1972 NAAF Draft

1st Round

1 - Toronto Steelheads | DL Sam Reinkemeyer | New England - Detroit, MI - Kingsfan11
For the 3rd time since joining the NAAF in 1964, the Steelheads had the #1 pick in the draft. With the selection, they wouldn’t surprise anyone, taking the top prospect on the board, DL Sam Reinkemeyer. Reinkemeyer is a dominant force on the D-line. He’s at the top of his game when he is in the backfield. Taking down the QB and shutting down the run game. He was so good that he was one of the only players last season capable of keeping RB Axel Vandal at bay during the Hybrid Football Championship. With DL Johnathan Ellison leaving Toronto for Long Island, Reinkemeyer is a perfect replacement for a strong defence to maintain their level of play going into next season.

2 - Halifax Mariners | RB Axel Vandal | St-Laurent - Drummondville, QC - ZO82
Many felt the Mariners could go a few different directions with the #2 selection. With their aging WR corps, they could add a top target in WR Eric Norris, or address needs on the O-line or at safety. However, they would ignore those needs and take the top RB in the class. Vandal was borderline unstoppable in college. He’s one of the most balanced runners out there, having a mix of speed, elusiveness, and power that makes him a rare find. RB Max Tracy is about the closest comparison to Vandal. Halifax goes out here and gets their top RB to pair up with QB Todd Sparrow, who was their 1st overall selection last year. 

3 - Regina Wheat Kings | LB Lewis Vander | Maine State - Portsmouth, NH - Jayhawk
The Wheat Kings had a lot of needs throughout the roster, so making a pick is certainly a challenge. They would take Maine State’s Lewis Vander, who might have been the perfect selection. Vander is a jack-of-all-trades defender. He bounced around the defence a lot, moving to many different positions. His speed and awareness make him deadly in any situation. He can track down ball carriers, he can use the speed to get to the QB, or he can hang back and play well in coverage. His most comfortable position is still playing a deeper middle linebacker, allowing him to drop in coverage or move up and tackle. With Regina’s lower talent in some positions, this is a great add as Vander can slot into where he is needed.

TRADE ALERT
Ahead of the Winnipeg Falcons’ first selection of the draft, the rumblings of a trade began to stir. Despite a top-end DL (the Falcons’ position of need), Robin Lucas, being there at 4, the Falcons were willing to move back. At the same time, there were several teams interested in the top safety in the draft, Ian Outlaw. London (6th Overall), Long Island (7th Overall), and Halifax (9th Overall via Boston) all made pitches to Winnipeg about the selection. Halifax and Long Island would be the two finalists, but the Falcons would eventually take a deal with the Raiders. The deal would see the Raiders acquire Winnipeg’s 1st Round Pick (4th Overall) and 3rd Round Pick (40th Overall), and Winnipeg would receive Long Island’s 1st Round Pick (7th Overall) and 2nd Round Pick (25th Overall), as well as OL John Dough. To summarize, Winnipeg moves back, flips a 3rd for a 2nd and adds a depth O-lineman. 

4 - Long Island Raiders (from Winnipeg) | S Ian Outlaw | New England - Boston, MA - DireBear 
With the newly acquired pick, the Raiders would not hesitate in selecting Ian Outlaw. Outlaw is praised for his ability to take away the big play. He’s a premiere player over the top, even being able to take away a team’s best receiver. Not only is he great at defending the pass, but he can also pack a wallop and take guys down with his strength and great tackling ability. Many expect Outlaw to step up as one of the next top safeties in the league.

5 - Calgary Predators | WR Eric Norris | New England - Hanover, VA - RaysUp
The Predators have been good about adding defence throughout free agency thus far, but have struggled immensely in bringing in offensive help, so they were certainly relieved to get the top WR in the draft. Eric Norris is a character. Flamboyant and energetic, might be a perfect fit for a flashy and high-tempo Wild West offence. Norris has the speed that the Preds like, but also the ability to improvise and create opportunities with his football awareness. On top of that, he’s got great hands that will make him a scary player in the league in the coming seasons. 

6 - London Tigers | OL Jacob Szczepanski | Indiana Tech (AMR) - Lapel, IN - Dan O’Mac
The Tigers did not get the safety they wanted, but they would settle with the top O-lineman in the draft, taking the towering Szczepanski. There are some concerns about QBs being able to pass over the wall of a player, but the wall works both ways as he is often the stronger player when compared to his D-line match-up. He isn’t the most technically sound, but his pure strength has gotten him this far. 

7 - Winnipeg Falcons (from Long Island) | DL Graham de Veres | Pacific Provincial (CAN) - Victoria, BC - Darknes
After trading back from 4th the Falcons still had their opportunity to pick DL Robin Lucas. However, they would shock everyone by taking Pacific Provincial’s DL Graham de Veres, a player who was ranked to go late 1st/early 2nd. A head-scratching move considering how talented Lucas is, however, some personality issues, mainly regarding a lack of effort at times and has a closed off manner, may have been what scared Winnipeg away. In comparison, de Veres is an incredibly hard-working player, a good sport, and someone who is ready to be the best he can be. On the field, de Veres is a technical master, having well-trained and refined fundamentals allowing him to expose weaknesses in his opponent when he is outmatched. He may lack the pure talent that Lucas or Reinkemeyer have but he is more than willing to get better.  

8 - Edmonton Rangers | OL Callum Thomas | UEdmonton (CAN) - Edmonton, AB - Wallflower
Homegrown talent is the name of the game for the Rangers, who take the safe pick and take one of their own in Callum Thomas with the 8th pick. The Rangers love their local talent as this is the second year in a row they have taken a UEdmonton product with their first selection. Thomas’ specialty is in the run game, being a strong, well-built player that thrives in power rushing. Edmonton certainly is a perfect fit for Thomas as they run a primarily power-rushing offence. 

9 - Halifax Mariners (from Boston) | OL Glenn Capson | Maine State - Windham, ME - idm
After missing out on moving up for a safety and WR Eric Norris not falling, the Mariners would play it safe and bring in a new O-lineman. Capson is an agile blocker, well fit to be on the edge of the O-line who can keep pace with some of the fastest rushers in the league. He also gets up the field if a run breaks, expect him to even get involved in blocking on kicking plays as well. With a smaller build and faster movement, Capson is a little weaker compared to other linemen, which can lead him to get beat by a strong D-lineman.

10 - Indiana Victors | DB Oswald Martell | Western New York - Buffalo, NY - ZO82
With DB Neville Falkner leaving the Victors this offseason, everyone knew that Indiana was going to be the likely landing spot for Oswald Martell, with only the Blue Wings being in the market for a DB in the 1st round. With Buffalo not moving up ahead of them, the Victors would take the top corner in the draft. Martell is a pure ball hawk, who can make interceptions out of nowhere. Those interceptions often come when Martell is out duelling WRs in 1-on-1’s. He’s great going for the ball, but he does have a weakness of being a little smaller and not as strong of a tackler, but his hands alone make him a valuable prospect.

TRADE ALERT
While the Wolves decided on what to do, a trade would take place between the Toronto Steelheads and the Buffalo Blue Wings. The Steelheads would move up, acquiring Buffalo’s 1st Round Pick (15th Overall) and S Bennett Drill in exchange, Buffalo would get Toronto’s 2nd Round Pick (19th Overall), Boston’s 4th Round Pick (63rd Overall), and S Donny McCreary. 

The move seems to be a response to Winnipeg’s trade earlier in the 1st and both the Steelheads and Falcons are expected to be the two teams targeting QB Ryan Alexander. Winnipeg has picks 22 and 25 and could easily package the two picks to move up ahead, so by getting a late 1st, it puts Toronto in position to challenge Winnipeg in a potential trade partner. Buffalo was willing to move back after Oswald had gone to Indiana. The teams also trade safeties with Toronto needing a player who can play now, while Buffalo needs some more youth.

11 - Vancouver Wolves | OL Dominic Bissonnette | Majeure Montreal - Marieville, QC - ZO82 
After the trade, Vancouver would make their first pick of the draft and would take an O-lineman. Bissonnette was the next-best OL available after the first 3. There’s a bit of a talent drop with the pick, but Bissonnette is still a really solid player who doesn’t need to immediately make an impact for the Wolves. He’s a good, athletic pass blocker who should develop into a solid starter for the Wolves down the line.

12 - Ottawa Royals | DL Robin Lucas | Toronto - Kingston, ON - QCS
The Royals were quite happy to see DL Robin Lucas drop all the way to 12th overall. They were desperate to add some more depth at the position due to some injury troubles for DL Bernhard Hartmann over the last couple of seasons. There are concerns with Lucas’ personality, as he is a very closed-off player who sometimes takes his foot off of the gas in games. He has reportedly wanted to improve that aspect of his play, only time will tell if can make good on that desire. When Lucas is on, he is an extremely talented player. He’s lean, making him fast and able to attack any gaps in the O-line. He’s great at hunting down the QB and even can jump up and block passes. Ottawa will have to work on his personality, which could be the best team for the job, but Lucas should be an impactful player if he unlocks his potential.

TRADE ALERT
The Steelheads held their breath when another trade was announced for the 13th overall pick, hoping it wasn’t Winnipeg swooping in for Ryan Alexander. However, they were able to relax when it was the Tigers moving up to the 13th spot, who drafted QB Henry Johnsson last season. The Tigers would acquire Providence’s 1st Round Pick (13th Overall), DB Perry Ferris, and their 3rd Round Pick in 1973. In exchange, Providence would receive WR Leon Hudson, London’s 3rd Round Pick (42nd Overall) and their 4th Round Pick in 1973. 

The big story with this trade was WR Leon Hudson, who was picked 7th overall by the Tigers in 1970. In his first two seasons, Hudson hasn’t quite lived up to expectations. After the Tigers signed WR Lloyd Lane, Hudson was the obvious odd man out, so he requested a trade. In the end, Hudson would be heading to Providence to join his college teammate, QB Red King. The two were great at Central Ohio and the Gold Stars are hoping that chemistry can add to an already solid offence, which is making Providence more and more of a favourite heading into the season. 

13 - London Tigers (from Providence) | S Marcus Harris | North Indiana (AMR) - Troy, OH - vladee
With the newly acquired pick, the Tigers would get the safety they couldn’t get earlier in the draft. Harris is a well-rounded player who can fit in different defensive schemes. He’s solid in coverage and is a good tackler. More of a high-floor than a high-ceiling player, but still a great get for the Tigers. Harris has also been praised as a great teammate and leader, which the Tigers are certainly not disappointed to add to the locker room.

14 - Pittsburgh Blacksmiths | LB Yuri Dragunov | Allegheny (AMR) - Pittsburgh, PA - ZO82
The Blacksmiths would go up and pick a homegrown talent in LB Yuri Dragunov. His family moved to Pittsburgh just before he was born following WWII. While Dragunov has had to deal with some negativity towards his heritage in America, he has always found a way to endear his teammates with his charismatic and funny personality. He also has done it with his play on the field, having a natural instinct and talent for the sport. He's great at timing his moves and tracking down players all over the field, making him a great sideline-to-sideline defender. His weakness comes in coverage, often being easily out-maneuvered by receivers. 

15 - Toronto Steelheads (from Buffalo) | QB Ryan Alexander | New England - Framingham, MA - Wallflower 
Toronto was finally able to take a breath and walk up to take a potential QB of the future. Ryan Alexander is the purest of pocket passers. A game manager through and through with solid accuracy, a decent arm, and good poise. Some are concerned that he has relied heavily on a lot of surrounding talent, backed up by 3 of his UNE teammates being taken in the top 5. However, he certainly isn’t a slouch and can pull his weight. GM Reginald McMahon isn’t concerned as a lot of the same concerns regarding Alexander were made about QB Charles Lemieux when he came out of St-Laurent alongside RB Jimmy Golden and WR Alexei Dubois. Certainly, a player that McMahon knows how to manage, having helped manage Lemieux and the Blue Wings to 4 McCallister Cups. 

16 - Minnesota Serpents | LB Morgan King | Rhode Island State - Warwick, RI - Burmy87
The Minnesota Serpents were quite happy to see Morgan King still on the board after he dropped from being ranked 8th overall. King is a really solid tackler, who can really attack the run game. He’s a solid role model putting a lot of effort into each play. It’s a bit of a wonder that he managed to stay on the board this long, but the Serpents are certainly excited to add another young LB to their defence.

17 - Montreal Rouge | OL Bobby Finley | St. Paul (AMR) - St. Paul, MN - DireBear
The Rouge’s first selection would see them go a bit off the board, taking OL Bobby Finley out of St. Paul. He’s another agile blocker, that should be a good fit for keeping up against faster D-linemen. However, with Montreal reaching a bit for Finley, he may end up being a bit of a project initially. It’s likely one of the key reasons the team chose him over other options, is his leadership, being a captain for St. Paul this previous season. He can bring a lot of his teammates and Montreal is certainly ready to add that to the locker room.

18 - Louisville Thunder | WR Stu Weidemann | Cambridge of Boston - Boston, MA - NoE38
With the final pick of the 1st Round, the Thunder would grab a WR to add depth for a WR corps that just lost WR Lloyd Lane. Weidemann adds a new layer to the Thunder’s attack, being a more physical and big-bodied WR. He should provide a more aggressive change-up to the offence that can shake off some tackles and make some tough catches in traffic. Frankly, he’s got the chops to play TE if he wants to, but has been more used to the outside. He’s also very smart and prepared to continue law school during the offseason.

Round 2

To kick off the second round the Blue Wings would make their first selection of the draft, taking DB Oswald Martell’s twin brother, Lawrence. Lawrence is a physical defender, who is a little bigger than his brother. The Blue Wings get a solid young player for their aging secondary. 

The Mariners would look to the future at WR going with Oliver Shephard at 20. With all 3 of the team’s top WRs being in their 30s now, a receiver was a must-get during the draft. Shephard is a small but scrappy WR who can still win battles at the catch point. 

Regina would grab OL Simon Northcott out of Saskatchewan Provincial where new GM Aaron Thornton was previously. Northcott is a strong O-lineman who should be a good addition to the Wheat Kings’ offence.

Winnipeg would make another shocking move, taking a TE in Douglas Northway at 22nd. Many thought they would grab QB Mitchell Nash here, but they had other plans. All of the former WFU teams had to just find players that could play TE since the position didn’t exist in Canadian football. Many chose smaller O-linemen, except Vancouver just moved over a big WR. In the end, Northway is a receiving TE and is a sign Winnipeg is looking to evolve. 

Calgary would double down at WR, taking WR Eric Norris’ college teammate, James Johnson. Johnson is a speedy WR who fits the bill for what Calgary looks for in a receiver. The combination of the two should be great for chemistry.

The Tigers would add on the D-line with their 3rd selection of the draft. DL Christopher Hearson is an athletic and powerful rusher who should be a good supplementary piece to an already young D-line. 

Ahead of pick 25, Winnipeg would make another trade. They would send pick 25, the one they got in the Long Island trade, to the Indiana Victors for picks 28 and 46. The Victors would then select LB Zach Sexton, who had slid down from being ranked 17th in The Gains Report. Sexton is an aggressive prospect who likes to "hand out punishment" as he says. Could be a problem if he isn’t kept in line, but still a talented prospect.

Edmonton would continue to roll with local talent, adding RB Howie Bowman out of Alberta Provincial. A very athletic runner, whose best skill is evading tackles. He also has some issues with not putting in 100%, but he can get there with the right coach.

Boston would finally make their first selection of the draft and they would grab a much-needed corner in DB Dallas Daniels. A fiery corner that plays aggressively and fast. Obviously, he needs to work on taming some of the aggression, but he will still be a physical corner for the Independents. 

Winnipeg would reach again with their 28th selection, taking OL Damien Brisebois. Brisebois would be the first-ever player to be drafted out of Mont Bellevue, creating a celebration in the city of Sherbrooke. Brisebois is a strong and physical force on the line, however, may need some time to develop having not had as much experience with top talent. 

The Raiders would continue to be aggressive, trading up a second time in the draft. They would acquire pick 29 from the Vancouver Wolves in exchange for picks 40 and 43. They would then take the agile OL in Martin Dashaw, a player that HC Levi Bray is excited to get his hands on to use in a more dynamic offence.

The Ottawa Royals would land a hometown product in WR Tyler Jackson. The Royals continue their search for a top-tier WR by getting a great route runner in Jackson, who can make QB Drake Young’s life easy by getting into open space.

Indiana would take Maine State RB, Mark Waters, with pick 31. Waters is one of the fastest players in the draft, making him a scary player in open space, though he may want to gain a little more muscle to acquire said open space.

Pittsburgh would snag S Chris Berger, another player who was slipping down the draft board. Berger is a great over-the-top cover guy who can read the play but lacks a bit of strength in the tackling department.

Buffalo’s second pick of the 2nd round would be OL Humphrey Hogarth. Hogarth is a big and solid pass blocker that should provide some much-needed depth on the line.

Minnesota would take Toronto S Alex Spurrier, who is one of the most athletic prospects with great speed and strength, however, he is very raw in his technique in both tackling and coverage making him a bit of a project.

Toronto would go local with the 35th pick, taking RB Nelson Barker out of St. George. Another running back built with good speed that can be dangerous if he can find a hole in the defence.

Finally, the Mariners would go and select S Horace Treadaaway, the younger brother to DB Jack Treadaway who is currently in Halifax. The team hopes the sibling connection will help with Horace’s development and growth as a solid coverage safety.

Round 2 Picks
19 - BUF (from TOR) | DB Lawrence Martell | Western New York - Buffalo, NY - ZO82
20 - HFX | WR Oliver Shephard | Rhode Island State - Watertown, NY - Darknes
21 - REG | OL Simon Northcott | Saskatchewan Provincial (CAN) - North Battleford, SK - Wallflower
22 - WPG | TE Douglas Northway | Allegheny (AMR) - Philadelphia, PA - ZO82
23 - CGY | WR James Johnson | New England - Boston, MA - Kingsfan11
24 - LDN | DL Christopher Hearson | Haynes - Hartford, CT - ZO82
25 - IND (from LI via WPG) | LB Zach Sexton | Louisville State (AMR) - Lexington, KY - Darknes
26 - EDM | RB Howie Bowman | Alberta Provincial (CAN) - Red Deer, AB - QCS
27 - BOS | DB Dallas Daniels | UHamilton - Hamilton, ON - MitchSwanson94
28 - WPG (from IND) | OL Damien Brisebois | Mont Bellevue - Sherbrooke, QC - Kingsfan11
29 - LI (from VAN) | OL Martin Dashaw | Major Ohio - Newcomerstown, OH - Jayhawk
30 - OTT | WR Tyler Jackson | Rideau - Ottawa, ON - Kingsfan11
31 - IND (from PRO) | RB Mark Waters | Maine State - Naples, ME - idm
32 - PIT | S Chris Berger | Upstate - Oswego, NY - RaysUp
33 - BUF | OL Humphrey Hogarth | Rockefeller (AMR)  - Gary, IN - TheEnigmaticOne
34 - MIN | S Alex Spurrier | Toronto - Markham, ON - Darknes
35 - TOR (from MTL) | RB Nelson Barker | St. George - Toronto, ON - ZO82
36 - HFX (from LOU) | S Horace Treadaway | UHamilton - Windsor, ON - ZO82

Round 3

Toronto would kick off the 3rd round by taking a TE in Serge Peterson to add some depth at the position. Halifax would add some help on defence with DL Alexis Daskalakis out of Majeure Montreal. DB Kevin Krane would head up to Regina at 39th overall, as the Wheat Kings add a ball hawk to their defence. 

Vancouver would then make the big shocking move in taking S Gunpei Koizumi. The Japanese player is the first to enter the NAAF’s new portal connection with the country. Vancouver had been watching Koizumi for some time since they had scouts already in Japan in recent years. There were a lot of concerns that Koizumi may look good against the “weaker” competition in Japan, but Vancouver feels differently. In fact, they may have used the previous perception to their advantage to take him later in the draft. 

Calgary would go running back with their next pick, taking RB Buck Wilde, as they continue to add weapons to the offence. Providence would finally make their first pick, setting the record for the latest first selection in a draft, which was previously set by Long Island in 1965 with their first pick at 35th overall. The Gold Stars would play it safe and take an OL in Tom Pillsbury out of Dominion.

The Wolves would add a speedy WR with the 43rd pick, taking WR Graham Spencer. Edmonton would follow up by doubling down at RB, taking RB Vincent Marsden II to add a little power rushing to their future backfield. Boston’s 2nd pick would land them a solid OL Tyler Recht. 

Finally, with pick 46, Winnipeg would end the long wait for QB Mitchell Nash, who slipped from being ranked 11th overall. Nash is the latest addition to the revamped Winnipeg QB room, with his big arm he has the potential to grow into a solid option if Winnipeg develops him right. 

With their 3rd selection of the round, Vancouver would reach a bit for LB Casey Miller out of Pacific Provincial. Then, Indiana would take another corner in DB Jack Buswell. Providence also looked to add defensive depth, drafting DL Bryan Starks, which was then followed up by Pittsburgh taking the 3rd of the Wynn brothers in RB Cambyses Wynn. Buffalo would go for a speedy WR Ray Brydges with the 51st pick to add more youth to the offence. 

Ahead of the 52nd selection, another trade would see the Royals and Serpents swap players and picks. The Royals would send veteran DL Winfield Winchester and their 4th Round Pick (66th Overall) to the Minnesota Serpents in exchange for TE Gabrielius Wiggins and Minnesota’s 3rd Round Pick (52nd Overall). The Royals looking to offload an aging player with a high cap to make room for DL Robin Lucas, while Minnesota adds depth and makes room for TE Xavier Francis Langford to make the move up to backup TE. 

With the new pick, the Royals would pick S Theodore Young for depth in the secondary. Halifax would then add LB William Morrison for the defence, and finally, Louisville would go DB with just their second pick of the draft, taking DB Connor Church.  

Round 3 Picks
37 - TOR | TE Serge Peterson | Brooklyn Metropolitan (AMR) - Brooklyn, NY - Stickman
38 - HFX | DL Alexis Daskalakis | Majeure Montreal - Montreal, QC - Kingsfan11
39 - REG | DB Kevin Krane | North Indiana (AMR) - Van Wert, OH - idm
40 - VAN (from WPG via LI) | S Gunpai Koizumi | Yokohama (INT) - Kawasaki, JP - QCS
41 - CGY | RB Buck Wilde | Major Wisconsin (AMR) - Milwaukee, WI - QCS
42 - PRO (from LDN) | OL Tom Pillsbury | Dominion - Kingston, ON - MitchSwanson94
43 - VAN (from LI) | WR Graham Spencer | Rockefeller (AMR) - Rockford, IL - MitchSwanson94
44 - EDM | RB Vincent Marsden II | Sudbury Provincial - North Bay, ON - Darknes
45 - BOS | OL Tyler Recht | Louisville State (AMR) - Dixon, KY - idm
46 - WPG (from IND) | QB Mitchell Nash | Haynes - Glens Falls, NY - MitchSwanson94
47 - VAN | LB Casey Miller | Pacific Provincial (CAN) - Vancouver, BC - ZO82
48 - IND (from OTT) | DB Jack Buswell | Saskatchewan Provincial (CAN) - Davidson, SK - Wallflower
49 - PRO | DL Bryan Starks | Central Ohio (AMR) - Columbus, OH - ZO82
50 - PIT | RB Cambyses Wynn | Western New York - Cheektowaga, NY - TheEnigmaticOne
51 - BUF | WR Ray Brydges | UHamilton - Hamilton, ON - Darknes
52 - OTT (from MIN) | S Theodore Young | Allegheny (AMR) - Scranton, PA - TheEnigmaticOne
53 - HFX (from MTL) | LB William Morrison | Toronto - Thunder Bay, ON - Dan O’Mac
54 - LOU | DB Connor Church | Montreal Provincial - Montreal, QC - Kingsfan11

Round 4

Once the 4th round hit, the teams settled in and pretty much just lived with the picks they had. There were a couple more trades. The first saw the Mariners pick up OL Gleeson Seidl from the Thunder for pick 56. The Thunder had recently signed Seidl to an extension, but clearly, they are re-evaluating the roster and he heads to Halifax for an extra pick. Louisville would go on to select OL Jeffrey Rodman with the pick.

The second trade saw the Raiders move back from pick 61. They would send the pick to Calgary, picking up picks 65 and 77. Calgary would take OL Reshard Cross with their pick while Long Island would gamble on DL George Vangruensven, a DII player that has some penalty troubles. 

A couple of LBs would finally land with teams in this round with Calgary taking LB Teddy Redmond and Indiana taking LB Patrick Weidner.  

Round 4 Picks
55 - MTL (from TOR) | OL Bradley Smith | Toronto - Owen Sound, ON - Jayhawk
56 - LOU (from HFX) | OL Jeffrey Rodman | New England - Middleborough, MA - idm
57 - REG | WR Jack Knight | North Indiana (AMR) - Fort Wayne, IN - Burmy87
58 - WPG | LB Marcus Lowe | Baltimore State (AMR) - Baltimore, MD - DireBear
59 - CGY | LB Teddy Redmond | Rhode Island State - Queens, NY - idm
60 - LDN | WR Edgar Covington | Haynes - Newark, NJ - ZO82
61 - CGY (from LI) | OL Reshard Cross | London - Detroit, MI - ZO82
62 - EDM | DL Vince Bowens | UEdmonton (CAN) - Edmonton, AB - Wallflower
63 - BUF (from BOS via TOR) | OL Hobie McGough | Minnesota Tech (DIV II) - Duluth, MN - Dan O’Mac
64 - IND | LB Patrick Weidner | Rhode Island State - Providence, RI - Wallflower
65 - LI (from VAN via CGY) | DL George Vangruensven | Sioux Falls (DIV II) - Rapid City, SD - Dan O’Mac
66 - MIN (from OTT) | RB Murdoch Washington | Nova Scotia - Bible Hill, NS - ThisIsFine
67 - PRO | S Larry Lee Stichman | Kansas City (AMR) - McPherson, KS - Dan O’Mac
68 - LDN (from PIT) | S Tristan Verrett | Rockefeller (AMR) - Chicago, IL - Wallflower
69 - BUF | TE Nino Duggets | Saginaw State (DIV II) - Detroit, MI - NoE38
70 - TOR (from MIN) | OL Alec Smart | Rhode Island State - Braintree, MA - idm
71 - MTL | DL Stewart DuBoeuf | St-Laurent - Levis, QC - idm
72 - CGY (from LOU) | DL Darrell Kotal | Rockefeller (AMR) - Rockford, IL - Wallflower

Round 5

In the final round, the Raiders would take a kicker in Larry Chips, which was the first kicker to be selected since the London Tigers picked K Nimrod Handsworth 32nd overall in 1959. They ultimately made the pick after Winnipeg took the player they were targeting with the pick right before in RB Jarius Pederson.

The 5th round would also see most of the remaining QBs get selected. Halifax started the flurry with London’s QB Shawn Jolly. Minnesota would take QB Vladimir Orlov next, which was then followed up by QB Cameron Salahub going next to Edmonton. Salahub was the highest-graded of the three, which could be a good sign for the Rangers. The last QB to go would be Roger Stump to Ottawa. 

Finally, the last pick of the draft would end up being DB Dale Dalebroux who joins the Louisville Thunder. 

Round 5 Picks
73 - TOR | LB Kyle Taglianetti | West Mass State - Springfield, MA - Wallflower
74 - LDN (from HFX) | WR Jarred Reid | UPNB - Saint John, NB - idm
75 - REG | DL Anthony Lee | Royal Regina (CAN) - Regina, SK - Kingsfan11
76 - WPG | RB Jarius Pederson | Upstate - Woodstock, NY - Stickman
77 - LI (from CGY) | K Larry Chips | Louisville State (AMR) - Louisville, KY - NoE38
78 - HFX (from LDN) | QB Shawn Jolly | London - Toronto, ON - Kingsfan11
79 - MIN (from LI) | QB Vladimir Orlov | Brooklyn Metropolitan (AMR) - Brooklyn, NY - TheEnigmaticOne
80 - EDM | Cameron Salahub | Pacific Provincial (CAN) - Vancouver, BC - Darknes
81 - BOS | OL Lewis Murray | Akron State (DIV II) - Covington, KY - Burmy87
82 - OTT (from IND) | QB Roger Stump | Alberta Provincial (CAN) - Lethbridge, AB - ThisIsFine
83 - VAN | TE Simon Leblanc | Rideau - Sherbrooke, QC - Kingsfan11
84 - CGY (from OTT) | DB Hal Fredo | Upstate - Brooklyn, NY - Scratch
85 - HFX (from PRO) | WR Dexter Lallemont | Nova Scotia - Halifax, NS - Dan O’Mac
86 - PIT | TE Gaston Roland | Major Ohio (AMR) - Cleveland, OH - Jayhawk
87 - BUF | RB Josiah Sykes | Major Wisconsin (AMR) - Madison, WI - Burmy87
88 - MIN | LB Gegard LeBlanc | Riel (CAN) - Winnipeg, MB - Stickman
89 - MTL | S Kevin Marft | West Mass State - Worcester, MA - idm
90 - LOU | DB Dale Dalebroux | Central Pennsylvania (AMR) - Reading, PA - Dan O’Mac

Undrafted
QB Dallas Bowler | Rochester (AMR) - Auburn, NY - idm
DB Dan DeLeon | Haynes - Philadelphia, PA - NoE38
DL Daniel Chung | Royal Gardens (CAN) - Victoria, BC - JamHeronArk
K Dante DiBernardo | New England - Boston, MA - idm
WR Ferguson Tetlock | Newark (DIV II) - Moorestown, NJ - NoE38
OL Joseph Gibson | Cape Cod (DIV II) - Plymouth, MA - idm
LB Malcolm Oliver | Maine State - Portland, ME - ZO82
QB Pete Herman | Allegheny (AMR) - Pittsburgh, PA - idm
DB P.K. Butters | North Indiana (AMR) - Dayton, OH - JamHeronArk
DL Russell Lynch | Haynes - North Hempstead, NY - DireBear
TE Scott Kissell | Haynes - New Haven, CT - Wallflower
WR Steve Greco | Indiana Tech (AMR) - Kokomo, IN - TigersFan93
DL Trent Jones | Rhode Island State - Provincetown, MA - idm
LB Will Cox | Minnesota Tech (DIV II) - Little Canada, MN - Dan O’Mac

The 1972 Gains Report: Draft Preview

The defensive line is a growing position of need in the NAAF at the moment. Many teams are looking to make improvements, and to their luck, there are a couple of gems at the very top of this year’s prospect pool. DL Sam Reinkemeyer could be a generational talent at the position. He famously shut down the impressive RB Axel Vandal during the Hybrid Football Championship game which hadn’t been done by anyone else. He is a powerful and focused individual that any team will want to have on their D-line. DL Robin Lucas was also impressive this season, having a great physique and incredible talent. Some worry about his commitment to his team, often being a bit of a recluse and more focused on himself than anyone else. He also has shown to ease off the gas pedal in games, playing casually when his team is up by a lot which can lead to some mistakes. However, he is still a great talent. Further down the list, there are a couple of other players like Pacific Provincial’s Graham de Veres and Haynes’ Christopher Hearson who may need a little more work. 

Maine State’s success over the last 2 seasons has been heavily impacted by LB Lewis Vander. Vander’s ability to play in any position defensively has allowed him to be all over the field. He has a great understanding of the defence due to his ability to play in different positions. In his senior year, he started to settle in at Linebacker, but has solid coverage skills which isn’t as common among linebackers in the NAAF at the moment. RISU’s Morgan King, is a really solid #2 option, having fantastic fundamentals. LB Yuri Dragunov is another interesting prospect, being a great linebacker with speed to cover the field, however, a major injury in his senior year dropped his stock a little after some thought he might be a top 5 pick going into the year. LB Zach Sexton, out of Louisville State, is also another solid option, though with a more punishing playstyle. 

Teams looking to improve the secondary will look to the Martell twins out of WNY. Oswald is the smaller of the two, but is the more skilled player. He’s a pure ball hawk, that can be a QB’s nightmare. In contrast, Lawrence is more gritty and plays physically, being a slightly bigger guy with less speed. S Ian Outlaw will also turn a lot of heads, being a dangerous safety for UNE, able to shut down guys with great tackles, but also able to lock down deep threats in coverage. S Marcus Harris is also available as a well-rounded option, while S Chris Berger is a zone coverage option. 

Shifting to the offence, many teams are going to be interested in RB Axel Vandal, who had a fantastic senior season. Vandel’s skill set is very balanced. He’s got solid speed, but also a strong base to be able to break off tacklers. He also flashes some great athleticism as well with his elusiveness. He’s a workhorseback that any team will be interested in. Teams may be looking to make a move up for Vandal as the next best guy in Howie Bowman out of Alberta Provincial, who isn’t expected to make as big of an immediate impact but could be a solid depth option.

Teams who are focused on the O-line may be able to wait a little with a few solid options projected to go later in the 1st round or early 2nd. The top guy is Jacob Szczepanski out of Indy Tech, who with one look you can tell that the 6’7” guy is probably going to be pretty good. As long as you don’t have a super short QB under centre, he should be a great defender with great strength. UEdmonton’s Callum Thomas is the top run blocker in the class, while OL Glenn Capson has lots of potential as a agile pass blocker. After those three, Dominic Bissonnette and Simon Northcott remain as other top prospects.

Heading out to WR, where it is a bit of a weaker class, at least at the top. Eric Norris is certainly expected to have a solid career as he showed that he was a big playmaker at UNE. He has great hands as well as a great IQ that allows him to read defences like a QB and pick out spots in the defence to get open. A talent that can’t always be taught. WR Oliver Shephard is a smaller pass catcher, but his strength is there and if he can get his hands on the ball, he can run like a RB out of the backfield. Team’s looking for a taller option, could wait a bit for WR Stu Weidemann, who isn’t all that fast, but can certainly win in a physical one-on-one. 

Tight End is still a pretty weak position, but teams could look to either Douglas Northway or Serge Peterson if they are interested. Northway, out of Allegheny, will likely be favoured for his receiving ability as the position continues to shift towards using the TE more in the pass game. However, Peterson has some catching chops as well as a bit of stronger blocking game. 

Finally, the Quarterbacks. Last year, Todd Sparrow and Henry Johnsson were the dominant two and easily the best prospects for their value in the draft. This year, Ryan Alexander and Mitchell Nash take those spots. However, they aren’t quite as impressive as Sparrow and Johnsson were coming out of college. Starting with Alexander, the UNE product has got a really solid base skill-wise. He’s got solid accuracy, arm strength, and poise. However, he doesn’t jump off of the page. He makes good throws, and follows the script, but that’s about it. Some worry that he may not handle higher pressure at the next level against better defences. QB Mitchell Nash is more impressive skill-wise, having a great arm that can get the ball down the field. However, he is more mistake-prone, throwing a lot more interceptions. However, after QB Buck Murphy won a title with Louisville while throwing for the 3rd most interceptions may leave teams willing to take a risk on the young QB. Ultimately, Alexander is the safe pick and Nash is the one you take a risk on with a little more arm talent. It is a bit of a drop until you get to the next QBs. Cameron Salahub out of Pacific Provincial has great accuracy and poise, but a smaller, thinner body has led to injury troubles and many batted balls. QB Shawn Jolly out of London has certainly impressed with getting that team into the playoffs, however, he is ultimately even more of a game manager than Ryan Alexander is. QB Vladimir Orlov is a more physically imposing QB with solid accuracy, however, has a weaker arm and a tendancy to fumble, which certainly has turned teams away. Beyond that, you have Roger Stump, Pete Herman, and Dallas Bowler who are all wild cards, with Stump being the most interesting of the bunch with a solid arm. 

The last player to note is S Gunpei Koizumi. Koizumi is the first player to take the portal over to North America from Japan. After dominating in Yokohama, Koizumi was immediately on board with the option to take a shot at playing football in the NAAF. Koizumi has immense skill and probably could be ranked higher by pure skill alone, but some may be hesitant to take the player with language barriers and not knowing how the skill will translate to higher competition in North America compared to what he faced in Japan. 

Top 50 Prospects
1 - DL Sam Reinkemeyer - New England - Kingsfan11
2 - LB Lewis Vander - Maine State - Jayhawk
3 - RB Axel Vandal - St-Laurent - ZO82
4 - DL Robin Lucas - Toronto - QCS
5 - WR Eric Norris - New England - RaysUp
6 - QB Ryan Alexander - New England - Wallflower
7 - DB Oswald Martell - Western New York - ZO82
8 - LB Morgan King - Rhode Island State - Burmy87
9 - S Ian Outlaw - New England - DireBear
10 - OL Jacob Szczepanski - Indiana Tech* - Dan O’Mac
11 - QB Mitchell Nash - Haynes - MitchSwanson94
12 - LB Yuri Dragunov - Allegheny* - ZO82
13 - OL Callum Thomas - UEdmonton - Wallflower
14 - OL Glenn Capson - Maine State - idm
15 - S Marcus Harris - North Indiana* - vladee
16 - WR Oliver Shephard - Rhode Island State - Darknes
17 - LB Zach Sexton - Louisville State* - Darknes
18 - DB Lawrence Martell - Western New York - ZO82
19 - DL Graham de Veres - Pacific Provincial - Darknes
20 - OL Dominic Bissonnette - Majeure Montreal - ZO82
21 - RB Howie Bowman - Alberta Provincial - QCS
22 - OL Simon Northcott - Saskatchewan Provincial - Wallflower
23 - S Chris Berger - Upstate - RaysUp
24 - TE Douglas Northway - Allegheny* - ZO82
25 - WR Stu Weidemann - Cambridge of Boston - NoE38
26 - DB Dallas Daniels - UHamilton - MitchSwanson94
27 - TE Serge Peterson - Brooklyn Metro* - Stickman
28 - OL Bobby Finley - St. Paul* - DireBear
29 - DL Christopher Hearson - Haynes - ZO82
30 - DB Kevin Krane - North Indiana* - idm
31 - WR James Johnson - New England - Kingsfan11
32 - OL Martin Dashaw - Major Ohio* - Jayhawk
33 - RB Mark Waters - Maine State - idm
34 - WR Tyler Jackson - Rideau - Kingsfan11
35 - S Alex Spurrier - Toronto - Darknes
36 - LB Teddy Redmond - Rhode Island State - idm
37 - DL Alexis Daskalakis - Majeure Montreal - Kingsfan11
38 - WR Graham Spencer - Rockefeller* - MitchSwanson94
39 - RB Nelson Barker - St. George - ZO82
40 - OL Damien Brisebois - Mont Bellevue - Kingsfan11
41 - LB William Morrison - Toronto - Dan O’Mac
42- S Horace Treadaway - UHamilton - ZO82
43 - DB Jack Buswell - Saskatchewan Provincial - Wallflower
44 - WR Ray Brydges - UHamilton - Darknes
45 - LB Patrick Weidner - Rhode Island State - Wallflower
46 - OL Humphrey Hogarth - Rockefeller - TheEnigmaticOne
47 - OL Tom Pillsbury - Dominion - MitchSwanson94
48 - DL Bryan Starks - Central Ohio* - ZO82
49 - RB Buck Wilde - Major Wisconsin* - QCS
50 - RB Vincent Marsden II - Sudbury Provincial - Darknes
===================================================
58 - S Gunpei Koizumi - Yokohama** - QCS
64 - DB Hal Fredo - Upstate - Scratch
73 - RB Murdoch Washington - Nova Scotia - ThisIsFine
91 - WR Steve Greco - Indiana Tech* - TigersFan93
101 - DL Daniel Chung - Royal Gardens - JamHeronArk
QBs ===============================================
62 - QB Cameron Salahub - Pacific Provincial - Darknes
67 - QB Shawn Jolly - London - Kingsfan11
71 - QB Vladimir Orlov - Brooklyn Metro* - TheEnigmaticOne
75 - QB Roger Stump - Alberta Provincial - ThisIsFine
84 - QB Pete Herman - Allegheny* - idm
94 - QB Dallas Bowler - Rochester* - idm

Draft Order
1 - Toronto Steelheads - Picks (7): 1, 19, 35 (MTL), 37, 63 (BOS), 70 (MIN), 73
2 - Halifax Mariners - Picks (9): 2, 9 (BOS), 20, 36 (LOU), 38, 53 (MTL), 56, 78 (LDN), 85 (PRO)
3 - Regina Wheat Kings - Picks (5): 3, 21, 39, 57, 75
4 - Winnipeg Falcons - Picks (5): 4, 22, 40, 58, 76
5 - Calgary Predators - Picks (8): 5, 23, 41, 59, 65 (VAN), 72 (LOU), 77, 84 (OTT)
6 - London Tigers - Picks (6): 6, 24, 42, 60, 68 (PIT), 74 (HFX)
7 - Long Island Raiders - Picks (4): 7, 25, 43, 61
8 - Edmonton Rangers - Picks (5): 8, 26, 44, 62, 80
9 - Boston Independents - Picks (3): 27, 45, 81 - HFX Owns 1st Round Pick*
10 - Indiana Victors - Picks (6): 10, 28, 31 (PRO), 46, 48 (OTT), 64
11 - Vancouver Wolves - Picks (4): 11, 29, 47, 83
12 - Ottawa Royals - Picks (4): 12, 30, 66, 82 (IND)
13 - Providence Gold Stars - Picks (3): 13, 49, 67
14 - Pittsburgh Blacksmiths - Picks (4): 14, 32, 50, 86
15 - Buffalo Blue Wings - Picks (5): 15, 33, 51, 69, 87
16 - Minnesota Serpents - Picks (5): 16, 34, 52, 79 (LI), 88
17 - Montreal Rouge - Picks (4): 17, 55 (TOR), 71, 89
18 - Louisville Thunder - Picks (3): 18, 54, 90

1972 College Hybrid Football Results

Canada East Hybrid Conference
WEST DIVISION
(3) Toronto Dukes
(10) London Foresters
Hamilton Howlers
St. George Maples
Sudbury Provincial Miners
Dominion Knights
Kitchener-Waterloo Provincial Beavers

EAST DIVISION
(5) St-Laurent Cavaliers de Riviere
(8) Majeure Montreal Insulaires
Rideau Rams
Nova Scotia Armada
Montreal Provincial Panthers
UPNB Pirates
Mont-Bellevue Geais Bleus

CEHC Playoffs
(3) TOR 23-21 (10) LDN
(5) ST-L 29-10 (8) MMTL

CEHC Championship
(3) TOR 14-24 (5) ST-L

The CEHC’s 1971 season was run by the Toronto Dukes and St-Laurent Cavaliers de Riviere. Toronto would control the West Division led by a solid defence. UHamilton and St. George would have down years leaving way for a surprising University of London team to roll in and nab their first playoff spot, led by QB Shawn Jolly. St-Laurent would return to the top of the East Division, led by RB Axel Vandal. Majeure Montreal kept pace with their solid team. Rideau and Nova Scotia would battle to try and catch Majeure Montreal, but both fell short, however, a 3rd place finish was a strong performance for Rideau. Montreal Provincial was the most disappointing team having a bit of a dip in talent this year. 

In the playoffs, London would fall just short of a great comeback against Toronto, while Vandal would run all over Majeure Montreal’s defence to give St-Laurent the win. In the championship game, it was more of the same from Vandel who would lead the Cavaliers de Riviere to their first Hybrid Championship since 1965.

America East Hybrid Conference
(1) New England Cardinals
(2) Haynes Colonials
(4) Western New York Whitetails
(6) Maine State Acadians
(7) Rhode Island State Bulldogs
(9) Upstate Bluebirds
Cambridge of Boston Cubs
West Mass State Rangers
Concord-Manchester Fighting Pike
Vermont Republic Mountaineers
Erie Sailors
WNY-Rochester Eagles

AEHC Playoffs
(1) UNE 24-20 (6) MSU
(2) HAY 18-13 (4) WNY

AEHC Championship
(1) UNE 31-28 (2) HAY

Down in the AEHC, New England led the way. QB Ryan Alexander and WR Eric Norris would dominate offensively to finish the season ranked #1. The Haynes Colonials would manage to stay with UNE, led by their own QB Mitchell Nash, finishing ranked #2. Western New York would grab 3rd lead by their twins in the secondary DBs Oswald and Lawrence Martell. The final playoff spot would come down to the final week of the season with Maine State shocking Rhode Island State on a last-second field goal to capture the playoff ticket. RISU had one too many close losses this season, missing the playoffs for the 2nd year in a row, despite being ranked 7th. Upstate, in their final season in the conference, would finish 6th, with Cambridge of Boston not far behind. 

In the playoffs, UNE would take care of MSU in a much closer game than some expected. While Haynes would win a defensive game against WNY. In the championship, Ryan Alexander and Mitchell Nash would clash in a great game, but it was Alexander who got the final say in the game, securing a ticket to the Hybrid Championship

Hybrid Football Championship
(1) UNE 33-24 (5) ST-L

A rematch of the 1965 championship would see the Cardinals capture their first title since that very season, defeating St-Laurent again. DL Sam Reinkemeyer was the one able to stop Axel Vandal in this one, while Alexander and Norris did their thing. 

Champions: New England Cardinals (2nd)

Previous Hybrid Football Championships
1965: (1) New England Cardinals - 35-24 - (6) St-Laurent Cavaliers de Riviere
1966: (2) Hamilton Howlers - 27-17 - (1) New England Cardinals
1967: (1) Hamilton Howlers - 30-20 - (2) Western New York Whitetails
1968: (2) Rhode Island State - 24-17 - (3) Toronto Dukes
1969: (1) Toronto Dukes - 24-13 - (2) Western New York Whitetails
1970: (1) Toronto Dukes - 33-28 - (2) Western New York Whitetails
1971: (1) New England Cardinals - 33-24 - (5) St-Laurent Cavaliers de Riviere

1972 Free Agency Part 1

ELLISON SIGNS BIGGEST DEAL OF FREE AGENCY TO JOIN RAIDERS
The first big splash of 1972’s free agency period was the Raiders landing a new top-tier defensive lineman. Johnathan Ellison elected to move on from the Steelheads after 6 seasons in Toronto, which included an All-Star nod in 1967 and was easily the top free agent at the position. Long Island and Ottawa would be the top two teams that were in on Ellison, however, the Raiders were more determined to land the 28-year-old and would get him to sign a 3-year pact that pays him $34,500 a season. Ellison will fill the hole left by DL Pionk Bjorkkstrand, who retired due to injuries sustained in 1971.

The Royals, who came close to landing Ellison, would have to fall back to plan B and would land DL Ryan Sargent out of Minnesota. Sargent joins the Royals on a 1-year deal worth $22,500. Overall Sargent is a pretty lateral move by the Royals who moved on from DL Zane Tannith, who had been with the team for 9 seasons. In the end, Tannith would sign on with the Blue Wings on an identical 1-year, $22,500 contract. 

The other notable D-linemen signed would see DL Brandon Hall remain with the Gold Stars after being traded there at the deadline and DL Quinton Hextal would return to Winnipeg after one season in Edmonton.

LLOYD LANE BECOMES #1 WIDE RECEIVER FOR THE TIGERS
The long-time Thunder WR is taking his talents North of the border to play with the London Tigers. Lane, who has been a key contributor for the Thunder over his first 7 seasons, wanted a new opportunity where he could shine as the #1 option in the passing game, being overshadowed by WR Casey Coleman and eventually rookie, WR Ben Graham, when he was hurt last season. Lane inks a 3-year deal with the Tigers that will pay him like a top target, earning $32,000 a season. The Tigers are stoked to have Lane, as they have been searching for a true #1 receiver for several seasons now. They had spent a couple of 1st round picks on Cole Fletcher and Leon Hudson in their search. While Fletcher showed flashes of #1 talent last season, hence his own 3-year contract extension, neither has really been consistently a top target. Lane should easily provide a big boost for a young team with a veteran presence and a new target for 1971 2nd overall pick, QB Henry Johnsson. 

Louisville was quick to find a replacement for Lane, as they snatched up Blacksmiths’ WR Orlando Barrack on a 1-year deal. While he won’t have the same impact as Lane, he’s still a great veteran option to help take some pressure off of WR Ben Graham. With Barrack heading to the division rival, the Blacksmiths would look for a replacement and would get the Hong Kong product out of Montreal, Yahui Sun. Sun is looking for a fresh start with the Blacksmiths and could add a new dynamic to the Blacksmiths’ offence. Elsewhere, longtime Royals’ WR Colby Bancana would head to Minnesota to join up with a couple of old Royals’ teammates in QB Martin Keller and WR Ferdinand Matthews. This did leave Serpents’ Alternate Captain, WR Evan Clanton, without a spot, but he found a new/old home, heading back to Boston where he spent the first 6 years of his career.  

NEVILLE FALKNER RETURNS TO PROVIDENCE
After a 4-8 campaign in 1968 to make a 4th playoff miss in 5 seasons, DB Neville Falkner decided to leave the Providence Gold Stars in search of a championship. He would land with the Victors, who had made the McCallister Cup in 1968, and spend the next 3 seasons with the club in search of a title. Unfortunately, Falkner was unsuccessful in the venture. Now, with Indiana looking like they are heading in the wrong direction, Falkner set out again to find a new contending team. There were many teams interested in the 3-time Defensive Player of the Year. The Thunder, Raiders, and Wolves all made strong pitches that Falkner considered. However, the most aggressive team was the Boston Independents who were determined to add another superstar to their ranks in their desperation to win another cup before QB Nathaniel Braddock is gone. As hard as Boston tried, they were in an uphill battle with Falkner still having ties to Providence. Once the Gold Stars caught wind of Boston’s interest, they also inquired about bringing Falkner back. Despite leaving 3 years ago, Neville was always going to be a Gold Star first, and he quickly came to a deal with his old team, signing for more than Boston would’ve been able to offer under the cap at $30,000 over the next season, which is still a pay cut from his previous contract.

After missing out on Falkner, Boston turned to plan B, which was “what is old, is new again” aiming to bring back both DB Mordecai King and DB Lawrence Ralph. King would sign a new deal to stay in Boston, while Ralph, who was still not over Boston cutting him last offseason, so he signed in Vancouver instead. Any other options also found other locations. Former Wolves DB Vern Nowitski, headed to his home province to join the Winnipeg Falcons, while former 1st round pick, DB Chandler Gage would look for a fresh start and head out to Minnesota on a 2-year deal. The 25-year-old is likely to see the field more in Minnesota than during his time in Pittsburgh.

QB MARKET RUN DOWN: SEVERAL TEAMS ADD VETERAN PRESENCE, WINNIPEG DOUBLE DIPS
The QB market is always one that is interesting to watch during the offseason. However, some years are more exciting than others. This year was one of the down years. Heading into the offseason most teams either were committed to long-term QBs or ready to move onto other younger players. Both Halifax and London would likely be looking towards last year’s top 2 picks, Todd Sparrow and Henry Johnsson to be the guys this season, Calgary was willing to give Emmitt Jackson another shot, as well as both Jesse Essex and Mitch Boland taking the other two spots, and Edmonton looked like they were headed towards Ken Myers to take over for the recently retired Blair Collins. Finally, last offseason, many would have pegged the Rouge as a team that might be in the market this year, but they squashed any real likelihood of that with the 2-year extension to QB Gene Bishop following a run to the McCallister Cup. With all of those teams’ minds practically made up, only Toronto and Winnipeg seemed like teams that were in the market for new QBs. 

Toronto would be the first to grab a new QB, signing QB Landon Ross to a 2-year deal. Ross has 29 starts under his belt including some solid play for both the Raiders and Gold Stars under OC Kerry Holder who moved to Toronto this offseason. Clearly, Ross and Holder have a good relationship and want to keep working together. Toronto also still has QB David Simmons under contract and after some solid play in the last few games last season, he may get another shot. 

Out in Winnipeg, there was more uncertainty about who may start for the team next season. Despite how much the team and coaches like QB Emerson Thompson, there is an understanding that he may not be the long-term solution for the team with his inconsistent play over the last two seasons. So the Falcons were out to bring in some new options. They first wanted to add a veteran with starting experience. They would ultimately land Ulysses Lawyer for the role on a 2-year deal. Lawyer has 17 starts under his belt, although with a 5-12 record, but had a decent performance in relief for QB Drake Young in Ottawa last season, going 2-1. Certainly, a veteran that can at least bring some stability. Now, they were not done there, as they also decided to take a gamble on QB Xerxes Wynn. Wynn showed flashes of potential last season throughout about a game's worth of snaps with the Thunder, where he threw a pair of touchdowns and no interceptions. The 27-year-old didn’t have a lot of options when it came to teams interested in giving him a shot at being a starter, so he’s ready to head to Winnipeg and take the opportunity to prove himself. Both guys would get a 1-year deal as Winnipeg wants all 3 QBs to show what they got this year to earn a contract next year.

TORONTO MAKES BIG SPLASH TO REBUILD OFFENSIVE LINE
Over the last few years, the Toronto Steelheads have had a major problem on the O-line, with one of the worst groups in the league in almost every season in recent years. GM Reginald McMahon was determined to right the ship and would go out and spend big money to improve the line. He would pick up two of the top O-linemen free agents in Minnesota teammates, OL Amos Sewell and OL Paul O’Doherty. The two signed matching 2-year, $27,000 contracts. They have been teammates both in Ottawa and in Minnesota and wanted to take the opportunity to stick together. Toronto wasn’t done there, also adding veteran OL Taylor Forbes. 

The rest of the O-line market would shake out with OL Millard Streety heading back home to Providence where he went to school at Rhode Island State. Indiana also made a bit of a splash by bringing in both of the Harrison brothers, Clancy (OL) and Yancy (RB). The two wanted to stay together after leaving Buffalo, looking for a good opportunity for both of them. Yancy could be a starting option for the Victors who are looking for a new starting RB, after Yancy played most of the season as the starting back with Jasper Dickerson injured in Buffalo. 

SEVERAL SAFETIES PLAY MUSICAL CHAIRS
A few safeties would pull the old switcheroo. Garet deVale, Peter Sellers, and Calvin Hobbes would simply swap the teams they were on between each other. deVale would move from Long Island to Pittsburgh, Sellers would go from Pittsburgh to Minnesota, and Hobbes would go from Minnesota to Long Island. The most interesting of the group is probably deVale heading to Pittsburgh as the former MVP looks to finally capture a championship before his career runs out.

Top 25 Free Agents
1 - WR Lloyd Lane - LOU -> LDN - 3Y, $32,000 - NTC
2 - DB Neville Falkner - IND -> PRO - 1Y, $30,000 - NTC
3 - DL Johnathan Ellison - TOR -> LI - 3Y, $34,500 - NTC
4 - WR Orlando Barrack - PIT -> LOU - 1Y, $26,500 - NTC
5 - DB Chandler Gage - PIT -> MIN - 2Y, $22,500
6 - OL Amos Sewell - MIN -> TOR - 2Y, $27,000
7 - QB Landon Ross - PRO -> TOR - 2Y, $19,500
8 - LB Willie Stetson - MTL -> BUF - 2Y, $18,500
9 - WR Yahui Sun - MTL -> PIT - 2Y, $22,500
10 - TE Eric Peterson - IND -> LI - 2Y, $20,000
11 - OL Paul O’Doherty - MIN -> TOR - 2Y, $27,000
12 - OL Millard Streety - HFX -> PRO - 2Y, $24,000
13 - QB Ulysses Lawyer - OTT -> WPG - 1Y, $20,000
14 - OL Clancy Harrison - BUF -> IND - 2Y, $24,000 
15 - QB Lyle Painter - HFX -> HFX - 1Y, $22,000 - NTC
16 - WR Colby Bancana - OTT -> MIN - 1Y, $20,000
17 - DB Mordecai King - BOS -> BOS - 1Y, $23,500
18 - DB Vern Nowitski - VAN -> WPG - 2Y, $20,000
19 - S Garet deVale - LI -> PIT - 1Y, $18,000 - NTC
20 - S Peter Sellers - PIT -> MIN - 1Y, $19,000
21 - S Calvin Hobbes - MIN -> LI - 1Y, $20,000
22 - QB Xerxes Wynn - LOU -> WPG - 1Y, $18,000
23 - QB Mike Key - VAN -> MIN - 1Y, $16,500
24 - DL Ryan Sargent - MIN -> OTT - 1Y, $22,500
25 - DB Lawrence Ralph - WPG -> VAN - 1Y, $23,000 - NTC