers that I idolized growing up. It is extremely tantalizing and disappointing that there are some receivers who I admired who just retired before I entered the league and started my career.
It goes without saying that this list is not in any particular order and that it would be unrealistic to definitively rank these receivers as they are all extremely talented and played with different supporting casts.
First off, I grew up loving watching Jordan Yates play. That’s right, my first dream matchup isn’t even a wide receiver. Whenever Yates was on the field, you knew you were in for a show and I’m sure defenders were terrified when they saw the Otters on the schedule because of him. Averaging 15.4 yards per reception, Yates ended up setting a league record 1860 receiving yards in season 6. As a running back. Such dominance by a receiving back may never be seen again in the NSFL. Hell, it’s insane that it ever happened to begin with. Receivers train for their whole careers to set records like that and a running back was able to steal and hold the record for 10 years now. With only 14 games in the season, Yates averaged 133 receiving yards per game alone. Honestly, I’m not even sure how I would perform against such a versatile player. Playing against Yates would be the ultimate test to evaluate my skill as a player and to truly challenge my instincts and reflexes on the field.
Next on my list is another Otter alumnus: Bradley Westfield. This one can’t be a surprise for anyone, as he had the second most career receiving yards at 13,457 when he retired in 2028. On top of that, Westfield tied the league record for average yards per catch in a single season in season 5 at 22.2 and has the second most career receiving touchdowns at 109. Standing across from Westfield in his prime must have been a surreal experience. The stress of knowing that if he got his hands on the ball, the Otters were essentially guaranteed a first down and then some must have been horrible. Westfield also has the most career playoff receiving yards of all time at 1388, meaning that he was able to bring it when the stakes were high. Getting the chance to compete against Westfield would probably crush my ego, but it would be the opportunity of a lifetime.
The next player I wish I could’ve played against is someone who I just missed in the league: Trey Willie. He retired the same year that I was drafted to the NSFL, which was extremely disappointing for me. As a veteran in the league for 12 years, it goes without saying that it was probably time for him to finally rest his body. As the all-time leader of career receiving yards at 14,421 and career receiving touchdowns at 118, Willie is a player that most cornerbacks dream of getting the chance to play against (though for some, it might be a nightmare). Because of his recent retirement, the most surreal thing about him is that many of my peers actually did get the chance to cover him in the past few seasons. I have been talking to my new teammate Achilles Hondo about what it was like and, honestly, those stories are the stuff of dreams for a corner like me.
The first current player I’d like to compete with is someone who I have the honor of sharing a locker room with: Kazimir Oles. Honestly, even before I was drafted to the Butchers, he was a player that I had been eyeing from the DSFL as someone I wanted to play against. Getting the chance now to play against him at every practice is already more than a dream come true. Oles led the league in average yards per catch last season at 20.5 and is tied for the fifth longest reception in league history for 77 yards. Oles’s explosiveness and experience is something that challenges me every single day and thanks to him, I’ve already vastly improved compared to when I first joined the Butchers. I honestly never expected to hone my craft against him at all in my career, never mind being able to do it all the time now.
The final player on my list is Errol Maddox of the Ultimus Champion Baltimore Hawks. Maddox led the league in receiving touchdowns last season at 13 and was a part of the Hawk team that crushed the Sabercats at the Ultimus. Playing against a receiver that excels in the red zone is a completely different challenge from playing against a receiver in an open field. Maddox demonstrated that he can force his way into the end zone against the best that the NSFL has to offer and I consider that a personal challenge. Maddox also holds the longest reception in NSFL history at 86 yards. To truly make my mark in the league, I have to prove myself against the best and Maddox is without a doubt one of the best. For reference, Maddox completed 56 passes last year, which means 23% of his catches led to touchdowns. As he has only played four seasons in the NSFL, Maddox is probably looking to enter his prime now, which is the perfect time for me to get in his way and knock him down a peg. A rivalry between us could truly lead to something special with our iron sharpening iron and I greatly look forward to the challenge he will present to me.
Overall, there are a ton of players in the current and past NSFL who I would love to play against and listing off only five does not do them all justice. These five were the ones who I have been thinking about the most recently, but I am sure over the course of my NSFL career, I will begin rivalries with many incredible receivers and I may even find myself surprised by receivers younger than me. Also, I’d like to note that all of the receivers from my DSFL list should be included in this one, as I am excited to see how far we have all come since our time in the developmental league. Hopefully, we will all stay healthy and have long careers warring against each other on the field.
Make no mistake though: even though we are deep into draft season, I’m still watching a ton of film on all of the NSFL receivers out there. No one is safe next season.
X
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