1972 Season Preview - Power Rankings

1 - Providence Gold Stars
1971 Record: 11-3 (2nd East)
1971 Result: Lost Quarter-Finals
Head Coach: Tommie Warner (3rd Season)
Starting QB: Red King
Offensive Scheme: Balanced
Defensive Scheme: 4-3-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: DB Neville Falkner
Rookie to Watch: LB Ridley Robertson

Since making a change at Head Coach after the 1969 season, the Gold Stars have gone a solid 19-7 since, fielding one of the best defences in the league in both seasons. A defence that had 2 Defensive Player of the Year nominees last season in LB Kurt Warlock and DL Bartolo Cruz, who took home the award. The defensive lineup remains roughly the same except for one key difference which is the returning DB Neville Falkner. One of the best corners in the league’s history returns to Providence to hopefully put this team over the top for the first time in the NAAF. Despite a fantastic defence, the offence is no slouch with a pair of solid RBs in Ronnie Byers and Tresean Jones, behind QB Red King in his 2nd full season as a starter. The former 2nd overall pick is also excited to have a former college teammate in WR Leon Hudson join the team to shore up the WR corps. On top of that, they also changed it up at Offensive Coordinator, replacing Kerry Holder with Don Neuman, which should bring a jolt to the offence that was average at times last season. Looking across the whole lineup it is hard to find any weakness in Providence’s arsenal which makes them a favourite, if not the favourite, going into the 1972 season.

Captains: 
C - LB Victor Falkensteig
A - WR Owen Paisley
A - S Tom Parrish

2 - Louisville Thunder
1971 Record: 9-5 (2nd Central)
1971 Result: Won McCallister Cup
Head Coach: Lou Granger (3rd Season)
Starting QB: Buck Murphy
Offensive Scheme: Pass Heavy
Defensive Scheme: 4-3-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: WR Orlando Barrack
Rookie to Watch: DL Carl Hogg

The defending champs enter the 1972 season with a lot of momentum after bouncing back from a late-season skid to roll on and win the title. Louisville has one of the most explosive offences in the league, but they will have a slight change in the WR corps. The team's former #2 WR, Lloyd Lane, left town for more opportunity so a lot of the pressure this season will be on WR Ben Graham to step up in his 2nd full season as a starter. WR Orlando Barrack has also arrived to help with the loss of Lane, but the 31-year-old is not as fast as he used to be. The defence is also solid in Louisville with a scary D-line that features Aaron Henderson, Lucas Kipling, and Gavin Shaw, as well as an ever-improving LB corps behind former 1st overall pick Ricky Wildgoose and veteran Le’Darius Wynn. Expect to see another competitive season from the Thunder who have a shot at repeating as champions.

Captains: 
C - WR Casey Coleman
A - LB Le’Darius Wynn
A - S Tom McDougall

3 - Pittsburgh Blacksmiths
1971 Record: 12-2 (1st Central)
1971 Result: Lost Quarter-Finals
Head Coach: Ted McMahon (8th Season)
Starting QB: Louis Vaughn
Offensive Scheme: Balanced
Defensive Scheme: 4-3-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: WR Yahui Sun
Rookie to Watch: LB Yuri Dragunov

It was a disappointing end to an incredible season for the Blacksmiths. After MOP-winning QB Louis Vaughn went down in the first playoff games, the team would fail to get past the 8th-seeded Buffalo Blue Wings. The team is determined to bounce back this season, despite having a harder time bringing in new talent since they have been right up against the cap all offseason. However, they did still manage to replace the departing WR Orlando Barrack with WR Yahui Sun and extend DL Matthias Hartmann after a breakout season. If star DL Arthur Bradshaw can remain healthy this season, Pittsburgh will have a dangerous D-line with those two leading the way. The rest of the defence didn’t see a whole lot of change, but the one interesting addition is with LB Yuri Dragunov who has reportedly been incredibly impressive in training camp, impressive enough for Pittsburgh to trade away veteran LB Kyle Essena just weeks before the season is set to start. Pittsburgh is going to be a threat again this season, and the fans, as well as Cup-hunting veteran S Garet deVale, will hope that they can claim the Cup this season.

Captains: 
C - QB Louis Vaughn
A - OL Erik Nelson
A - LB Quinn Masters

4 - Minnesota Serpents
1971 Record: 10-4 (1st West)
1971 Result: Lost Semi-Finals
Head Coach: Soni Dionne (4th Season)
Starting QB: Martin Keller
Offensive Scheme: Run Heavy
Defensive Scheme: 3-3-3-2
Biggest Acquisition: DB Chandler Gage
Rookie to Watch: LB Morgan King

Minnesota was finally able to get over the hump of winning a playoff game after their 3rd straight strong season. Now, it is time for the team to take the next step forward and get after a Cup. The team won’t see a major change in strategy with a run-heavy offence led by 1971 Offensive Player of the Year, RB Tyler Kuhn, and his veteran support in RB Hugo Hughes and RB Austin Andrews. The umbrella secondary also returns on defence with the new additions of DB Chandler Gage and S Peter Sellers who will slot into a couple of the starting 5 secondary players. In the front 6, there are 3 new/up-and-coming players in DL Winfield Winchester, acquired via trade, as well as 1st Round Pick, LB Morgan King, and second-year player, LB Earl Featherstonhaugh. Overall, Minnesota should be a solid team again and should be able to be in the Cup conversation.

Captains: 
C - OL Elias McCarren
A - DL Albert Sullivan
A - QB Martin Keller*

5 - Montreal Rouge
1971 Record: 12-2 (1st East)
1971 Result: Lost McCallister Cup
Head Coach: Malachi Knowles (2nd Season)
Starting QB: Gene Bishop
Offensive Scheme: Balanced
Defensive Scheme: 4-3-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: LB Walker Colson
Rookie to Watch: OL Phil Ampertis

Montreal surprised many fans last season with a 12-2 record and a trip to the McCallister Cup. While the defence remains a key threat with one of the strongest secondaries in the league, headlined by S Mathieu Cazenave and DB Lamar Brown, as well as a couple of young stars in DL Alan Franjkovic and LB Jean-Christophe Bain. Offensively, the Rouge may have some more issues, while a pair of 1st Round acquisitions last season in RB Bo Frazier and WR Antonio Villanueva added some much-needed life to the offence, there is concern over the aging players. Star WR Taylor Karis is slowing down at 33 and QB Gene Bishop, who seemed like he would be out of Montreal by the end of last season, is still here. The 36-year-old Bishop has been spotty over the last several years and while a solid season last year gave him a new contract, many are wondering if the Rouge may eventually turn over to 1970 1st Round Pick, QB Nathan Houle, at some point this season. Overall, Montreal’s defence makes them a tough team, but the offence may hold them back this season in a difficult East Division.

Captains: 
C - OL Mathieu Roy
A - WR Taylor Karis
A - DB Lamar Brown

6 - Long Island Raiders
1971 Record: 6-8 (5th East)
1971 Result: Missed Playoffs
Head Coach: Levi Bray (3rd Season)
Starting QB: Ivan Sanchez
Offensive Scheme: Pass Heavy
Defensive Scheme: 4-3-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: DL Johnathan Ellison
Rookie to Watch: S Ian Outlaw

It was a disappointing title defence for the Raiders last season, who completely missed the playoffs. However, that did not discourage GM/Owner Wayne Tillman who went out and picked up two big free agents. DL Johnathan Ellison, who has been great for the Steelheads in recent years comes in to replace the retiring DL Pionk Bjorkkstrand, and TE Eric Peterson, who has been a bit of an underrated TE for the Victors comes in to fill a need the Raiders have had for a few years now. HC Levi Bray is excited to work with his new offensive weapon in Peterson as well as the recently acquired RB Rudy Saunders to supplement RB Scott Norton. Defensively, the Raiders are getting older, but some younger talent is on the rise in DL Dallas Breaker, LBs Callum Owen and Tyrone Dye, and 4th overall pick S Ian Outlaw. Expect a bounce back from the Raiders this season with the moves they have made towards getting back to the playoffs. 

Captains: 
C - LB William Washington II
A - DB Rutherford Winters
A - WR Larry Mossholder

7 - Ottawa Royals
1971 Record: 9-5 (3rd East)
1971 Result: Lost Quarter-Finals
Head Coach: Jean Matieau (5th Season)
Starting QB: Drake Young
Offensive Scheme: Balanced
Defensive Scheme: 4-3-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: DL Robin Lucas
Rookie to Watch: DL Robin Lucas

Last season the Royals were keeping pace with the Gold Stars and Rouge at the top of the East Division up until QB Drake Young was injured, ending what was looking like an MOP-level season from the young QB. QB Ulysses Lawyer did his best to keep the Royals afloat, but they would ultimately be a 1st Round exit for the 2nd year in a row. With Young back to health, the Royals are hoping to bounce back and get back to being a top team in the league. They focused this offseason on shoring up depth on the D-line, adding DL Robin Lucas in the draft and DL Ryan Sargent in free agency while hoping that young players like 1971 1st Round Pick, Mathieu Tremblay, and Obert Roux will be able to add more depth to the team. Overall, they still have a solid team behind stars like DL Bernhard Hartmann, DB Sergio Alvarez, and S Marc Bellecourt, but a concern could be on aging weapons on offence. The team’s top RB Corbyn Knight is 32, while last season’s top WR Marshall Leonard is 34. They are going to need to hope that younger talent like WR Matthew de la Cruz, WR Charles Toothacre, and RB Richard Morin can start to take on bigger roles this season. Overall, Ottawa should still be a solid team and if they can stay healthy this year, they could be a contender. 

Captains: 
C - DL Bernhard Hartmann*
A - LB Sam Wheeler
A - QB Drake Young*

8 - Vancouver Wolves
1971 Record: 7-7 (2nd West)
1971 Result: Lost Quarter-Finals
Head Coach: Johnnie Dawson (3rd Season in NAAF)
Starting QB: Kevin Westwood
Offensive Scheme: Balanced
Defensive Scheme: 4-4-3-2
Biggest Acquisition: DB Lawrence Ralph
Rookie to Watch: S Gunpei Koizumi

Barely crawling into the playoffs last season was not a proud moment for the Wolves, who had gone all the way to the McCallister Cup the previous season. Just like a lot of teams, they are hoping to bounce back. However, the team was pretty quiet this offseason. The only major addition in free agency is DB Lawrence Ralph who is set to be a depth DB for the team. They feel that they still have a strong team behind QB Kevin Westwood, WR Keshawn Johnston, DL Rashawn Sutherland, and LB Shawn Anderson. Playing in the weaker West Division, they very well could be a top team again this season with the team that they have had. The one interesting new player will be S Gunpei Koizumi, who is the first player to come through the Japan talent pipeline. Vancouver has been high on the young player so many eyes will be on the 3rd Round Pick to see how he does in the NAAF as a bit of a guinea pig for the league’s new international ventures.

Captains: 
C - QB Kevin Westwood
A - WR Keshawn Johnston
A - DL Jared Kendall

9 - Boston Independents
1971 Record: 7-7 (4th East)
1971 Result: Missed Playoffs
Head Coach: Kenneth Chaney (4th Season)
Starting QB: Nathaniel Braddock
Offensive Scheme: Balanced
Defensive Scheme: 4-3-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: LB Kyle Essena
Rookie to Watch: WR Craig Nunnery

There is no team with more pressure to win a championship than the Boston Independents heading into the 1972 season. With Braddock now 36, Boston has been all in on trying to bring home a championship before Braddock retires. They have invested a lot of money and draft capital into making the team a Cup contender, adding players like DL Wayne Baxton, WR Al Allmendinger, and DL Bjorn Sigmarsson. However, they still couldn’t get into the playoffs last season, despite being a solid team statistically. This offseason, they attempted to lure DB Neville Falkner over, but ultimately lost out to their rivals in Providence. Their push left them a bit behind in free agency and ultimately failed to add any significant changes. However, that may work out for Boston who has a good foundation. Maybe all they need is to build off of the chemistry that is being formed with the current group. Either way, Boston will be giving it their all to try and even just get into the dance this season after last year’s disappointment.

Captains: 
C - QB Nathaniel Braddock
A - DL Wayne Baxton*
A - S Ernie Osborne

10 - Buffalo Blue Wings
1971 Record: 7-7 (3rd Central)
1971 Result: Missed Playoffs
Head Coach: Maurice Evanson (9th Season)
Starting QB: Charles Lemieux
Offensive Scheme: Balanced
Defensive Scheme: 4-3-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: DL Zane Tannith
Rookie to Watch: LB Basti Gräbner

The Blue Wings pulled off the definition of sneaking into the playoffs after managing to score just enough to beat Indiana by 14 in order to pick up the 8th seed last season. All after suffering a plethora of key injuries to RB Jasper Dickerson, DB Ezra Power, and DL Ned Hedman. Injuries had always been a concern for an aging Blue Wings team that had to sacrifice depth for the salary cap in recent years. Last year, it finally caught up with them, as well as the age of the team was clearly on the back end of an era of dominance. This offseason, they aimed to add some depth to the team overall, acquiring former 1st Round Pick, LB Willie Stetson, as well as veterans DL Zane Tannith and RB Théodore Lemieux. They should all help if more injuries start to pile up again, however the team doesn’t enter this season feeling as big a threat as they usually do. Buffalo will no doubt be competitive with QB Charles Lemieux leading the way, but they aren’t projecting to be a top contender like they have been for the last decade. 

Captains: 
C - QB Charles Lemieux
A - DB Dean Hawkins
A - WR Jimmy Jack

11 - London Tigers
1971 Record: 5-9 (5th Central)
1971 Result: Missed Playoffs
Head Coach: Aengus Lynch
Starting QB: Henry Johnsson*
Offensive Scheme: Balanced
Defensive Scheme: 4-3-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: WR Lloyd Lane
Rookie to Watch: S Marcus Harris

A new era began in London after GM Joseph Johnson officially retired from football after running the team for 23 seasons. In the last couple of seasons, the Tigers have flashed moments of great play, even being able to beat the Thunder twice last season, but have been quite inconsistent overall. Much of the young talent on defence has been good like DL Mo Kahn, LB Reuben James, and LB Everett Lynch, but not great. RB Jeremy Royal has also shown flashes of elite play but has not been consistently healthy or great either. These guys are going to have to reach the next level if the team wants to return to playoff contention. They may also have a little more pressure on them with 1971 2nd Overall Pick, QB Henry Johnsson, starting this season. Johnsson has had limited play, but a year on the bench has worked out for a lot of QBs in the past. Luckily, new GM, Martin Gagneaux has gone out to get some help with WR Lloyd Lane joining the fray as a top-tier WR. Lane along with other talent like WR Cole Fletcher should provide Johnsson with a good support group along with a rebuilt O-line. The Tigers are a dark horse that could easily find themselves in playoff contention if things work out and their core players can take the next step forward.

Captains: 
C - DL Mo Kahn
A - LB Everett Lynch
A - QB Tyrion Gainsborough

12 - Indiana Victors
1971 Record: 7-7 (4th Central)
1971 Result: Missed Playoffs
Head Coach: Urick Wilkins (4th Season)
Starting QB: Tom Applewhite
Offensive Scheme: Pass Heavy
Defensive Scheme: 3-4-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: OL Clancy Harrison
Rookie to Watch: DB Oswald Martell

After missing out on the playoffs in a heartbreaking collapse against Buffalo last season, the Victors are left in a weird spot. They had a good enough season that they elected not to clear house at GM and HC, but it wasn’t good enough to inspire a lot of confidence going into this season. The offseason didn’t get off to the best start with DB Neville Falkner leaving town. They struggled to bring in much help throughout the offseason as a whole. One of the biggest issues the team has had for years now has been in the run game. They tried to bring in RB Jimmy Golden last year, but he showed he is well past his prime. As of now the team may be relying a lot on Ed Finley, who stepped in for Golden at times last season, and RB Yancy Harrison, who started most of last year for Buffalo in the absence of RB Jasper Dickerson. However, they also could turn to 2nd year RB Daniel Collins, who was taken in the 2nd round last year. A lot of eyes will also be on QB Tom Applewhite, who is entering the final year of his expensive contract after a mediocre season last year. There is a lot of pressure on the Victors to succeed, but not a lot of hope they can follow through beyond being a fringe playoff contender.

Captains: 
C - OL Viktor Stahl
A - QB Tom Applewhite*
A - LB Marshall Langenbrunner*

13 - Halifax Mariners
1971 Record: 4-10 (6th East)
1971 Result: Missed Playoffs
Head Coach: Ben McMillan (5th Season)
Starting QB: Todd Sparrow*
Offensive Scheme: Balanced
Defensive Scheme: 4-3-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: OL Mason Fitzpatrick
Rookie to Watch: RB Axel Vandal

It is officially the QB Todd Sparrow show in Halifax this season. Last year’s 1st Overall Pick will be the day 1 starter for the first time in his career. He struggled in his first few starts last year but improved a lot by the end of the season. Halifax still has a relatively strong foundation of talent. A solid mix of veteran leaders like DL Pat Butler, DB Joe Robinson, and WR Shane Steadman, as well as younger talent like LB Frederic Macnamara, DB Jack Treadaway, and WR Oliver Shephard. There will be a lot of eyes on the backfield to see if 2nd Overall Pick, RB Axel Vandal will see the field a lot, but to start the year RB George Seahorse will lead the way. Halifax should be a solid and competitive team, however, their playoff hopes may be already dashed just from having to play against the East Division where all 5 other teams have a legitimate shot at the McCallister Cup this season.

Captains: 
C - DL Pat Butler
A - DB Joe Robinson
A - WR Shane Steadman*

14 - Toronto Steelheads
1971 Record: 2-12 (6th Season)
1971 Result: Missed Playoffs
Head Coach: Phillip Little
Starting QB: Landon Ross*
Offensive Scheme: Run Heavy
Defensive Scheme: 4-3-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: OL Amos Sewell
Rookie to Watch: DL Sam Reinkemeyer

It was a difficult first season under GM Reginald McMahon in Toronto last season, but McMahon was committed to bringing the team’s floor up. They would first address the weak O-line by bringing in a pair of veterans in OL Amos Sewell and OL Paul O’Doherty. They would lose a key piece in DL Johnathan Ellison, but with the 1st Overall Pick, they would bring on DL Sam Reinkemeyer who has the potential to be even better than Ellison. Another key adjustment is with the offensive play calling, bringing on veteran coach Kerry Holder as the new OC, who runs a much more traditional, but effective offence. Expect the team to focus a lot more on the ground attack with RB Shannon West. Now the last question was going to be at QB. The team did draft QB Ryan Alexander in the 1st Round this year, but they are going to let him sit. QB David Simmons is still with the team, but Holder has elected to go with the QB that is most comfortable in his system, Landon Ross, who has been with Holder for the past 5 seasons split between Long Island and Providence. Toronto had a great defence last year, and with a simpler offence may be able to string together some more wins this season and get out of the bottom of the league.

Captains: 
C - LB Judge Barrett*
A - S Charles Clerk
A - OL Amos Sewell*

15 - Edmonton Rangers
1971 Record: 6-8 (3rd West)
1971 Result: Missed Playoffs
Head Coach: Pat Gilliam
Starting QB: Ken Myers*
Offensive Scheme: Run Heavy
Defensive Scheme: 4-3-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: RB Jimmy Golden
Rookie to Watch: OL Callum Thomas

Edmonton has been a solid team in the West division over the past couple of seasons. They are carried by a strong coaching staff and strong run game, however, age is likely to start pulling this team backward. They come into this season as the oldest team in the league and they didn’t exactly get younger throughout the offseason. Their key addition was a 34-year-old RB Jimmy Golden… not exactly an inspiring move. On top of that, they also saw the retirement of long-time legend QB Blair Collins. Taking his place is his backup QB Ken Myers. Myers has been serviceable in his 4 starts in the past two seasons going 3-1. However, there are a lot more questions about his ability to manage the team in the long run. The team’s usual strength may be in question as well with RB Gary Hubbard now 31. His support of Golden is not a sure thing, so they are going to have to hope that some younger talent like 2nd Round Pick Howie Bowman and recently acquired Aeneas Phillips can bring in some more support in the backfield. Overall, Edmonton can still be solid with the coaching staff as they have been, but the age and new QB may lead to a worse finish than the team is used to.

Captains: 
C - OL Charles Creighton*
A - LB Herb Landry
A - RB Gary Hubbard*

16 - Calgary Predators
1971 Record: 4-10 (4th West)
1971 Result: Missed Playoffs
Head Coach: Travis Hobson
Starting QB: Emmitt Jackson*
Offensive Scheme: Wild West
Defensive Scheme: 4-3-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: DB Bobby Bastian
Rookie to Watch: WR Eric Norris

It may be the make-or-break year for the Wild West Offence experiment in Calgary. After another offseason with a chance to bring in players that fit the offence, they are going to need to show that it works in order to keep the current staff in place. QB Emmitt Jackson will enter his second season in the offence. He showed moments of solid play last season and the team will hope he can build off of that this year. A lot of the offence will likely hinge on draft picks from the last two years in RB Rocco Peaks, who the Preds took 4th Overall last year, and WRs Eric Norris and James Johnson, who they drafted this season. All have good speed which should hopefully work well in the offence. Their defence should still be solid with veterans like DL Damien Battles, DL Chris Barrett, and LB Junior Abbott, but they also will want to see some new and young talent take on a bigger role this season in DB Bobby Bastian and LB Marcus McGhee. Calgary showed growth last season, we will see if they can improve again this year.

Captains: 
C - DL Chris Barrett
A - RB John Drexel
A - LB Junior Abbott

17 - Regina Wheat Kings
1971 Record: 4-10 (6th West)
1971 Result: Missed Playoffs
Head Coach: Wayne Combs
Starting QB: Stanley Evans
Offensive Scheme: Balanced
Defensive Scheme: 4-3-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: WR Leonard Green
Rookie to Watch: LB Lewis Vander

Regina has consistently punched above their weight in the past couple of seasons with one of the weakest rosters on paper. There is more hope this season with the team now having an official GM in Aaron Thornton who has made some strong changes already. The two key moves were drafting LB Lewis Vander 3rd overall and acquiring WR Leonard Green. Vander is a very dynamic defender who can slot into a few different spots in the defence which provides flexibility, while Green should be a welcome and physical addition to the passing attack. These new additions should supplement all the great new acquisitions from last season with QB Stanley Evans, who surprised many with a solid year, another physical WR in Jimmy Franks, and of course, last season’s Rookie of the Year, the dominant DL Butcher Callahan. The expectations are a little higher for the Wheat Kings this season, but they have proven to get over the bar in the last two years. 

Captains: 
C - LB Brett Pride
A - DL Pete Gingers
A - OL Hugh Johnson

18 - Winnipeg Falcons
1971 Record: 4-10 (5th West)
1971 Result: Missed Playoffs 
Head Coach: Jay Nielson
Starting QB: Ulysses Lawyer*
Offensive Scheme: Balanced
Defensive Scheme: 4-3-2-2
Biggest Acquisition: QB Ulysses Lawyer
Rookie to Watch: DL Graham de Veres

The Falcons suffered through a very inconsistent season last year, primarily at QB. Emerson Thompson started the year but eventually was benched for Jerome Sheppard, who was also hit or miss. With those inconsistencies, the Falcons went out and brought in three new QBs, Ulysses Lawyer, Xerxes Wynn, and Mitchell Nash. Going into the season, Lawyer is getting the call. The 29-year-old, has the most experience being the starting QB for the Gold Stars in 1969. He also played well for the Royals down the stretch last season. Lawyer is not the most inspiring selection, but maybe a more consistent one. However, don’t be surprised if Wynn or even Thompson get in at some point this season. Outside of the QB spot, the Falcons don’t change dramatically. They did address their major weakness on the D-line with DL Quinton Hextal returning while drafting a young player in DL Graham de Veres. Winnipeg has a solid set of talent, but they seem a little lost in their direction, especially at QB, so that leaves them with little momentum heading into the season, hence their placement here.

Captains: 
C - LB Claude Clarke
A - RB Joe Rivers
A - WR Terry Upshaw

1972 Season Predictions

WEST
(1) Minnesota - 10-4
(6) Vancouver - 9-5
Calgary - 4-10
Edmonton - 4-10
Winnipeg - 3-11
Regina - 3-11

CENTRAL
(3) Pittsburgh - 10-4
(4) Louisville - 10-4
London - 7-7
Buffalo - 7-7
Toronto - 6-8
Indiana - 5-9

EAST
(2) Providence - 10-4
(5) Boston - 9-5
(7) Long Island - 8-6
(8) Ottawa - 8-6
Montreal - 7-7
Halifax - 6-8

Quarter-Finals
(8) OTT over (1) MIN
(2) PRO over (7) LI
(3) PIT over (6) VAN
(5) BOS over (5) LOU

Semi-Finals
(2) PRO over (8) OTT
(3) PIT over (5) BOS

54th McCallister Cup - Buffalo, NY
(2) PRO over (3) PIT

1972 Schedule

The 1972 NAAF season will kick off on June 22 as the defending McCallister Cup champs, the Louisville Thunder, are hosting last year’s Central Division champs, the Pittsburgh Blacksmiths. The holidays roll in for Week 2. With Canada Day on Saturday, there is a triple header, starting with Montreal @ London at 1:00 PM ET, then Winnipeg @ Ottawa at 5:00 PM ET, followed by Toronto @ Vancouver at 8:30 PM ET. On Tuesday, Boston will then host Indiana for the 4th of July. Week 6 remains rivalry week. Then teams will head on their bye week between weeks 8-10, starting with the West in Week 8, East in Week 9, and Central in Week 10. The Labour Day tradition will continue for both Louisville and Indiana as well as the two Alberta teams of Edmonton and Calgary. Finally, the season is set to end with a battle between Providence and Ottawa, but that matchup is subject to change if the league feels a different match is better for the later slot.

1972 Hall of Fame Class

Member #36: LB Rusty McVee - Brampton, ON - 1st Ballot - Creator: Scratch
Rusty broke into the league as a rookie in 1953 after being drafted 4th overall by the Montreal Rouge. His first year would be a great one as he made an immediate impact. He would help Montreal to their 2nd McCallister Cup in 3 years and take home Rookie of the Year. He would earn his first All-Star the next year in 1954, but the team fell short of a repeat. While McVee was just getting into his prime, the Rouge would slip into a deep rebuild, going 2-8 in back-to-back seasons. The poor form would lead to McVee desiring a trade. His request would be granted and Montreal would trade McVee to Long Island. His first year on Long Island would be a little rocky with McVee struggling to fit into the new team, but by his second season, they would figure it out. The Raiders’ defence would become one of the best defences in the league’s short history en route to a McCallister Cup win in 1958. McVee would win the McCallister Cup and Playoff MVP during the run as well. The next two seasons would both still be good with the Raiders finishing atop the West Division in both years, however, fell short of a championship. In 1960, the Raiders would face a cap crunch with the salary cap being introduced so the Raiders would have to let go of McVee. McVee would sign with the Providence Gold Stars and would then take them to a competitive spot, including a McCallister Cup appearance in 1963, marking the 3rd team he has gone to the big game with, however he fell short of a 3rd ring. After the cup run, McVee would leave the Gold Stars and head home to join the Toronto Steelheads. He would play for his local club for their first 3 seasons in the league helping them to the playoffs in all three years. After 1966, McVee would officially call it a career, finishing with 2 McCallister Cups and 7 All-Star seasons. One of the most impressive things in McVee’s career is that his team made the playoffs in 12 out of his 14 seasons.

Member #37: DL Olympus Heights - Oshawa, ON - 1st Ballot - Creator: Scratch
Heights was selected 5th overall in the 1955 draft after the Ontario Tigers traded back from the 3rd spot. They had their eye on the smart and ever-improving D-lineman. It took him a bit of time to truly kick into gear, but by 1958, Heights was becoming a regular all-star. His favourite place to be in the game was in the backfield, stopping running backs in their tracks and giving QB’s a good reminder to throw the ball. During the Tigers’ run of 3 straight McCallister Cup appearances, Heights was a part of one of the more frustrating D-lines in the league that featured, Dee Floyd, William Collins, and a young Richard Blunt. He certainly was important to the Tigers’ success including 2 Cup wins in 1960 and 1963. His friendly, fun-loving personality tied really well to his leadership on the line, keeping everyone focused but having a good time. He would also make both the Tigers’ 1950 and 1960 All-Decade Teams, cementing himself as one of the best to play for the team.

Member #38: Emil Riddle - Pittsburgh, PA - 1st Ballot - Creator: Wallflower
Riddle’s career started with the Pittsburgh Hammers of the ACFL where he worked his way up to the head coaching role. However, due to some rough seasons in Pittsburgh and disagreements with management, he decided to look for a new opportunity. He would land in Worcester and make an immediate impact taking home Coach of the Year in his first season. He would win Coach of the Year again in 1956, leading the Athletics to a 9-1 record and their long McCallister Cup appearance in the NAAF. Following the changing of ownership in Worcester after Richard Paul’s passing, issues arose between Riddle and management. Decisions like the team trading star QB Riley Kiernan and drafting QB Gene Bishop, frustrated Riddle. He tried to make it work, but Riddle left the team after the 1958 season and took a job with the Thunder. He quickly made the Thunder into contenders in the West Division. He would bring on several former Athletics players like DB Alexander Bradley and OL Cliff Strautzenberger, as well as push for the acquisition via trade of Hall of Fame LB Scotty Williams. After acquiring Williams in 1962, he would finally get over the hump and win the McCallister Cup which also went along with his 3rd Coach of the Year. Following the win, he continued to keep the team in contention despite injuries and other issues. In 1965, he would lead the Thunder on one last run to the final but fell short of winning it again. 1966 ended up being his worst season as a coach and felt that it was finally time to step away. Riddle is one of the best coaches the league has seen. Players loved playing for him, simply because he made them better, he took the time to help everyone on the team. A true leader and champion of the sport.

Member #39: DL Vernon Spears - New York City, NY - 1st Ballot - Creator: Captain Mort 3D
After being selected with the first overall selection in the 1954 draft, DL Vernon Spears had the tough task of replacing the recently traded Hall of Fame DL Sean Bowen. It would be hard to do considering the Hawks were heading into a heavy rebuild. However, he very quickly started to get the team moving forward. In just his second season, he would help the Raiders reach the McCallister Cup. He continued to grow and get comfortable in the defence and the team. Many teammates began to highly respect Spears, which led to him being named the team’s first captain in 1957. From there, he played a vital role in the Raiders' success in the late ’50s. He was able to reign in LB Rusty McVee during his tough first season and get the Raiders their first cup in 1958. He then helped with 2 more West Division titles in the following seasons. Unfortunately, the Raiders could not capitalize on another cup win and had to go into another rebuild. However, with Spears leading the way on defence, it did not take long for the team to find their groove again and went to back-to-back McCallister Cups in 1964 and 1965. They took home the ‘65 title, which got Spears to stay on for one last season. However, the Raiders would fail to make the McCallister Cup after losing to Montreal 14-15 in the East Division Final.

Member #40: RB Joel Bonner - Boston, MA - 6th Ballot - Creator: Wallflower
Joel Bonner was a dominant force during the 1940s for the Boston Football Club. He ran all over the NEFC prior to the formation of the NAAF. Once, Bonner got into the NAAF, he continued to roll on, earning Offensive Player of the Year in the league’s first season in 1949. After the Boston Independents took home the McCallister Cup in 1949, they would go back-to-back behind Bonner’s strong rushing attack. Unfortunately, Bonner’s career would take a turn when he was injured in week 1 of the 1951 season. His major leg injury would slow him down quite a bit initially. He was never able to rekindle his 1940s form, but he would still battle back. He remained a key part of Boston’s run of making 5 of the first 6 McCallister Cups. Following the 1954 season, Bonner would remain a part of the team despite many teammates, like QB Larry Larson, retiring. He would help during a rebuild, eventually taking a smaller role as his career winded down. The first half of Bonner’s career alone was worthy of the Hall, but his later half may have led to his longer wait to get the call. 

Member #41: DL Napoléon Chevalier - Moncton, NB - 6th Ballot - Creator: Wallflower
Chevalier was a fierce member of the dangerous and punishing Montreal defence of the early 1950s. He was a feared lineman who would make sure you felt it when he tackled you. He believed that part of winning was a mental game too and made sure to make teams second guess their moves. He would be a consistent All-Star being named to each of the first 5 All-Star teams in the NAAF’s history. He would help the Rouge capture 2 McCallister Cups in 1951 and 1953, being a part of one of the best defences the league has ever seen. After the 1954 season, Montreal was headed for a major rebuild and would trade Chevalier to the Ontario Tigers. He would play one season with the team, which ended in a disappointing playoff miss. As tough as Chevalier was on the field, he was still a thoughtful guy off of it. He’d beat the crap out of you in the game but then buy you a drink after. That’s who he was and is. After retirement, Chevalier has continued to be involved in youth football in his hometown of Moncton, just waiting for his moment to be called to the Hall.

1972 Training Camp Moves

As training camps rolled on and teams started putting the final touches on their rosters there would be a flurry of small trades. Most of these deals involve teams making depth moves or clearing up some positions of abundance. 

The first trade would see Toronto and Montreal swap 24-year-old prospects. Toronto would acquire undrafted OL Nic Bureau in exchange for former 3rd Round Pick, RB Tank Ferguson. Bureau had fallen in Montreal’s depth chart after they drafted two O-linemen this year, while Ferguson has not been what the Steelheads hoped. Bureau is getting the call-up to the Active Roster for the Steelheads this season while Ferguson will start the year on Montreal’s Reserve List.

After being a 2nd Round Pick last season by Edmonton, RB Rudy Saunders wanted out after Edmonton drafted two more RBs in this year's draft. He felt the younger two were getting preferential treatment by the team and didn’t feel as wanted. Edmonton would oblige and send Saunders to Long Island in exchange for RB Aeneas Phillips. Both players were taken in the draft last season. It’s a win-win with the Raiders getting the younger power back while Edmonton gets another Western Canadian prospect (their favourite) in Phillips, who attended Pacific Provincial. 

After acquiring Saunders, the Raiders would then make another trade to make some room for their new RB, sending 28-year-old RB Byron Rodham to Vancouver for RB Jeff Toney. Vancouver adds Rodham to the Active Roster as their RB3, while Toney will slip down to the Raiders’ Reserve List.

One of the more substantial trades would see the Regina Wheat Kings and Indiana Victors swap WRs. The Wheat Kings would bring on 29-year-old Leonard Green in exchange for 26-year-old WR Jesse Lambert. Green is the stronger player here and should be an upgrade for the Wheat Kings offence. With Green leaving Indiana, 1971 1st Round Pick, WR Lew Wallendowski, will get more opportunities this season with Lambert slotting in as depth.

Regina would not be done with trading as they would then send 26-year-old OL Jon Parkes to Providence for a 1973 4th Round Pick. Providence adds a depth lineman, while the Wheat Kings make room for 2nd Round Rookie, OL Simon Northcott. 

For the 2nd year in a row, OL Alanzo Tofflers would get traded after being moved to Indian from Providence last offseason. This time he would be moving from Indiana to Buffalo. Buffalo would pay a hefty price for a 3rd Round Pick, but they were desperate to add some stronger depth on the O-line. 

Then, we had a Reserve List move that saw WR Alphonso Abbott traded from the London Tigers to the Minnesota Serpents. The Serpents just wanted to add a depth WR for emergencies, while the Tigers were looking to clear out one of their 9 WRs in the organization. The Tigers would receive a 1973 5th Round Pick in the trade.

After all the small moves were made, there would be one last crazy trade that would involve 3 teams, 9 players and a draft pick. Boston, Pittsburgh, and eventually Minnesota would make a three-way trade that changes around a lot of depth pieces for Boston and Pittsburgh. 

In the deal, Boston would receive, veteran LB Kyle Essena, RB Gary Andrews, and WR Sergio Flores from Pittsburgh and DL Austin Antonio from Minnesota. Pittsburgh would receive RB Carter Roy, DL Watson Watt, WR Taylor Middleton, and LB Sefton Alfred from Boston. Then, Minnesota would receive a 5th Round Pick and DL Albert Kirk from Pittsburgh. 

To break it down a little more, Boston gets LB Kyle Essena as a starting LB option. They send Reserve List LB Sefton Alfred in return while Pittsburgh then calls up LB Tony Randolph to fill Essena’s spot.  Pittsburgh gets an upgrade at RB by swapping RB Carter Roy for RB Gary Andrews.  Pittsburgh also gets a slight upgrade at WR depth with Taylor Middleton being swapped for WR Sergio Flores. Finally, Pittsburgh needed an upgrade in DL depth, so they would get Watson Watt, however, Boston still wanted a decent D-lineman, which Pittsburgh didn’t have so Minnesota would be brought in sending Austin Antonio over. Pittsburgh would compensate Minnesota with their 5th Round Pick and Albert Kirk. 

Minnesota would then place Albert Kirk on their Reserve List and call up Morgan Kneller to the Active Roster. Also, with the trade, this will be Austin Antonio’s 3rd different stint with the Independents. 

1972 Free Agency Part 2

Following the draft there was the mad dash to get as many players to training camp as possible. A couple of the top players remaining would sign pretty quickly with TE Tranquille Rousseau heading down to Indiana on a 1-year deal, while DB Alonzo Gray was off to Long Island for 2 years. The remaining free agents would either sign a deal with a team or settle with a training camp invite. 

Before training camps could get started there would be a couple of trades as a result of decisions made during the draft.

With Halifax drafting RB Axel Vandal with the 2nd overall pick, they had a surplus at the position and would move on from either RB Rene Lyons or RB Wesley Wu. Wu being 24, made him a more valuable asset, so he would get traded to Boston for a 4th Round Pick in 1974. The Independents are getting a young RB for depth behind RB Reggie Whitehead. 

Next, a more significant trade would see the Victors move on from 28-year-old OL Gregg Rosenberg, who they had been trying to move during the draft. Rosenberg would be packaged with a 1973 4th Round Pick and sent to Providence in exchange for 27-year-old LB Benjamin Page who had been buried in Providence’s depth chart, and 24-year-old OL Marc Clevinger. Providence gets some more sturdy depth on the O-line in a guy who is locked in for next season as well, while Indiana gets a couple of unproven players with decent potential. 

Finally, the Raiders would look to add more depth at LB and acquire veteran LB Tanner Upton from the Calgary Predators along with a 1973 5th Round Pick in exchange for a 1973 3rd Round Pick. Upton is on the older side, but he’s a solid veteran that’ll be good for depth this season. For Calgary, this allows for more space for some younger players like LB Kaleb Frederick and maybe LB Teddy Redmond. 

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