1959 NAAF Draft Preview

1959 NAAF Draft Preview 

The draft class of 1959 does not have the same wow factor that the ‘58 class had, but there are certainly some strong prospects at the very top of the list. Teams will be looking to upgrade their secondary if they are in the top 4. DB Oliver Langstrom, S Cal Clemmons, and S Garet deVale all have next-level abilities that will make them immediate threats to QBs around the NAAF. However, with the high talent, you do get some strong personalities so pick at your own risk seems to be the thoughts going into those 3 players. OL Ward Briscoe will also be a top target for a team near the top for anyone that needs to add to their O-line. He is a strong and hard-working player that will be great for run-heavy teams. 

After the top 4, things start to get a little all over the place. WR Zachariah Pembroke and WR Piers Key will both be strong options for teams to add weapons to their offence. Pembroke carries a lot of the physical advantages of a taller receiver with a large wingspan, while Key has more athletic ability and can get open in tight situations making him a red zone target. 

DL Lonnie Vincent will headline the strong defensive additions teams could make outside the top 4, having great size and strength plus a never give up attitude. Both LB Dallas Dillard and LB George Yokoi could be good options. Dillard has a lot of range moving around the field, but his coverage isn’t the best. Some will say that Yokoi could be the more talented of the two LBs but he lacks some confidence in his own play which causes him to hesitate in pressure moments. 

DB Cameron Taylor will also make headlines as he was expected to be an early 2nd round pick in the ACFL’s draft, but he decided to follow QB Nathaniel Braddock’s path and shoot for the NAAF where he looks to be falling around the same spot. He’s another strong athlete, that plays to the whistle, maybe even after the whistle. In the big picture, if more players continue to make the jump to the NAAF, the ACFL will surely have an issue. 

Top 25 Prospects
1 - DB Oliver Langstrom - Lawrence Gainsborough - Darknes
2 - S Cal Clemmons - George Stefanikis - Dan O’Mac
3 - OL Ward Briscoe - Brad Cumberland - DireBear
4 - S Garet deVale - Cameron Gordon - QCS
5 - DL Lonnie Vincent - Johnny Singleton - Captain Mort 3D
6 - WR Zachariah Pembroke - Lawrence Gainsborough - Darknes
7 - OL Levi Francoeur - George Stefanikis - Dan O’Mac
8 - WR Piers Key - Ronald Wilke - ThisIsFine
9 - LB Dallas Dillard - George Stefanikis - Dan O’Mac
10 - DB Cameron Taylor - Wally Flowers - Wallflower
11 - LB George Yokoi - Cameron Gordon - QCS
12 - DL Dennis Hughes - Johnny Singleton - Captain Mort 3D
13 - OL Forrest Green - Roger Roy - Thehealthiestscratch
14 - DL Hubert Tessier - Wally Flowers - Wallflower
15 - OL Brian O’Leary - Lawrence Gainsborough - Darknes
16 - WR Silas Peyton - Lawrence Gainsborough - Darknes
17 - RB Cody Barnes - Dewey Thomas - Rugrat
18 - TE Oliver Chandler - Johnny Singleton - Captain Mort 3D
19 - WR Jack Duncan - Johnny Singleton - Captain Mort 3D
20 - DB Max Lehr - Brad Cumberland - DireBear
21 - DL Ted Madison - Brad Cumberland - DireBear
22 - LB Brady O’Connor - Dewey Thomas - Rugrat
23 - TE Andrew Mathias - Johnny Armando - Stickman
24 - DL Harrison Fink - Lawrence Gainsborough - Darknes
25 - OL Jimmy McKay - George Stefanikis - Dan O’Mac 

Louisville sits in a good spot. While some are worried that they made the wrong choice trading out of the Nathaniel Braddock pick last season, they do enter this draft with 3 picks in the top 11. A few teams have had similar experiences and have had success like the Raiders who picked 3 times in the top 9 in 1954 with DL Vernon Spears (1), LB Elijah Goldwater (4), and WR Darryl Duke (9). Louisville looks to likely take one of the secondary players early and then look to one of the WRs later before potentially adding more to the defence at 11.  The top 4 players will likely go to the first 4 picks, but the order is quite split among scouts’ mock drafts. After those 4, there isn’t really much to go off of, and trade rumours are very quiet at the moment, which could make for a less chaotic draft or some big surprises. 

Draft Order and Needs
1 - Louisville Thunder - DL, LB, DB, WR, OL
Picks: 1, 6, 11, 21, 29
2 - Worcester Athletics - OL, DL, WR, LB
Picks: 2, 12, 19, 22
3 - Montreal Rouge - DL, LB, OL, S
Picks: 3, 13, 33
4 - Indiana Victors - WR, LB, DB, S, OL, DL
Picks: 4, 14, 24, 34
5 - Buffalo Blue Wings - RB, DL, LB, OL
Picks: 5, 15, 23, 25, 35
6 - Boston Independents - WR, DL, DB, OL
Picks: 16, 26, 36 - *LOU has 1st rounder
7 - Providence Gold Stars - DB, LB, DL, OL, RB
Picks: 7, 17, 27
8 - London Tigers - LB, OL, DL, WR
Picks: 8, 18, 28, 32, 38
9 - Ottawa Royals - OL, DL
Picks: 9, 31, 37, 39
10 - Long Island Raiders - OL, DB
Picks: 10, 20, 30, 40