1971 NAAF Draft

Round 1

1 - Halifax Mariners (from Calgary) | QB Todd Sparrow | Rockefeller* - Yorkville, IL - Creator: idm
Now holding the #1 selection, the Halifax Mariners would set up their future by drafting Todd Sparrow first overall. Sparrow has all the tools to be a great QB in the NAAF. Great decision-making ability with a solid, accurate arm. On the negatives, he does tend to try and make a throw overtaking a sack, which can be a positive to some extent, but negative in others. The Mariners are expected to still roll with QB Lyle Painter this season and give Sparrow a year to develop but expect Sparrow to step up sooner or later and be the face of the Mariners for years to come. 

2 - London Tigers | QB Henry Johnsson | Toronto - Toronto, ON - Creator: ThisIsFine
London had an easy decision to follow up the Sparrow pick. They would grab the other top QB in Henry Johnsson. GM Joseph Johnson felt very comfortable with the pick having spent more time scouting the Toronto QB. Johnsson has a lot of similarities to QB Riley Kiernan with the desire to make big plays happen and get the ball down the field. He also has a massive arm that is very accurate down the field. Of course, he has his shortcomings with forcing passes in high-risk areas, but hopefully, the Tigers can clean that up in his early years. 

3 - Regina Wheat Kings | DL Butcher Callahan | UHamilton - Hamilton, ON - Creator: Darknes
With both QBs off the board, the Regina Wheat Kings would look to improve their very weak D-line by taking UHamilton product, Butcher Callahan. Callahan has quite a passionate personality which breathes life into his football obsession. He’s got a lot of energy which he puts into his high motor, speed, and strength. He is tough to stop if he gets a good break on the snap and is ahead of the O-line, but he does have some missteps with penalty trouble in the past as he doesn’t use his head as much once the ball is snapped. 

4 - Calgary Predators (from London) | RB Rocco Peaks | Alberta Provincial** - Creator: Scratch
The Preds moved back to 4 and they would still reach way down The Gains Report, shocking everyone in the draft room by taking RB Rocco Peaks out of the local Alberta Provincial. The “Nature Boy” has sparked a lot of hype out of Western Canada over the last few years with his ability to find ways out of tackles. His elusiveness is on a level similar to that of RB Dareion Fields. In fact, another nickname is “Rocky Pike” as he often resembles a Northern Pike in the way he slips out of defenders’ hands. Peaks has had some issues with ball security in the past, but has reportedly been working on it by learning to hold fish, pikes to be exact. The Preds hope that the training has worked. Peaks should be a great addition to a Calgary offence that is looking for dangerous playmakers to add to the Wild West offence. 

5 - Montreal Rouge | RB Bo Frazier | Allegheny* - Harrisonburg, VA - Creator: RaysUp
The Rouge would make the second consecutive running back selection by taking the back that everyone thought would be off the board first, Bo Frazier. Frazier’s power running style has been tabbed as perfect for the NAAF, being able to pick up 5 yards almost guaranteed on any run. His strength and ability to overcome would-be-tacklers is something to marvel at. Frazier isn’t as strong in the passing game, but he can be a solid blocker with his strength. He’s also a strong leader with a great personality, something Montreal clearly likes in the young player. The future bodes well for Frazier as Montreal has a history of great running backs with two superstars in RB Élisée Marchal and RB Scott Mallard-White.

6 - Toronto Steelheads | DL Max Russland | Western New York - Hudson, NY - Creator: TheEnigmaticOne
Toronto’s attempt to move up the draft board did not pan out, so they changed course and would look to add to their young defence. Russland is a towering D-lineman who is great at creating problems in the backfield. He’s got a knack for forcing fumbles and getting in the QB’s face. While he’s not as strong against the run, he can also knock balls down at the line with his height. He’s got a lead-by-example mentality, as he is a fairly quiet person, but he can get quite turned up on the field.

TRADE ALERT
After the second defensive lineman was selected, the Ottawa Royals, who also wanted a D-lineman to add to their team, would make a trade-up to grab one. They would swap picks with the Edmonton Rangers, acquiring 7th overall and 43rd overall in exchange for 11th overall and 29th overall. 

7 - Ottawa Royals (from Edmonton) | DL Mathieu Tremblay | Majeure Montreal - Saguenay, QC - Creator: Kingsfan11
With their newly acquired pick, the Royals would take DL Mathieu Tremblay. Tremblay is another ultra-aggressive lineman that loves to get to the QB. He’s got a great first step off the snap, but his aggressiveness can be used against him. If you play him right, Tremblay can overshoot his target and end up way out of position. The good side is, Tremblay is still extremely talented and could easily grow into a strong 2nd punch in the Royals’ D-line that features a former DPOY DL Bernhard Hartmann. Also to note, Tremblay’s older brother Charles was drafted by Montreal in 1965 and is currently a free agent.

8 - Winnipeg Falcons | S Vernon Redgate | Toronto - Toronto, ON - Creator: ZO82
The Falcons ended up with a bit of a steal with the 8th overall pick. S Vernon Redgate slipped from being ranked 3rd in The Gains Report all the way down to 8th. Redgate is a great addition to the backend of the Falcons. He’s got the potential of being one of the greats at the position drawing comparisons to S Garet deVale with his ability to make big plays happen with great anticipation. Still, he can sometimes miss the bigger picture if he misses a player getting behind him. Redgate also has a good personality which fits in with Winnipeg, as Redgate is very protective of his friends and teammates and will stand up for his team when they need it, in a family sort of way. 

9 - Calgary Predators (from Boston via Halifax) | LB Marcus McGhee | Toronto - Ottawa, ON - Creator: Kingsfan11
With the shocking pick of RB Rocco Peaks at 4th overall, the Predators would shift focus to the defence by taking LB Marcus McGhee. McGhee is a very strong candidate to be a solid middle linebacker. His strongest skill is open-field tackling, being able to bring down all sorts of players with great strength and tackle technique. He should be a force in stopping the run up the gut, however, he’s not as good when he has to drop back in coverage. Either way, the Predators have a competitive player to add to the defence. 

10 - Louisville Thunder | OL Donovan Hodgekins | Louisville State* - Cincinnati, OH - Creator: Stickman
Finally, with the 10th overall pick, the first American team would make a selection, as Louisville would take the local kid, OL Donovan Hodgekins. Some were skeptical of Hodgekins coming into the draft as there had been many rumours surrounding his conduct off the field. Hodgekins has a pretty aggressive personality and does not take kindly to those that get in his way. He has blown up on the sideline multiple times during his college career and there are stories of more of the same off the field, allegedly being involved in fights. However, Hodgekins is still a heck of a player. He’s super athletic, being able to keep up with the quickest of D-linemen. His talent is easily worth being top of the draft board, but his personality is one that a team is going to take a risk on, and Louisville is willing to take it. They hope the local talent will be able to control his temper and turn the high-risk player into a high reward.

11 - Edmonton Rangers (from Ottawa) | WR Stanley McClendon | UEdmonton** - Edmonton, AB - Creator: TigersFan93
Edmonton would finally make their first NAAF selection and they would take WR Stanley McClendon. Much like RB Rocco Peaks earlier, no one expected McClendon to be the first off the board at his position. However, McClendon is still a solid prospect. He’s got speed, which is his biggest draw. If he can get some space, he is taking the ball places. He also can get down the field quickly for deep plays, which often turn into touchdowns. Edmonton may not use McClendon to his full potential immediately, being a run-heavy team, but maybe the future will be bright for McClendon to shine.

12 - Providence Gold Stars | TE Kairos Knight | Western New York - New York City, NY - Creator: vladee
Kairos Knight was one of the more interesting prospects available in the draft class. Knight was the leading receiver at Western New York this past season as a tight end, a feat that is very rarely done. Knight has all the abilities of a solid WR but has the bulk to make him a great tight end. He’s a potential game-changer at the TE position if he continues what he did in college. However, there are some concerns about whether he can take advantage of holes in the defence at the same level in the NAAF. Some worry that he may not be as dominant if teams can get stronger coverage on him, but Providence is willing to take the risk, as Knight could be an x-factor if he does click at the next level.

TRADE ALERT
The Buffalo Blue Wings would look to move back from pick 13 in order to pick up some more picks and start to replenish their prospect pool. They would send pick 13 to the Montreal Rouge in exchange for pick 23 and pick 59 as well as WR Bruno Lemieux and S Gabriel Allerton. Buffalo ultimately flips one pick for 4 total prospects with the pick included.

13 - Montreal Rouge (from Buffalo) | WR Antonio Villanueva | Ben Franklin* - Wilmington, DE - Creator: Jayhawk
With their new pick, the Montreal Rouge would start to look for a Taylor Karis replacement and select WR Antonio Villanueva. As the draft neared, Villanueva’s stock rose as more saw his ability to play anywhere a team needed him. He has plenty of experience as a slot option in college but got the opportunity to spread his wings down the sidelines during his senior year. His experience in both positions makes him a great piece to add to an offence that may need his role to change as he grows. While he isn’t a master of either position, it's the versatility that ultimately led Montreal to select him at 13.

14 - Minnesota Serpents | OL Peter Palmerston | UHamilton - Guelph, ON - Creator: Jayhawk
The Serpents had conversations about trading pick 14 but ultimately decided to play it safe and add some depth to their O-line. Palmerston is nothing special, but he is at his best when creating holes for the run game. His pass protection is solid as well making him a solid overall prospect, even if he doesn’t jump off the page at first glance.

15 - Indiana Victors | WR Lew Wallendowski | New England - Boston, MA - Creator: JamHeronArk
With WR Silas Peyton calling it a career, the Victors needed to start thinking about the future at the position. WR Ed Edwards is nearing retirement as well and outside of WR Jake Abbredezzi, they didn’t have much else. So the addition of Wallendowski is a great move for the team. Wallendowski was ranked as the top WR going into the class, primarily because of his hands. He has the ability to make just about any catch, which he has to have since he is not the best at creating space between himself and defenders. He is often caught in one-on-ones, but he comes down with them a majority of the time. Wallendowski could step in as a slot option for the Victors, filling the shoes of the now-departed Silas Peyton.

16 - Pittsburgh Blacksmiths | OL Jeff Fedler | Western New York - Buffalo, NY - Creator: idm
Fedler is a solid pick for the Blacksmiths at 16. Fedler is another solid run blocker who will be able to push off the line. A good pick-up for a team that just signed RB Max Tracy and will see the run game become a larger part of the offence. Nothing much else to report on a pretty average guy from Buffalo, NY, he’s just got a milquetoast sort of personality.

17 - Vancouver Wolves | DB Apollo Duckworth | Cambridge of Boston - Berlin, NH - Creator: Dan O’Mac
The Wolves have been the least active team in the offseason thus far, so they needed to add some depth to positions at the draft. They would start by taking DB Apollo Duckworth. Duckworth is a very smart player, who can read the field well. His rich family allowed him to study at Cambridge of Boston which only enhanced his intelligence. However, he can get caught QB-watching but makes up for it with speed to catch just about anyone who manages to get a step on him. His speed served him well in college, however, there are some skeptics about his speed compared to pro-level players. 

18 - Long Island Raiders | DB Levi Woodrow | Haynes - Yonkers, NY - Creator: QCS
The Raiders would follow the Wolves in taking a corner, going with Levi Woodrow out of Haynes. Woodrow was much less fortunate than Duckworth was growing up. While Woodrow initially intended to follow in his dad’s footsteps in joining the military he was eventually turned onto football where he excelled. He worked harder than anyone and became a really solid corner in college. He’s especially great in man-to-man coverage. He’s overall a cheerful and goofy guy, but on the field he is as focused as ever and expects the same out of his team, certainly having the seeds to be a leader.

* = American Rules School
** = Canadian Rules School

2nd Round

The 2nd Round started with a flurry of offensive linemen going off the board. Calgary would take the big and physical Melvin Murray out of Majeure Montreal to help bring some power to their line. The Tigers would look to add protection for their young QB by taking Vermont Republic’s Derek Butcher, another larger O-lineman that can be tough to get by. Regina would grab Charles Hyland out of Nova Scotia, a pass-blocking specialist who can give the Wheat Kings’ QBs more time in the pocket. 

Halifax would be up to pick at 22, and they would go with S Derrick Focht. Some had some concerns over Focht, as he has limited eyesight in one eye with an eye condition, but he is very intelligent and continues to outperform expectations. Buffalo would also take a safety with their first selection of the draft. Levi Brickshaw should be a good addition for the Blue Wings who have a pair of aging safeties on their roster at the moment. Toronto would add OL Don Shred, to be the 4th O-lineman taken in the first 6 picks of the 2nd round. Toronto hopes Shred can elevate his skills as a blindside blocker to the next level.

Edmonton would continue the 2nd round by taking a local LB in Perry Stevenson. Stevenson’s speed makes him a bit of an all-around player, but he is at his best when sent in on a blitz or targeting the run game. Winnipeg would also grab a LB in Magnus Pearce out of Haynes. Pearce has speed like Stevenson but has shown better anticipation and skill down the middle, making him a solid middle linebacker candidate of the future. 

Ahead of pick 27, the Boston Independents would trade back in order to pick up an extra pick. London would be the team trading up. The Tigers would get pick 27 in exchange for picks 34 and 38. 

With the new pick, the Tigers would double up on O-line, taking Chris Masham out of Toronto. Another big body, although not as strong, but has better fundamentals in blocking techniques. Louisville would keep it close to home yet again taking DL Carl Hogg at 28. Hogg is a mean guy on the field who plays hard and often beyond the whistle, which can cause some penalty trouble. However, there is no denying the kid can play. Edmonton would take their first non-Western Canadian prospect with pick 29. They would take RB Rudy Saunders, the power back out of Rockefeller. His bigger body helps him lean into his ability to pound the rock, however, there are some concerns about his consistency when picking up yards, especially in a 3-down league.

Providence would add some depth on the D-line by taking Maine State’s Shane Mokri, a hard-hitting lineman, who can get after the backfield. Buffalo would continue to replenish their prospect pool by taking OL Josiah Fairey. Fairey is a more athletic O-lineman, making him good at keeping up defenders in pass protection. Minnesota would take a local product in TE Xavier Francis Langford. A tall receiving tight end that can add a more dynamic element to the Serpents’ offence. Indiana would look to add some future RB depth in taking New England’s Daniel Collins. Collins is a pretty balanced player, has some power and some speed, but nothing special.

Boston would finally make their first selection of the draft at pick 34, marking the 2nd latest any team has made their first selection ever (LI was 35th in 1965). They would end up with DB Arthur Longsjo Jr. who is a great one-on-one defender that has the ability to lock down a receiver. To close out the 2nd round, the Vancouver Wolves would grab a WR in Dennis Davtyan, a short receiver with great hands, and Minnesota would select DL Morgan Kneller, a power rushing lineman who can work well in the middle of the D-line.

2nd Round Picks
19 - CGY | OL Melvin Murray | Montreal Provincial - Quebec City, QC - Stickman
20 - LDN | OL Derek Butcher | Vermont Republic - Montpelier, VT - Darknes
21 - REG | OL Charles Hyland | Nova Scotia - Halifax, NS - Kingsfan11
22 - HFX | S Derrick Focht | St-Laurent - Saguenay, QC - Darknes
23 - BUF (from MTL) | S Levi Brickshaw | St. Paul* - St. Paul, MN - ZO82 
24 - TOR | OL Don Shred | Central Pennsylvania* - Hometown, PA - idm
25 - EDM | LB Perry Stevenson | Alberta Provincial** - Lethbridge, AB - DireBear
26 - WPG | LB Magnus Pearce | Haynes - Greenwich, CT - ZO82
27 - LDN (from BOS) | OL Chris Masham | Toronto - Oshawa, ON - Dan O’Mac 
28 - LOU | DL Carl Hogg | Louisville State* - Louisville, KY - Dan O’Mac
29 - EDM (from OTT) | RB Rudy Saunders | Rockefeller* - Milwaukee, WI - ZO82
30 - PRO | DL Shane Mokri | Maine State - Bangor, ME - Edgeworth
31 - BUF | OL Josiah Fairey | Ben Franklin* - Hershey, PA - ZO82
32 - MIN | TE Xavier Francis Langford | Minneapolis* - Duluth, MN - TheEnigmaticOne
33 - IND | RB Daniel Collins | New England - Nahant, MA - idm
34 - BOS (from PIT via LDN) | DB Arthur Longsjo Jr. | New England - Fitchburg, MA - Dan O’Mac
35 - VAN | WR Dennis Davtyan | Rhode Island State - Worcester, MA - ThisIsFine
36 - MIN (from LI) | DL Morgan Kneller | Toronto - Toronto, ON - ZO82

3rd Round

Calgary would open the 3rd round by taking a big swing at WR Jimmy Potter, a former track star that only played college ball in the last two years after injuries harmed his track career. However, he did play WR in high school. His speed is certainly still there which makes him a very interesting piece in the Predators’ offence. Boston would also land a WR with the second pick they got in the trade with the Tigers, taking Craig Nunnery. QB Whit Johnson, who was projected to go late 1st/early 2nd, fell all the way to 39, where the Wheat Kings would take a chance on him. Calgary would grab DL Robert Westminster with the final 1971 pick they got in the Halifax trade, while Toronto would use their re-acquired 3rd round pick on S Donny McCreary. 

Ottawa would snag WR Simon Riley with the other pick they got in the Edmonton trade. Shortly after, the Blacksmiths would make a trade-up to pick 45, sending picks 52 and 77 to Halifax. They would select LB Tony Randolph with the pick. 

The first international player of the draft would head to Minnesota in the form of LB Earl Featherstonhaugh. Then, Halifax would grab OL Heracles Odysseus with the first pick they got in the trade with Pittsburgh. 

3rd Round Picks
37 - CGY | WR Jimmy Potter | Daniel Boone* - Lexington, KY - Stickman
38 - BOS (from LDN) | WR Craig Nunnery | Majeure Montreal - Montreal, QC - Kingsfan11
39 - REG | QB Whit Johnson | Western New York - Oneonta, NY - RaysUp
40 - CGY (from HFX) | DL Robert Westminster | Pacific Provincial** - Abbotsford, BC - Wallflower
41 - MTL | OL Phil Ampertis | UHamilton - Detroit, MI - NoE38
42 - TOR (from TOR via BUF) | S Donny McCreary | Indiana Tech* - Evansville, IN - Dan O’Mac
43 - OTT (from EDM) | WR Simon Riley | Concord-Manchester - Manchester, NH - Darknes
44 - WPG | DL Justin Bardouche | Michigan - Hancock, MI - Dan O’Mac
45 - PIT (from BOS via HFX) | LB Tony Randolph | Baltimore State* - Baltimore, MD - DireBear
46 - LOU | S Brett Tavers | New England - Boston, MA - Stickman
47 - OTT | DB Maxwell Holmes | London - London, ON - ZO82
48 - MTL (from PRO) | DL Stan Walz | St-Laurent - Rimouski, QC - JamHeronArk
49 - BUF | DB Phillip Joachim | Major Wisconsin* - Waukesha, WI - ZO82
50 - MIN | LB Earl Featherstonhaugh | St. George - Reading, UK - idm
51 - IND | OL Troy Pound | Ben Franklin* - King of Prussia, PA -  JamHeronArk
52 - HFX (from PIT) | OL Heracles Odysseus | Western New York - Olean, NY - Jayhawk
53 - VAN | LB Lochlan Bourne | Royal Regina** - Regina, SK - ZO82
54 - LI | RB Aeneas Phillips | Pacific Provincial** - Vancouver, BC - ThisIsFine

4th Round

Buffalo would make 3 selections in the 4th, taking LB Basti Gräbner, DL Charles Salzwedel, and QB Joe Weber, to add defensive depth and a young QB to be a future backup. The final trade of the draft would occur between Ottawa and London. The Royals would move up to pick 63 in exchange for picks 65 and 90. The Royals would use the pick on RB Aurelius Miner hoping to develop some depth behind RB Corbyn Knight. London would pick DB Ray Hallatt with the 65th pick. 

4th Round Picks
55 - BUF (from CGY via TOR) | LB Basti Gräbner | Major Wisconsin* - Madison, WI - ZO82
56 - LI (from LDN) | WR Louie Pan | New England - Boston, MA - idm
57 - REG | S Sheldon Jackson | London - St. Thomas, ON - NoE38
58 - HFX | WR Billy Yards | Allegheny* - Sharon, PA - Jayhawk
59 - BUF (from MTL) | DL Charles Salzwedel | Haynes - Hartford, CT - Kingsfan11
60 - LDN (from TOR) | OL Harvey Strong | U of America* - Chevy Chase, MD - Dan O’Mac
61 - EDM | LB Frank Ellington | UEdmonton** - Edmonton, AB - Wallflower
62 - WPG | OL Emanuel Tobias | Riel** - Brandon, MB - idm
63 - OTT (from BOS via LDN) | RB Aurelius Miner | Western New York - Jamestown, NY - TheEnigmaticOne
64 - LOU | S Malcolm Emerton | Newark* (DIV 2) - Newark, NJ - ZO82
65 - LDN (from OTT) | DB Ray Hallatt | Major Wisconsin* - Fond Du Lac, WI - TigersFan93
66 - PRO | DB Matt Maddux | Saskatchewan Provincial** - Saskatoon, SK - idm
67 - BUF | QB Joe Weber | Nova Scotia - Wolfville, NS - Kingsfan11
68 - PRO (from MIN) | LB Cole Kent | UKC* - Emporia, KS - ZO82
69 - IND | TE Cole Slawter | Michigan* - Holland, MI - Scratch
70 - MTL (from PIT) | LB Maxime St. Beaudoin | UPNB - Moncton, NB - Darknes
71 - VAN | S P.J. Wheeler | Major Nebraska* - Bonesteel, SD - Dan O’Mac
72 - LI | DL Weston East | Louisville State* - Loogootee, IN - Dan O’Mac

5th Round

The final 3 QBs would go in the 5th round. Harold Bryant would head to Toronto, Division 2 QB, Nathan Stauheim, would head to Minnesota, and QB Josh Jailor would head to Indiana. The draft would close with the London Tigers selecting WR Doug Nies out of Binghamton. 

5th Round Picks
73 - CGY | S Sherby Dew | Haynes - Poughkeepsie, NY - idm
74 - LDN | WR James Love | Riel** - Virden, MB - Wallflower
75 - REG | WR John Gifford | Louisville State* - Louisville, KY - Kingsfan11
76 - LOU (from HFX) | LB Oliver Brant | Daniel Boone* - Lexington, KY - ZO82
77 - HFX (from MTL via PIT) | LB Alastair Glass | Cambridge of Boston - York, UK - idm
78 - TOR | QB Harold Bryant | Upstate - Albany, NY - Wallflower
79 - EDM | RB Carson Meyers | Saskatchewan Provincial** - Conquest, SK - Wallflower
80 - WPG | TE Mason Chamberlain | Rideau - Kingston, ON - Darknes
81 - BOS | OL Bradley Seed | Allegheny* - Pittsburgh, PA - idm
82 - LOU | DB Jack Holly | North Indiana* - Fort Wayne, IN - DireBear
83 - OTT | DL Skip Chambray | Majeure Montreal - Sorel-Tracy, QC - JamHeronArk
84 - PRO | OL Danny Nyce | Central BC** - Kelowna, BC - Stickman
85 - TOR (from BUF) | S Grant Horos | Allegheny* - Houston, PA - Jayhawk
86 - MIN | QB Nathan Stauheim | Saginaw State* (DIV 2) - Frankenmuth, MI - TigersFan93
87 - IND | QB Josh Jailor | Louisville State* - Elizabethtown, KY - idm
88 - PIT | RB Herb Stoner | Vermont Republic - Brattleboro, VT - idm
89 - VAN | WR Charles West | Northern Wisconsin* (DIV 2) - Chicago, IL - ZO82
90 - LDN (from LI via OTT) | WR Doug Nies | Binghamton* (DIV 2) - Elmira, NY - JamHeronArk

Undrafted
TE Jimmy Ray Dudley | Major Ohio - Sydney, OH - Dan O’Mac
LB Bart Henderson | West Mass State - Springfield, MA - idm
DL Greg Cox | Major Cincinnati* - Williamson, WV - RaysUp
WR Sam Gorychka | Winnebago* (DIV 2) - Pulaski, WI - Dan O’Mac
OL Justin Tuckest | The Colonial College - Wayne, PA - idm
OL Lewis Lance | North Indiana* - Noblesville, IN - Jayhawk