Every single team in this league is competing for the same thing. The right to call themselves champions. Every single team in this league has a story. A narrative that the audience and sports pundits can invest in. In this article we will go through each team and take a look at some of the storylines that these teams have built around themselves. We will be looking at a team’s recent history and current composition while also highlighting some key players on offense and defense.
Baltimore Hawks
Baltimore Hawk fans have been on a roller coaster of emotions for the past couple of years. The team has gone from middle of the pack, to NSFC champions, to basement dwellers over the past 3 seasons. With such a volatile record it’s hard to say how well this team will do this year.
Offensive player to watch: Nick Kaepercolin was called up this off season after two years in the DSFL. As a former teammate I know that he is an exceptionally talented receiver and a natural locker room leader. While it may be too much to expect him to be instantly great. We should be able to see moments of greatness in his rookie campaign.
Defensive Player to watch: Safety Walt Green got hit hard by the regression bug this year dropping out of the 1k club. However he is by no means washed up. He is still Baltimore’s number one player and he is still an incredibly dangerous defensive powerhouse.
Chicago Butchers
Only two seasons removed from a dreadful controversy that shocked the league. The Chicago Butchers haven’t had a winning season in 5 years. With one of the if not the youngest rosters in the entire league it looks like another year of rebuilding is in Chicago’s future. With that said it is clear that the winds in the Windy City are starting to change. The Butchers are poised to be a serious contender within the next couple of years.
Offensive player to watch: Sean O'Leary has been one of the most consistently great receivers of the past couple of years. How this guy finished the last season with over one thousand yards and only two touchdowns is beyond me. I have O’Leary as one of my favorites to win WR of the Year in S23.
Defensive Player to watch: In the four seasons that Mike Hockhertz has been playing in the NSFL he has gone from being one of the league’s best safeties to being one of it’s best linebackers. Last year he finished 3rd in the league for most tackles and to me it feels like he’s just getting started but the clock is ticking for Hockhertz. He has to be asking himself “If I want to win a championship do I really have time to sit around on a team in the middle of a rebuild?” On the other hand I do know that he is beloved in the city of Chicago and is a respected member of the locker room so maybe that will be enough for him to tough out the next few seasons.
Colorado Yeti
The Yeti’s story is a simple one. After years of struggling the Yeti’s have finally managed to climb the mountain and crown themselves as Ultimus Champions. Now they are looking to do it again. Will they mimic their NFL counterparts the Denver Broncos by winning twice in a row or will they go the direction of so many other former champions and go into an immediate rebuild.
Offensive Player to watch: The best quarterback in the game right now and arguably one of the greatest QBs of all time Wolfie McDummy has shown that he can lead his team to the promised land. Now the question is can he do it again? McDummy isn’t getting any younger and if the Yetis want to be the NSFL’s next dynasty it’s now or never.
Defensive Player to watch: The only active member of the class of S11. Linebacker Alex Selich is coming back for his 12th season in the league. His decision to return has left a lot of people scratching their heads. Even more confusing is the Yeti's decision to sign him. Do they really think that Selich still has enough gas left in the tank to be an effective part of their defense? Apparently so.
Philadelphia Liberty
To say that the Philadelphia Liberty have had it rough the past couple of years is a bit of an understatement. The team hasn’t had a winning season in over 6 years. Last year was particularly devastating as they barely missed the playoff. However the dark clouds that have been hanging over Philly may finally be starting to lift. They are coming into this season with the number one ranked offense by TPE. This could very well be a year that Liberty fans remember for generations to come.
Offensive Player to watch: Quarterback Brock Phoenix’s arrival in Philadelphia is responsible for much of the city’s current optimism. The young field general’s career has up to this point been a series of exhilarating highs and disappointing lows but now things seem to be starting to click into place for Brock. I could definitely see Brock being one of the dark horse favorites for QB of the year in S23.
Defensive Player to watch: I was torn between picking either CB Brandon Booker or FS Matt “Son of Havoc” Cross for this spot. Both players had an incredible rookie season, both players as dedicated to their off field performance as their on field, and both embody the youth and hope for the future that their team is built on.
Sarasota Sailfish
Last year the Sarasota expansion team did what no one was expecting them to do when they made the playoffs. Even though they fell in the wild card round to the eventual Ultimus champs the Colorado Yeti. To make it that far was an accomplishment in and of itself. This year the Sailfish are out to prove that last year wasn’t a fluke. They’re looking to not only make the playoffs but to win the whole thing as well and with their roster It wouldn’t surprise me if they did just that.
Offensive Player to watch: Here’s a fun fact about running back Dax Frost. He is the only member of the S21 class currently on the Sarasota Sailfish’s roster. Here’s another fun fact about Dax. He is everything you could want in a RB. Crazy fast, able to shed tackles, and a pretty good receiver to boot.
Defensive Player to watch: Cornerback Lucas Knight started his career on an expansion team. It seems only fitting that he would end his career on an expansion team. Way back during the S15 DSFL draft he was drafted by the Norfolk Seawolves. He had a decent career with the Arizona Outlaws but moving to Sarasota seems to have been a breath of fresh air for the aging cornerback.
Yellowknife Wraiths
After making it all the way to the Ultimus game the previous two years. Losing to the Colorado Yetis in the semi finals was a step in the wrong direction for the team. Now many critics are wondering if they have missed their window of opportunity. They have one of the oldest rosters in the league. That said the Wraiths are still a foe to be reckoned with. Their defense is ranked 2nd by TPE and their offense is ranked 5th. One way or another this year will be very telling for the Wraiths.
Offensive Player to watch: One of the best offensive lineman currently in the game Laszlo Forty-Two actually started off as a linebacker when he entered the league. By all accounts he was pretty good at it to winning both DL of the year and Defensive Rookie of the Year. His time at defense has prepared him well for his current role. He knows how the defense thinks and is perfectly able to counter their attacks and keep his QB safe.
Defensive Player to Watch: One of the most dominant defensive ends to ever play the game. Nero Alexander has excelled in the league since day one. He was selected 10th overall in the DSFL draft and a year later was selected 4th overall by the Wraiths. Since then he has been the bane of QBs and RBs everywhere. It would truly be a shame if this guy retires without a ring.
Arizona Outlaws
The Outlaws are another team that have been caught up in a bit of a rough patch of late. Their last winning record was back in S20. They went 7-6 which was good for fourth best in the ASFC. Since then they have established themselves as the ASFC’s resident basement dweller. In TPE rankings they are 6th in both offense and defense which simply isn’t good enough to beat some of the other teams out there. It looks like another year of rebuilds is in the cards for the Outlaws.
Offensive player to Watch: It’s not often you see a tight end drafted in the top 20 places. Especially not in a draft as crowded as the S22 class was and yet that was exactly what Arizona did when they drafted Heath Evans 15th overall. The pick was a good one. Heath Evans started contributing immediately and he ended up finishing second in Arizona targets. We will see what his sophomore season holds in store for Evans but if it’s anything like his first season I think TE of the year is not out of the question for him.
Defensive player to watch: Selected 6th overall Stanislaw Koniecpolski is to the defense what Heath Evans is to the offense. That is to say that he is the future of the Outlaws organization. In his rookie season Stanislaw finished 5th in tackles. With Stanislaw leading the defense I have the feeling that the Arizona rebuild will be over sooner rather than later.
Austin Copperheads
After winning their first Ultimus in S20. The Copperheads have continued to remain competitive yet have constantly found themselves in front of some obstacle they could not overcome. In S21 it was the New Orleans Second Line and in S22 it was the Orange County Otters. The Copperheads have one of the older rosters in the league and you have to figure this is probably their last year to compete before they go into a rebuild.
Offensive player to watch: Running back Mako Mendoza’s drop off between S21 and S22 was shocking. He went from second in rushing yards to 13th. While he was probably simply having a down year if that trend continues it could be a very worrying development for Austin.
Defensive player to watch: When I say that this is Austin’s last year to compete. It’s because of players like linebacker Honda Edmond that make me say it. It’s not that Honda is a bad player, far from it. Honda is one of the best LBs in the league and it’s safe to say that the Copperheads wouldn’t have won their Ultimus without him. However this is Honda’s last year before regression sets in and between him and all the other players who are in the beginning stages of regression sooner or later the Copperheads are going to have their hands full filling in all the holes that these players will leave behind behind.
Honolulu Hahalua
While the Sarasota Sailfish have enjoyed immediate success. The Hahalua have struggled. They finished dead last in the ASFC. winning only four games. It seems like Honolulu has decided to play the long game as they’ve built a young roster that will grow into their roles. So for now don’t expect much out of the Hahaluas this year. Their goals for this year are to steadily get better, win more than four games, things like that.
Offensive player to watch: When the honolulu Hahalua and Sarasota Sailfish were first formed the league held an expansion draft to ensure that the new teams could compete with their more established peers. With their second pick in the draft Honolulu selected wide receiver Jed Podolak. Since then Jed has proven to be arguably the best pickup from the draft. (it’s a toss up between him and kicker/punter Venus Williams) He’s been around the league long enough to find his footing. Yet he’s young enough that he’s still got plenty of tread left on those tires. In short he’s everything a young team could want in a player. I expect a 1000 yard receiving season out of him.
Defensive player to watch: After contract negotiations broke down in San Jose defensive end Logan Noble Jr. found his way to Honolulu just before the start of S22. While it’s too early to tell if the decision will pay off for the Hahalua. I think there is plenty to like about it. Sure Noble’s rookie campaign was pretty mediocre by most standards. I think he showed a lot of personal growth over the season. He is definitely the kind of high ceiling player that the Hahalua seem to be searching for.
New Orleans Second Line
Just one season removed from their last Ultimus victory the New Orleans Second Line is not only in a position to compete but they are in a position to stay competitive for quite a while if they play their cards right. Their biggest concern is their aging quarterback Stan Fransisco who is entering his 9th season in the league. He’s probably only got two seasons at the most in which he can be considered a top tier QB. After that assuming his replacement Tijuana Luchadores QB Ben Slothisberger pans out they have another couple of years to make an Ultimus run before they need to stop for a rebuild.
Offensive player to watch: Running back Forrest Gump is in the same boat as his QB Stan Fransisco is in. He realistically only has 2-3 more opportunities to win some titles. The S23 opener saw his fellow RB Marcella Toriki take over his duties as RB1, so you just know that Gump has to be feeling the pressure. He knows that his time as one of the league’s premier running backs is coming to an end and he wants to make the most of the time he has left.
Defensive player to watch: Last year Xavien Adams led the league in tackles made for a cornerback. The 5 year veteran likes to play aggressively, albeit at times perhaps too aggressively. One does have to wonder if he would have had over a 100 tackles throughout the season if he had simply done a better job of covering his receivers in the first place. Still when you need someone to make a tackle there are few players I would feel more comfortable with making the tackle than Adams.
Orange County Otters
Last year the Orange County Otters santched defeat from the jaws of victory in a heartbreaking 24-25 loss to the Colorado Yeti. The NSFL’s most winningest team will have to put in the work if they want to scrub away the embarrassing legacy of 21-3. Luckily for Otters fans this team is built to do just that. With the number one ranked defense by TPE this Otters team looks built to go for another three-peat. For the rest of the ASFC teams the Orange County Otters are the team to beat.
Offensive player to watch: It was a rookie Frank Armstrong that led the Otters to their second three-peat. Now he’s looking to do it again. The 8 year qb hasn’t really shown the effects of regression just yet, but it is certainly happening. The future hall of famer knows he is closer to the end of his career than the beginning and he wants to go out on top. This year might represent his best chance to win his fourth title, so expect Armstrong to go all in this year. He should be a fun one to watch.
Defensive player to watch: While there are quite a few question marks on when exactly Frank Armstrong will retire. There are no such doubts for AJ Lattimer. The 8 year veteran CB has already announced his plans to retire at the end of the season. This is his absolute last chance to win another Ultimus and as someone who has done so much for this organization you can bet that his teammates have all the motivation they need to send Lattimer off into the California sunset with another ring.
San Jose SaberCats
Last but not least we have the SaberCats. The Cats have come within arms reach of greatness but seem to choke at the worst possible time. Last year they were one win away from the playoffs and the year before that it was the wildcard round. Now with half of their roster consisting of players from the S22 and S23 classes it doesn’t look like the SaberCats are not really in a position to challenge anybody. The main purpose of this year will be to gauge the talent levels and the commitment of their young roster, find out where this team is strong and where they need more help.
Offensive player to watch: Rookie quarterback Monterey “Monty” Jack is a bit of a question mark for the SaberCats. The former first round pick has been steadily improving there’s no doubt about that. The question is how high can he go? You don’t get very far in this league without a top tier quarterback. Over the next couple of seasons Monty will have to prove himself worthy enough to assume the mantle of franchise qb.
Defensive player to watch: Currently sitting at the very bottom of the SaberCats totem pole. Defensive end Water Chestnut III has a lot of work to do in order to prove that he’s ready for the rigors of the NSFL. He’s making good progress so far and I expect he will take over as San Jose’s lead DE before the season ends. The question surrounding Chestnut is the same one surrounding Monty Jack. How high can he go? Is he the league’s newest star or it’s newest bust?
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Baltimore Hawks
Baltimore Hawk fans have been on a roller coaster of emotions for the past couple of years. The team has gone from middle of the pack, to NSFC champions, to basement dwellers over the past 3 seasons. With such a volatile record it’s hard to say how well this team will do this year.
Offensive player to watch: Nick Kaepercolin was called up this off season after two years in the DSFL. As a former teammate I know that he is an exceptionally talented receiver and a natural locker room leader. While it may be too much to expect him to be instantly great. We should be able to see moments of greatness in his rookie campaign.
Defensive Player to watch: Safety Walt Green got hit hard by the regression bug this year dropping out of the 1k club. However he is by no means washed up. He is still Baltimore’s number one player and he is still an incredibly dangerous defensive powerhouse.
Chicago Butchers
Only two seasons removed from a dreadful controversy that shocked the league. The Chicago Butchers haven’t had a winning season in 5 years. With one of the if not the youngest rosters in the entire league it looks like another year of rebuilding is in Chicago’s future. With that said it is clear that the winds in the Windy City are starting to change. The Butchers are poised to be a serious contender within the next couple of years.
Offensive player to watch: Sean O'Leary has been one of the most consistently great receivers of the past couple of years. How this guy finished the last season with over one thousand yards and only two touchdowns is beyond me. I have O’Leary as one of my favorites to win WR of the Year in S23.
Defensive Player to watch: In the four seasons that Mike Hockhertz has been playing in the NSFL he has gone from being one of the league’s best safeties to being one of it’s best linebackers. Last year he finished 3rd in the league for most tackles and to me it feels like he’s just getting started but the clock is ticking for Hockhertz. He has to be asking himself “If I want to win a championship do I really have time to sit around on a team in the middle of a rebuild?” On the other hand I do know that he is beloved in the city of Chicago and is a respected member of the locker room so maybe that will be enough for him to tough out the next few seasons.
Colorado Yeti
The Yeti’s story is a simple one. After years of struggling the Yeti’s have finally managed to climb the mountain and crown themselves as Ultimus Champions. Now they are looking to do it again. Will they mimic their NFL counterparts the Denver Broncos by winning twice in a row or will they go the direction of so many other former champions and go into an immediate rebuild.
Offensive Player to watch: The best quarterback in the game right now and arguably one of the greatest QBs of all time Wolfie McDummy has shown that he can lead his team to the promised land. Now the question is can he do it again? McDummy isn’t getting any younger and if the Yetis want to be the NSFL’s next dynasty it’s now or never.
Defensive Player to watch: The only active member of the class of S11. Linebacker Alex Selich is coming back for his 12th season in the league. His decision to return has left a lot of people scratching their heads. Even more confusing is the Yeti's decision to sign him. Do they really think that Selich still has enough gas left in the tank to be an effective part of their defense? Apparently so.
Philadelphia Liberty
To say that the Philadelphia Liberty have had it rough the past couple of years is a bit of an understatement. The team hasn’t had a winning season in over 6 years. Last year was particularly devastating as they barely missed the playoff. However the dark clouds that have been hanging over Philly may finally be starting to lift. They are coming into this season with the number one ranked offense by TPE. This could very well be a year that Liberty fans remember for generations to come.
Offensive Player to watch: Quarterback Brock Phoenix’s arrival in Philadelphia is responsible for much of the city’s current optimism. The young field general’s career has up to this point been a series of exhilarating highs and disappointing lows but now things seem to be starting to click into place for Brock. I could definitely see Brock being one of the dark horse favorites for QB of the year in S23.
Defensive Player to watch: I was torn between picking either CB Brandon Booker or FS Matt “Son of Havoc” Cross for this spot. Both players had an incredible rookie season, both players as dedicated to their off field performance as their on field, and both embody the youth and hope for the future that their team is built on.
Sarasota Sailfish
Last year the Sarasota expansion team did what no one was expecting them to do when they made the playoffs. Even though they fell in the wild card round to the eventual Ultimus champs the Colorado Yeti. To make it that far was an accomplishment in and of itself. This year the Sailfish are out to prove that last year wasn’t a fluke. They’re looking to not only make the playoffs but to win the whole thing as well and with their roster It wouldn’t surprise me if they did just that.
Offensive Player to watch: Here’s a fun fact about running back Dax Frost. He is the only member of the S21 class currently on the Sarasota Sailfish’s roster. Here’s another fun fact about Dax. He is everything you could want in a RB. Crazy fast, able to shed tackles, and a pretty good receiver to boot.
Defensive Player to watch: Cornerback Lucas Knight started his career on an expansion team. It seems only fitting that he would end his career on an expansion team. Way back during the S15 DSFL draft he was drafted by the Norfolk Seawolves. He had a decent career with the Arizona Outlaws but moving to Sarasota seems to have been a breath of fresh air for the aging cornerback.
Yellowknife Wraiths
After making it all the way to the Ultimus game the previous two years. Losing to the Colorado Yetis in the semi finals was a step in the wrong direction for the team. Now many critics are wondering if they have missed their window of opportunity. They have one of the oldest rosters in the league. That said the Wraiths are still a foe to be reckoned with. Their defense is ranked 2nd by TPE and their offense is ranked 5th. One way or another this year will be very telling for the Wraiths.
Offensive Player to watch: One of the best offensive lineman currently in the game Laszlo Forty-Two actually started off as a linebacker when he entered the league. By all accounts he was pretty good at it to winning both DL of the year and Defensive Rookie of the Year. His time at defense has prepared him well for his current role. He knows how the defense thinks and is perfectly able to counter their attacks and keep his QB safe.
Defensive Player to Watch: One of the most dominant defensive ends to ever play the game. Nero Alexander has excelled in the league since day one. He was selected 10th overall in the DSFL draft and a year later was selected 4th overall by the Wraiths. Since then he has been the bane of QBs and RBs everywhere. It would truly be a shame if this guy retires without a ring.
Arizona Outlaws
The Outlaws are another team that have been caught up in a bit of a rough patch of late. Their last winning record was back in S20. They went 7-6 which was good for fourth best in the ASFC. Since then they have established themselves as the ASFC’s resident basement dweller. In TPE rankings they are 6th in both offense and defense which simply isn’t good enough to beat some of the other teams out there. It looks like another year of rebuilds is in the cards for the Outlaws.
Offensive player to Watch: It’s not often you see a tight end drafted in the top 20 places. Especially not in a draft as crowded as the S22 class was and yet that was exactly what Arizona did when they drafted Heath Evans 15th overall. The pick was a good one. Heath Evans started contributing immediately and he ended up finishing second in Arizona targets. We will see what his sophomore season holds in store for Evans but if it’s anything like his first season I think TE of the year is not out of the question for him.
Defensive player to watch: Selected 6th overall Stanislaw Koniecpolski is to the defense what Heath Evans is to the offense. That is to say that he is the future of the Outlaws organization. In his rookie season Stanislaw finished 5th in tackles. With Stanislaw leading the defense I have the feeling that the Arizona rebuild will be over sooner rather than later.
Austin Copperheads
After winning their first Ultimus in S20. The Copperheads have continued to remain competitive yet have constantly found themselves in front of some obstacle they could not overcome. In S21 it was the New Orleans Second Line and in S22 it was the Orange County Otters. The Copperheads have one of the older rosters in the league and you have to figure this is probably their last year to compete before they go into a rebuild.
Offensive player to watch: Running back Mako Mendoza’s drop off between S21 and S22 was shocking. He went from second in rushing yards to 13th. While he was probably simply having a down year if that trend continues it could be a very worrying development for Austin.
Defensive player to watch: When I say that this is Austin’s last year to compete. It’s because of players like linebacker Honda Edmond that make me say it. It’s not that Honda is a bad player, far from it. Honda is one of the best LBs in the league and it’s safe to say that the Copperheads wouldn’t have won their Ultimus without him. However this is Honda’s last year before regression sets in and between him and all the other players who are in the beginning stages of regression sooner or later the Copperheads are going to have their hands full filling in all the holes that these players will leave behind behind.
Honolulu Hahalua
While the Sarasota Sailfish have enjoyed immediate success. The Hahalua have struggled. They finished dead last in the ASFC. winning only four games. It seems like Honolulu has decided to play the long game as they’ve built a young roster that will grow into their roles. So for now don’t expect much out of the Hahaluas this year. Their goals for this year are to steadily get better, win more than four games, things like that.
Offensive player to watch: When the honolulu Hahalua and Sarasota Sailfish were first formed the league held an expansion draft to ensure that the new teams could compete with their more established peers. With their second pick in the draft Honolulu selected wide receiver Jed Podolak. Since then Jed has proven to be arguably the best pickup from the draft. (it’s a toss up between him and kicker/punter Venus Williams) He’s been around the league long enough to find his footing. Yet he’s young enough that he’s still got plenty of tread left on those tires. In short he’s everything a young team could want in a player. I expect a 1000 yard receiving season out of him.
Defensive player to watch: After contract negotiations broke down in San Jose defensive end Logan Noble Jr. found his way to Honolulu just before the start of S22. While it’s too early to tell if the decision will pay off for the Hahalua. I think there is plenty to like about it. Sure Noble’s rookie campaign was pretty mediocre by most standards. I think he showed a lot of personal growth over the season. He is definitely the kind of high ceiling player that the Hahalua seem to be searching for.
New Orleans Second Line
Just one season removed from their last Ultimus victory the New Orleans Second Line is not only in a position to compete but they are in a position to stay competitive for quite a while if they play their cards right. Their biggest concern is their aging quarterback Stan Fransisco who is entering his 9th season in the league. He’s probably only got two seasons at the most in which he can be considered a top tier QB. After that assuming his replacement Tijuana Luchadores QB Ben Slothisberger pans out they have another couple of years to make an Ultimus run before they need to stop for a rebuild.
Offensive player to watch: Running back Forrest Gump is in the same boat as his QB Stan Fransisco is in. He realistically only has 2-3 more opportunities to win some titles. The S23 opener saw his fellow RB Marcella Toriki take over his duties as RB1, so you just know that Gump has to be feeling the pressure. He knows that his time as one of the league’s premier running backs is coming to an end and he wants to make the most of the time he has left.
Defensive player to watch: Last year Xavien Adams led the league in tackles made for a cornerback. The 5 year veteran likes to play aggressively, albeit at times perhaps too aggressively. One does have to wonder if he would have had over a 100 tackles throughout the season if he had simply done a better job of covering his receivers in the first place. Still when you need someone to make a tackle there are few players I would feel more comfortable with making the tackle than Adams.
Orange County Otters
Last year the Orange County Otters santched defeat from the jaws of victory in a heartbreaking 24-25 loss to the Colorado Yeti. The NSFL’s most winningest team will have to put in the work if they want to scrub away the embarrassing legacy of 21-3. Luckily for Otters fans this team is built to do just that. With the number one ranked defense by TPE this Otters team looks built to go for another three-peat. For the rest of the ASFC teams the Orange County Otters are the team to beat.
Offensive player to watch: It was a rookie Frank Armstrong that led the Otters to their second three-peat. Now he’s looking to do it again. The 8 year qb hasn’t really shown the effects of regression just yet, but it is certainly happening. The future hall of famer knows he is closer to the end of his career than the beginning and he wants to go out on top. This year might represent his best chance to win his fourth title, so expect Armstrong to go all in this year. He should be a fun one to watch.
Defensive player to watch: While there are quite a few question marks on when exactly Frank Armstrong will retire. There are no such doubts for AJ Lattimer. The 8 year veteran CB has already announced his plans to retire at the end of the season. This is his absolute last chance to win another Ultimus and as someone who has done so much for this organization you can bet that his teammates have all the motivation they need to send Lattimer off into the California sunset with another ring.
San Jose SaberCats
Last but not least we have the SaberCats. The Cats have come within arms reach of greatness but seem to choke at the worst possible time. Last year they were one win away from the playoffs and the year before that it was the wildcard round. Now with half of their roster consisting of players from the S22 and S23 classes it doesn’t look like the SaberCats are not really in a position to challenge anybody. The main purpose of this year will be to gauge the talent levels and the commitment of their young roster, find out where this team is strong and where they need more help.
Offensive player to watch: Rookie quarterback Monterey “Monty” Jack is a bit of a question mark for the SaberCats. The former first round pick has been steadily improving there’s no doubt about that. The question is how high can he go? You don’t get very far in this league without a top tier quarterback. Over the next couple of seasons Monty will have to prove himself worthy enough to assume the mantle of franchise qb.
Defensive player to watch: Currently sitting at the very bottom of the SaberCats totem pole. Defensive end Water Chestnut III has a lot of work to do in order to prove that he’s ready for the rigors of the NSFL. He’s making good progress so far and I expect he will take over as San Jose’s lead DE before the season ends. The question surrounding Chestnut is the same one surrounding Monty Jack. How high can he go? Is he the league’s newest star or it’s newest bust?
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