07-02-2019, 08:18 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-10-2019, 03:53 PM by Fordhammer.)
Talking about the stars of the Season 15 Draft is one of the easiest money grabs out there. Everyone and their cat has made a post talking about how good that class was, with its 13 rounds and it's crazy depth and whatnot. And since I'm the best darn writer on this site, I figured it was only right to put out the biggest, most comprehensive guide to Season 15's draft that you could find. So without further ado, here are the top 50 players in TPE from the S15 Draft (as of July 2nd, at 7:07PM CST).
#50: Ben Bortboy, RB, Palm Beach
159 TPE, inactive since April 8th
Drafted #56 overall by Chicago
You’d think the people at the bottom of this list would be pretty boring, but even at #50, we’re still at a pretty decent rating by DSFL standards. However, Ben Bortboy’s role in Palm Beach wasn’t very big. He was IA before the season even started, and Ludicolo Bigby was the man for most of the season. The #2 back was either the bot Nate Barclay through the first half of the season, or waiver wire addition Mako Mendonca in the second half. Bortboy only finished with 23 carries on the season for 156 yards and no scores. Admittedly, though are decent numbers, even if they’re on a modest workload, so now that Bortboy is heading to Portland thanks to the Contraction Draft, he should carve out a role as a quality change of pace or blocking back.
#49: Jacob Rowan, OL (now a DT), Tijuana
166 TPE, active but not updating
Drafted #53 overall by Baltimore
Man, Tijuana loves their human O-Linemen, don’t they? But now that Jacob Rowan is out of Tijuana, and on his way to Baltimore, he’s changed position to DT, which will come in very handy for them. Even though Rowan’s TPE isn’t the highest in the world, Baltimore only has one other DT, so Rowan will get a starter job on the defending champion Hawks. Back in Tijuana, he wasn’t that great. Only 30 pancake blocks put him pretty far down on that list, even putting him behind the aforementioned Ben Bortboy and he’s a running back, and he allowed the second most sacks in the D-League last year, so maybe the position change is out of necessity, because you won’t get playing time when you play like that.
#48: Troy Humuhumunukunuku?pua?a, Safety, Tijuana
175 TPE, inactive since May 12th
Drafted #35 overall by Austin
I don’t know why people say this guy had a tough name, it’s pretty easy if you just look at it long enough. Hu-mu-hu-mu, nu-ku-nu-ku, ow-pow-a. Stay in school, kids. So Humu had only a decent season in Tijuana last year. He finished the year with 67 tackles (4th among safeties), three sacks, two forced fumbles, two picks, and three deflections. Not bad numbers that probably would’ve been better with a little more activity. Right now, he’s Austin’s #3 safety behind the recently converted Chase Jensen and Jonathan Towers, so he might see some playing time in Austin, but don’t expect a breakout year or anything.
#47: Rock Hardshaft, LB, Philadelphia
184 TPE, inactive since May 6th
Drafted #39 overall from Palm Beach
Rock Hardshaft is the first player on my list who went up to the majors in his true rookie season, and wouldn’t you know it, the move paid off pretty well. Hardshaft had a very good rookie season, finishing with 98 tackles (3rd among this draft class), 10 deflections, a sack, and a pick. He was definitely more of a coverage linebacker, but he still made his impact on the field. Philadelphia lost their only other linebacker, K.J. Becker, to retirement this year, so Hardshaft is going to be more of a focal point this season, even if they make some other additions.
#46: Timmy Hoss, TE, San Antonio
191 TPE, inactive since April 29th
Drafted #46 overall by Chicago
Timmy Hoss seems destined to become the new Roman Stakowski. A tight end with a high enough TPE to beast through the D-League, but not enough to ever justify a call up and inactive without a chance of improving. However, like I said, Hoss was one of the best tight ends in the D-League. He finished fourth in receptions and fifth in receiving yards among all receivers, with 64 receptions, 700 yards, and a single score. Chicago already has Declan Harp on the depth chart ahead of him, and surely tight end will become an area of need soon for them, and I don’t think Timmy Hoss is the answer. Maybe he’ll get called up if some team wants to try some two TE sets, but for now, he seems like he’ll stay in San An for the rest of his career.
#45: Jay Longshaw, QB, Norfolk
198 TPE, inactive since June 12th, but hasn’t done anything since early May
Drafted #43 overall by Colorado
This inactive really surprised me, because Jay Longshaw was usered by a former GM, Dropbear. He did get hit with some tampering penalties right before his logged off, so maybe that just kinda took it out of him. He was supposed to be the heir apparent to Micycle McCormick, but Dropbear’s disappearance forced Colorado’s other GM to make a position change to his incoming player, Wolfie McDummy. Longshaw stayed in the D-League and did OK, but seeing as how Norfolk used Dorfus Jimbo to an almost comical effect, his efforts didn’t really show up. Longshaw was middle of the pack in most categories: 4th in yards, 2nd in completion percentage, 3rd in touchdowns, and 5th in INTs (all among qualifying players). Nothing really leapt out at you about his performance. And with Norfolk reverting to a bot team again, Longshaw has found his way onto the Coyotes, but even still, I don’t know if he’ll be able to get the starting gig, given that active quarterbacks usually play over inactive but higher TPE ones.
#44: Martavius Mack, Safety, Arizona
223 TPE, inactive since June 15th
Drafted #40 overall from Tijuana by Chicago
Martavius Mack actually had a good amount of hype around him as he was traded from Chicago to Arizona not long after he was drafted. So Arizona must’ve believed that he was capable of being a major piece of their rebuild. And while Arizona did improve from S14, Mack wasn’t the piece that they were hoping for. He finished the season with very mediocre numbers: 54 tackles, five deflections, and a forced fumble. His lone saving grace came from the four interceptions that he snagged, which were tied for the third most in the league. Honestly though, I don’t know where Mack fits on the field in this upcoming season. He’s behind returning hero Bucky Barnes and fellow S15er Lamont McKinnie at safety, and they have plenty of talent at corner. So, unless Mack sees time at linebacker, I think he’ll ride the pine a lot this season.
#43: Ludicolo Bigby, RB, Palm Beach
255 TPE, active
Drafted #47 overall by Baltimore
S15 was a really big year for running backs in the DSFL. When I tell you that Ludicolo Bigby finished the season with 288 carries for 1516 yards and nine scores, that sounds pretty good right? Well it would be, if he wasn’t surrounded by guys like Bast Foija, Forrest Gump, and of course Dorfus Jimbo, who all ran circles around the league. But the one thing Bigby has on those three is a higher yards per carry. He’s a very efficient runner, and that’ll be good for him, as both he and Dorfus Jimbo are getting called up to the Hawks, to compete for the #2 job. I don’t think Bigby will see a ton of carries in S16 (though he will get some), but if he keeps up the grind, once Brown begins to feel regression set in, he could be a star in waiting in Baltimore.
#42: Marquees Acho, LB, Norfolk
257 TPE, active
Drafted #33 overall by Baltimore
Much like how running backs had an explosion in the D-League last year, so too did the linebackers. If you were a starting middle linebacker with two functional legs, you were getting at least 120 tackles, and Marquees Acho was one of the best in the league. He finished S15 with a whopping 170 tackles, along with four TFLs, two fumble recoveries, a sack and a deflection. Not the best numbers ever, but I’d certain take them for my starting middle linebacker. Speaking of starting jobs, he will now have one in Baltimore, alongside rising star Charlie Trout and veteran stalwart Austin Roenick. That to me looks like one of the best linebacker corps in the league, and I’m sure Hawk fans can’t wait to see them all in action.
#41: Farley Hank, RB, Philadelphia
273 TPE, active
Drafted #49 overall from Kansas City
Players like Farley Hank are why you can never count out an inactive. Because if they come back into the fold, like Hank did, through a combination of joining Discord servers and general friendly interactions, then you just snagged a solid contributor at a great price. I had no expectations for Farley, and didn’t even include him in my pre-draft offensive scouting report. Philadelphia needed a solid #2 back behind Vander Jones, and Farley looked like he might be a decent interim piece, but nope. Hank did pretty well in the limited role he was given. On the season, he carried it 66 times for 267 yards and four touchdowns. Not the greatest numbers, but good ones nonetheless, with plenty of room for improvement. He’s still putting in the work to this day, and I think he could have a real future in this league.
#40: Brave Ulysses, OL, Tijuana
276 TPE, inactive since June 12th, hasn’t done anything since May 23rd
Drafted #38 overall by New Orleans
It’s kinda hard to go into serious detail about O-Linemen, because they’re such a weird position to quantify. Ulysses was pretty good from what I’ve been able to tell, with 43 pancake blocks, and just two sacks allowed all season. But is that going to be enough to justify a call up as opposed to just getting an O-Line bot? Right now, he’s not on the New Orleans roster page, while several of his draft mates already are, so unless something changes Ulysses is staying in Tijuana for another year. However, if I were New Orleans’s management, I’d call him up soon. He could probably be signed for cheaper than a bot, and people don’t like to languish down in the D-League if they don’t have to.
#39: Edmond Beaver-Dantes, OL, Tijuana
296 TPE, active
Drafted #32 overall by Austin
Now despite what I just said, it’s a little easier to see how Edmond Beaver-Dantes is currently on an NSFL roster. Beaver-Dantes had a much stronger season than Ulysses did, with 55 pancakes and two sacks allowed, not to mention the fact that EBD has stayed active, while Ulysses has been on and off at best. Beaver-Dantes will be playing this season for the Copperheads, and as an added bonus, he’s a proven locker room leader, being a rookie mentor. Should be handy for a team that just drafted a rookie quarterback, running back, and tight end. Thankfully this is the last O-Linemen, so I won’t have to scrounge for things to talk about.
#38: Jack Rambo, Safety, Chicago
306 TPE, active
Drafted #36 overall out of Norfolk
The Chicago Butchers are a team that’s built to win now, but that’s not to say that don’t have anything for the future. Jack Rambo tore in up in the D-League last season and is now ready to step into a starter’s role in Chicago. In Norfolk last season, he had 75 tackles (2nd among safeties), six sacks (3rd in the league), two picks, and a forced fumble. A bit understated when surrounded by the tacklemongers in the DSFL last year, but definitely still numbers to be impressed by. There’s a ton of ballhawks in the Butchers’s secondary, meaning there’s no safe place to throw it, which could mean a strong rookie season incoming for Rambo.
#37: Alex Dasistwirklichseinnachname, K/P, Orange County
311 TPE, active
Drafted #42 overall out of Portland
Now this guy’s name does give me problems, even though he made a post about how to say it. But however you say his name, the guy can kick a ball pretty well. He made 20/21 from inside 40 yards and only missed two extra points on the season. Even from distance, he still had some accuracy to him, making 7/10 from 40+ yards with a long of 53 yards. At this rate, he’ll be one, if not the best kicker in the league if he stays active, and I’ve always had a soft spot for the kickers who become fan favorites. So, here’s to you Alex D. Knock ‘em through.*
*except when you’re playing San Jose, then you suck
#36: Apollo Reed, RB, Orange County
320 TPE, active
Drafted #44 overall out of Norfolk
Much like Farley Hank, I wasn’t expecting a ton out of Apollo Reed. His activity level at the time of the draft didn’t hint at any kind of progress incoming. But he came back, and did well enough that when the expansion draft came around, the Otters were cool with not protecting incumbent Seer Zephyrous, and letting him get snatched up by the Butchers. Reed had a very solid rookie season: 230 carries for 926 yards and nine scores, the last of those stats was second in the league. Right now, Reed is the only back in town, so Orange County are going to expect him to take that next step into superstardom if they want to get back into title contention.
#35: Dorfus Jimbo, RB, Norfolk
337 TPE, active
Drafted #23 overall by Baltimore
Dorfus Jimbo broke the D-League last year. 2087 rushing yards on 449 carries with 10 TDs. He had more rushing yards than his quarterback had passing yards. He was the runaway winner of Offensive Player of the Year, and the fact that another RB beat him in the MVP race should be viewed as a war crime. So now with all the hype in the world, Jimbo and Ludicolo Bigby will both come up to compete for the backup running back job in Baltimore, and once Marquis Brown retires, those two will be fighting tooth and nail to be the Hawks’ lead back, although if Baltimore is smart, they’ll have both players get a strong workload after Brown leaves.
#34: Ryan Leaf Jr., DT, Yellowknife
343 TPE, active
Drafted #54 overall out of Norfolk
This is a bit of an odd case, as I don’t think I’ve ever seen a mid-season call-up, but if the stat pages are to be believed (and I’ve been living off those pages in these posts, so I hope they aren’t wrong), Ryan Leaf Jr. started six games for Norfolk and five games in Yellowknife in Season 15. And of course, when something weird happens, the mercurial Leaf is at the center of it. So, in the six games he played in Norfolk he had 11 tackles and a sack, and in Yellowknife, he had six tackles and two TFLs. The Wraiths have a very fun young D-Line with Nero Alexander, Leaf, and the incoming Chad Maulalo, as well as the veteran Alex Skinner. Look out for them to all make some noise this season.
#33: Quentin Sinclair, Safety, Colorado
344 TPE, active
Drafted #37 overall out of Palm Beach
Colorado tried to go all in a few seasons ago, and didn’t make it, and now they’re paying the price for it. Luckily for them though, they’re getting their picks back and some young talent like Quentin Sinclair is coming down the pipeline are helping them get back on track. Sinclair did OK in his rookie season, and even had some Defensive Rookie of the Year vibes for a bit. 76 tackles, three deflections, and one pick. You do want to see a little bit more to stop the ball from getting into the receivers hands, but at least he keeps the receiver in front of him. Since Colorado only has one corner and a surplus of safeties, Sinclair might get some playing time at corner, so we’ll see if Quentin has some versatility this year.
#32: Tony Gabagool, LB, Colorado
369 TPE, active
Drafted #22 overall out of Palm Beach
Another one of those young pipeline guys also came from the Solar Bears, it’s Tony Gabagool. Now I don’t know if this is just a common thing for rookies, but Tony didn’t get to the quarterback very much, with only one sack on the season. Maybe that kind of thing will just come in time or something, I don’t know. But aside from that, Tony had a strong season, with 95 tackles, two TFLs, and three deflections. Solid season, and there are signs for improvement to be seen. Tony and fellow rookie Mo Berry are the only two linebackers in Colorado, so they’ll need to continue to improve before we see Colorado’s defense in a new light.
#31: Logan Uchiha, Safety, Yellowknife
381 TPE, active
Drafted #24 overall out of Norfolk
The Yellowknife defense has a lot of good young pieces to be excited about. The new signee Danny Grithead, Johnny Snuggles, Alex Selich, the aforementioned Leaf Jr., the incoming Chad Maulalo and Jaylen Storm, plus a few more guys on this list, including Logan Uchiha. Uchiha had a good, but not great season, but like a lot of guys, there’s plenty of room for improvement. 54 tackles, two sacks, two picks, three deflections, and a blocked punt. All solid numbers I’d love to see from my rookie safety. Much like Colorado, Yellowknife has a bunch of safeties but only one corner, so Uchiha might see some playing time at corner, we’ll see how that goes.
#30: Giannis Kroustis, Safety, Norfolk
382 TPE, active
Drafted #34 overall by Yellowknife
Here’s another one of those enticing Yellowknife defenders, the Sleek Greek himself, Giannis Kroustis. In Norfolk, last season, he was kind of middle of the road with just 54 tackles, one forced fumble, and very healthy five sacks (2nd among secondary members). However, he’s been racking up TPE like a champ and he’ll debut with Yellowknife with a good amount of hype around him. Like Logan Uchiha before him, Kroustis could see some play elsewhere, but unlike Logan, I think he’d have more success at linebacker than corner, because of his ability to get to the quarterback. We’ll have to see if the Yellowknife GMs agree.
#29: Terry Taffy, RB, Colorado
396 TPE, active
Drafted #31 overall out of Kansas City
You know what this list hasn’t seen in a while? MORE YETIS. In the D-League, Terry Taffy was stuck on a somewhat toxic Kansas City Coyote squad, and I swear that hurt his draft stock, as he fell to the fourth. Colorado let him split the workload with Devo Cansino, and wouldn’t you know it, The Candy Man came through. Taffy finished the season with 167 carries, 693 rushing yards, and six touchdowns, along with 202 receiving yards and three more touchdowns through the air. However, Devo has left the building, so Taffy will only have the aging Mark Grau to split carries with, so it seems like Taffy will be the bellcow in Colorado this year.
#28: Rod Tidwell, WR, Tijuana
413 TPE, active
Drafted #15 overall by Austin
There’s always a receiver who gets sent down to the D-League, even though he’s playing way above those around him. In Season 13, it was Django Anoa’i. In Season 14, it was Bona’beri Jones. And in Season 15, it was Rod Tidwell. Rod Tidwell was the best receiver in the D-League last year, and it wasn’t close. Tidwell went off for 77 receptions for 1243 yards and three TDs. Guess it was all that Kwan (whatever that means). Tidwell is heading to Austin for his rookie season, where he and Django Anoa’i will be a scary one-two punch at receiver. Like the Boldin/Fitzgerald of our generation, with Sam Hardwick also there to perhaps play the role of Steve Breaston. Anyone remember that trio?
#27: Guy Nikko, LB, Palm Beach
422 TPE, active
Drafted #26 overall by Chicago
Guy Nikko is getting called up at just the right time to do big things. After an extra season of warming up in the D-League, Nikko is joining one of the best young defenses in the majors. In Palm Beach, he had a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber season, with 166 tackles, nine TFLs, three forced fumbles, five deflections, a sack, and a pick. A very strong season that was a huge part of Palm Beach nabbing the Ultimini. Now in Chicago, he’ll compete alongside Gekyume Stokeley and Blake Faux, and four strong actives in the secondary. I don’t know if Nikko will see the individual level of success he saw in Palm Beach, but I think he’ll be a larger part of his team’s overall success.
#26: Ahri Espeeyeeseetee, WR, Norfolk
427 TPE, active
Drafted #10 overall by San Jose
Ahri Espeeyeeseetee was the other receiver going down to the minors, alongside Rod Tidwell, who were expected to blow up the D-League, and while Tidwell was the better receiver of the two, Ahri did pretty good for himself too. He finished S15 with 61 receptions for 978 yards, and eight scores, the most in the D-League. He’s now on his way to San Jose, where he’ll be expected to help fill the void left by the departing Kazimir Oles. He’ll still be the #2 receiver behind Xavier Flash, and he’s still got a couple of strong tight ends in Cam Olsen and Dan Wright, but his impact will hopefully still be pretty big.
#25: Deon Taylor, CB, New Orleans
434 TPE, active
Drafted #27 overall out of Palm Beach
New Orleans is a team that needs to get younger and fast, and Deon Taylor is a key part of making that happen. He did alright in his rookie season, collecting 59 tackles, three interceptions, and a very impressive 21 deflections, good for fourth in the league. Unfortunately, Taylor’s running buddy, Gordon Ramsey Jr, is off to Orange County, and New Orleans traded out of the entire S16 draft, so unless some late free agent moves are made, Taylor will be all alone at CB, aside from a very lowly rated Daquan Richardson. Taylor will have to take on a much larger role in the Second Line secondary this season.
#24: Jammerson Irving, TE, Arizona
437 TPE, active
Drafted #41 overall out of Tijuana
Jammerson Irving might just be the best find in the whole draft. Arizona found a bonafide starter and nearly a second round-level of TPE in the fifth round. I had Irving as my #2 TE in this class (higher than me even), and while the other three tight ends are currently higher in TPE, you can’t say my faith in the guy wasn’t unfounded. For the Outlaws, he did alright with 45 receptions for 393 yards and two scores. That might not sound like a ton, but they’re all top four among all the tight ends in the league. With Sam Hardwick off to Chicago, Irving is now the second best receiver on the team, behind fellow rookie Brock Landers, so he’ll step into a bigger role of the Outlaw offense in Season 16.
#T-22: AJ Lattimer, DT, Orange County
440 TPE, active
Drafted #8 overall out of Portland
AJ Lattimer gets the dubious distinction of having the lowest TPE of any first round pick from this draft. He’s still active, and no GM in their right mind would snub their nose at a 400+ TPE, 2nd year DT, but still he gets to live with that little nugget. On the field, he didn’t do a whole lot. You’d think Thorian Skarsgard and Marc Spector would attract enough attention to let Lattimer thrive, but he only managed 24 tackles, five TFLs, and one sack. He’s still plenty active, so it wouldn’t be fair to label him a bust after just one season, but he’s gotten off to a rocky start.
#T-22: Lucas Knight, CB, Arizona
440 TPE, active
Drafted #21 overall out of Norfolk
Arizona had needs everywhere last season, and they were able to find starters all over the draft, including a huge find late in the draft, but for now let’s talk about their new highest rated corner, Lucas Knight. Over the offseason, Knight surpassed former top corner Hike Mughes, and will likely be Arizona’s #1 corner. Last year, he did alright in a #2 role: 43 tackles, nine deflections, and two picks, one of which went for six points. Pretty good, although Mughes had double those deflections and almost 30 more tackles, so he’ll be expected to get close to or match those numbers this season.
#21: Franklin Armstrong, QB, Portland
445 TPE, active
Drafted #28 overall by Orange County
Franklin Armstrong is actually the first active person on this list who’ll spend a third year in the D-League. Orange County drafted him to be the heir-apparent to Gus T.T. Showbiz. But Gus only just hit his first season of regression and has one year left on his contract with a mutual option for two more. So, Armstrong will certainly be ready by the time he comes up, but is he going to want to wait that long? In the minors, he was probably the second best quarterback there, only behind the breakout star in Easton Cole. On the season, he threw for 2322 yards on 57.7% completion with 14 TDs and nine INTs. He’ll get back one of his favorite targets back in Beauregard Smallwood-Chess, but you just know he wants to see the majors soon.
#20: Lanzer Grievous, LB, Portland
467 TPE, active
Drafted #18 overall by Orange County
Lanzer Grevious was the player who most greatly benefitted from the rise in tackles as he annihilated the record for tackles in a season in a way that we may never see again. Grievous finished his Co-Defensive Player of the Year season with 199 tackles, three forced fumbles, three sacks, three TFLs, and three deflections. It was a monsterous season, and I’m sure the only regret that he has is not hitting the big 200. Now, he’ll be tearing it up in the Orange County defense, alongside David Ginsberg and Jon Gott, and with both Grievous and Ginsberg active, they should make a powerful 1-2 punch. And hey, with Gott in the mix too, surely they can make a fun nickname for their corps, right? Come up with your nickname for this group in the comments.
#19: Dan Wright, TE, San Jose
470 TPE, active
Drafted #30 overall out of Palm Beach
Hey, that me. Dan Wright has been in some tough positions in his two seasons so far, behind Chase Jensen in Palm Beach, and now behind Cameron Olsen in San Jose, but he’s making the most of his opportunities, and showing that he’s definitely a starting caliber TE in this league. His numbers were pretty mediocre for a TE, only 30 receptions for 263 yards and two scores. However he is on a team that loves to spread the ball around. But with Xavier Flash and Cameron Olsen ahead of him, he’ll be in a dogfight with Ahri Espeeyeeseetee for the #3 pass catcher role.
#T-17: Forrest Gump, RB, Tijuana
473 TPE, active
Drafted #13 overall by New Orleans
Forrest Gump’s first season in the D-League was really good, but surprisingly he managed to top it in Year 2. In Season 15, he exploded for 343 carries for 1713 yards and 20 rushing TDs, leading the league in that category for the second year in a row, and he rode that success all the way to an MVP award. Now, he’s on his way to New Orleans to help revitalize their offense. Alongside fellow running back Tyler Swift, receivers Vladimir Fyodorovich and Bona’beri Jones, and newly converted QB Stan Francisco, this Second Line offense might just be in good shape going forward.
#T-17: Morgan Marshall, RB, Yellowknife
473 TPE, active
Drafted #14 overall out of San Antonio
Morgan Marshall entered a crowded Yellowknife backfield last season. Jerrod Canton had just come in and was in the prime of his career, and Dick Wizardry had one more year left before he’d take on a bigger role in Austin. However, despite that, Morgan Marshall was still the lead back for Yellowknife for the majority of the season. He ended the year with 191 attempts for 812 yards and eight touchdowns. All three of those stats were in the top six in the league last season. With Wizardry out of the picture, Marshall will most likely take the majority of his carries and be the undisputed lead back in the Great White North.
#T-14: Quenton Bode, LB, New Orleans
476 TPE, active
Drafted #2 overall out of San Antonio
It’s not a great sign to see the #2 overall pick this far down, but even still, he’s made up a ton of TPE. Basically, if you’re at or above this level, you’re just really friggin’ good. So, New Orleans had the #2 and #3 picks last year and took two linebackers. Johnny Slothface stayed in the D-League, while Quenton Bode tried his hand in the majors, and I think had a very good rookie season. 108 tackles, three TFLs, three sacks, two deflections, and two turnovers. The Second Line defense as a whole was pretty crummy, so Bode and the incoming Johnny Slothface are expected to help this unit turn around.
#T-14: Lamont McKinnie, Safety, Arizona
476 TPE, active
Drafted #25 overall out of Palm Beach
While Martavius Mack had the interceptions that Arizona was hoping for when they took a couple of safeties, Lamont McKinnie had the tackles. 86 of them to be precise. And that’s most of what he did last season, along with a forced fumble and a single deflection. No sacks and no picks. At least one of those numbers has to go up for next season. Arizona has a pretty solid secondary this season, so you know they’re going to be hoping for some breakout seasons out of Mack, Lucas Knight, and of course McKinnie.
#T-14: Mo Berry, Linebacker, Colorado
476 TPE, active
Drafted #11 overall out of San Antonio
San Antonio’s Fabulous Five absolutely laid waste to the DSFL in S14 (at least in the regular season). They were a force to be reckoned with, and you just knew that they would make some noise in the majors, and sure enough Mo Berry made some big noise. In his rookie season in the majors, he went off, with 114 tackles (most among rookies), six deflections, two TFLs, two sacks, and Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He’s only been playing for two seasons total, but he already has the fourth highest TPE on this Yeti team. This dude is the leader of this Yeti defense, and if he, Gabagool, Sinclair, and Taffy keep up what they’re doing, Colorado might be due for a turnaround.
#13: Johnny Slothface, Linebacker, Tijuana
478 TPE, active
Drafted #3 overall by New Orleans
Johnny Slothface is the highest person on this list who was sent down to the minors by choice (the others didn’t have a team to go to). He was also the third overall pick, so him going to the minors was a bit of a surprise, but as you might expect from someone of his caliber, he crushed it. He finished his final year in the minors with 142 tackles, 13 sacks, 10 TFLs, and three deflections. Those 13 sacks nearly doubled the next closest, and it came as no surprise that he was one of the Co-Defensive Players of the Year. Now in New Orleans, Slothface and fellow first rounder Quenton Bode will be leading the middle of this Second Line defense. They have some pieces, now they just need to put it all together.
#12: Lightsout Lewis, LB (now a safety), Kansas City
481 TPE, active
Drafted #6 overall by Chicago
Chicago had the first two picks in this year’s draft, and took two of the best players available, Sam Torenson and Blake Faux, giving the Butchers four good young linebackers (Lewis, Nikko, Stokeley, and Faux). So, Lightsout Lewis moved over to safety and will now be tasked to get better in coverage. Over in KC, Lewis had a good season with 165 tackles, four forced fumbles, six sacks, and two deflections. I’m not sure if I would’ve gone with Lewis as the one to change positions, as both Nikko and Faux had more success in the D-League in getting picks and deflections. But Lewis had the money to afford such a move so he’s the one who moves. Let’s see how well that goes.
#11: Ricardo Morris, DT, Arizona
485 TPE, active
Drafted #7 overall out of Norfolk
When a team has two first round picks, they have the expectation to take a leap, especially if they both contribute right away. Arizona had two firsts, and now they’re a team on the rise. Ricardo Morris was the latter of those two picks, and he’s already one of the better DTs in the league. After just one season in the majors, he’s got the third highest TPE among DTs, and he played like it. He finished his rookie campaign with 42 tackles (3rd most among DTs), a TFL, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery which he took to the house. Solid numbers for a rookie DT, and what I would like to see if I were the Outlaws.
#10: Xerxes Ridley, CB, Portland
487 TPE, active
Drafted #16 overall by Chicago
You’d think we’d be too far into this list to be talking about players with mediocre DSFL seasons, but Xerxes Ridley didn’t stand out too much, despite having a max TPE for the league. Ridley had 63 tackles, a forced fumble and recovery, a sack, and eight deflections. Those numbers are all just fine. They’re average for the position, and that’s not great when he’s about to head to a league where the TPE’s can be quadrupled what he saw in the minors or even more. He’ll have help in the secondary from the likes of Lightsout Lewis, Achilles Hondo, Jack Rambo and Bobson Dugnett. So he’ll have plenty of talent around him, we’ll just have to see if we’ll see the talent from Xerxes that we know he’s capable of.
#9: Nacho Varga, WR, Philadelphia
489 TPE, active
Drafted #29 overall out of Palm Beach
In relation to his draft position, Nacho Varga has made the one of the biggest leap in his rookie season, going up 20 spots from where he was drafted. On the field, he wasn’t used that often, netting only 18 receptions on the season for 188 yards and no scores. That has to change in Year 2. Carter Bush has retired and Zapp Brannigan is starting to go through regression. He’s the second best receiver on this Liberty squad, behind only Jordan von Matt. With all the progress he’s made, he absolutely deserves to be a bigger part of this offense.
#8: Cameron Olsen, TE, San Jose
493 TPE, active
Drafted #20 overall out of Kansas City
Both San Jose and New Orleans managed to find two players at the same position who’re both in the top 20 in TPE of this draft class. Bode and Slothface for the Second Line, and Wright and Cameron Olsen for the Sabercats (and spoilers, there’s one more of these coming). It didn’t take long for Cam Olsen to establish himself as one of the best tight ends in the league, with a freshman season of 53 receptions for 416 yards and one score. The only tight ends that you can say had a better season were Verso L’Alto and barely Stan Francisco. With Declan Harp leaving Baltimore, Olsen and Wright are now easily the best tight end tandem in the league, and should continue to give opposing defenses fits for years to come.
#7: Richard D’Attoria V, Safety, Philadelphia
494 TPE, active
Drafted #9 overall out of Portland
In Richard D’Attoria’s D-League year, he was one of the best sack artists in the league, leading all safeties in sacks. In his rookie NSFL season, that sacking talent was still there, but he was also halting drives in another way. His first season in the majors was a fruitful one, with 57 tackles, three sacks, four INTs, and 13 deflections. Those last two stats were ones that he really struggled at in the minors, but he might’ve gotten it figured out in the pros. D’Attoria will continue being the #2 safety behind GM Lennox Garnett, so he’ll at least never have to worry about having to guard the toughest assignment.
#6: Walt Green, Safety, Baltimore
500 TPE, active
Drafted #12 overall out of San Antonio
Walt Green’s first season in the D-League was one to remember, where he led the league in deflections and was second in picks. His first season in the majors, wasn’t quite at that level, but it was still a season that Walt could hang his hat on. He finished his first year in Baltimore with 59 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, four deflections, three sacks, two picks with one pick-six, and even a safety. Walt Green and Fatih Terim were a dynamite combo at safety and will once again be called upon to make some big plays for the reigning champions.
#5: Nero Alexander, DE, Yellowknife
504 TPE, active
Drafted #4 overall out of San Antonio
San Antonio’s Fabulous Five had some really big stars come out of it, but Nero Alexander may be the biggest. Even though Yellowknife is full of young stars, Alexander may have the most upside of them all. Alexander finished his first season with 43 tackles, six TFLs, and three tackles, solid numbers that should only get better next season. Zach Skinner is going through regression, and at this point, that line now belongs to Nero. With all of this talent on that side of the ball, don’t be surprised if Yellowknife has the toughest defense in the league.
#4: Brock Landers, WR, Arizona
507 TPE, active
Drafted #1 overall out of Norfolk
Glad to know the #1 overall pick in the draft wasn’t a bust. With Sam Hardwick shipped off to Austin and Slim Shady going IA, QB Andrew Reese and Brock Landers are going to be tasked with keeping this Outlaw offense running. Last year was very good for Landers as he had 68 receptions for 933 yards, and seven scores. That was easily the best offensive season of anyone we’ve seen out of this draft class. With Hardwick gone, it’ll be all on Landers and Jammerson Irving to catch Reese’s bombs. I think he’s ready for that duty.
#3: Fatih Terim, Safety, Baltimore
517 TPE, active
Drafted #12 overall out of Palm Beach
Last season, Baltimore only had one major hole that they need to address right away, safety. They proceeded to draft both Walt Green and Fatih Terim to fix that problem. Consider it fixed. Even though Mo Berry got the Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, Terim was close, and it could’ve gone to either man. Terim closed out the season with 47 tackles, two picks, three deflections, and seven sacks, which more than doubled the next closest person in this draft class. Between these two rookies, along with Xandra Troyski, Axel Hornbacher and Arbin Asipi III at corner, this secondary is monstrous. Might wanna just run on these guys.
#2: Chase Jensen, TE (now a Safety), Palm Beach
525 TPE, active
Drafted #5 overall by Austin
Can you believe people criticized taking Jensen in the top 5? If he would’ve stayed at tight end, he would already be the fifth best tight end in the league in TPE, with three of the four ahead of him hitting regression. He’s on his way to the majors after back-to-back TE of the Year honors in the D-League, with his second season in Palm Beach looking like this: 80 receptions, 946 yards, seven TDs, one Ultimini ring. Now having said all of that, Jensen is moving to safety in the majors. At safety, he’s not quite best in the league material just yet, but he’s still someone that offense need to be worried about.
#1: Emondov Emoji, CB, Philadelphia
528 TPE, active
Drafted #19 overall out of Portland
Back in my Biggest Steals post, I mentioned that even though Emondov Emoji is a GM, and he had to be taken in the second round, getting Emoji at #19 was still an insane value. Today, he currently has the highest TPE of anyone in this draft class. Can’t say I was wrong. He did well in his first season. Not great, just well. His 70 tackles were the third most by any cornerback, and his 11 deflections were the second most in this draft class. Emoji is right now the undisputed lead corner in Philly, and he, Richard D’Attoria, and Lennox Garnett are sure to terrorize quarterbacks for years to come.
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#50: Ben Bortboy, RB, Palm Beach
159 TPE, inactive since April 8th
Drafted #56 overall by Chicago
You’d think the people at the bottom of this list would be pretty boring, but even at #50, we’re still at a pretty decent rating by DSFL standards. However, Ben Bortboy’s role in Palm Beach wasn’t very big. He was IA before the season even started, and Ludicolo Bigby was the man for most of the season. The #2 back was either the bot Nate Barclay through the first half of the season, or waiver wire addition Mako Mendonca in the second half. Bortboy only finished with 23 carries on the season for 156 yards and no scores. Admittedly, though are decent numbers, even if they’re on a modest workload, so now that Bortboy is heading to Portland thanks to the Contraction Draft, he should carve out a role as a quality change of pace or blocking back.
#49: Jacob Rowan, OL (now a DT), Tijuana
166 TPE, active but not updating
Drafted #53 overall by Baltimore
Man, Tijuana loves their human O-Linemen, don’t they? But now that Jacob Rowan is out of Tijuana, and on his way to Baltimore, he’s changed position to DT, which will come in very handy for them. Even though Rowan’s TPE isn’t the highest in the world, Baltimore only has one other DT, so Rowan will get a starter job on the defending champion Hawks. Back in Tijuana, he wasn’t that great. Only 30 pancake blocks put him pretty far down on that list, even putting him behind the aforementioned Ben Bortboy and he’s a running back, and he allowed the second most sacks in the D-League last year, so maybe the position change is out of necessity, because you won’t get playing time when you play like that.
#48: Troy Humuhumunukunuku?pua?a, Safety, Tijuana
175 TPE, inactive since May 12th
Drafted #35 overall by Austin
I don’t know why people say this guy had a tough name, it’s pretty easy if you just look at it long enough. Hu-mu-hu-mu, nu-ku-nu-ku, ow-pow-a. Stay in school, kids. So Humu had only a decent season in Tijuana last year. He finished the year with 67 tackles (4th among safeties), three sacks, two forced fumbles, two picks, and three deflections. Not bad numbers that probably would’ve been better with a little more activity. Right now, he’s Austin’s #3 safety behind the recently converted Chase Jensen and Jonathan Towers, so he might see some playing time in Austin, but don’t expect a breakout year or anything.
#47: Rock Hardshaft, LB, Philadelphia
184 TPE, inactive since May 6th
Drafted #39 overall from Palm Beach
Rock Hardshaft is the first player on my list who went up to the majors in his true rookie season, and wouldn’t you know it, the move paid off pretty well. Hardshaft had a very good rookie season, finishing with 98 tackles (3rd among this draft class), 10 deflections, a sack, and a pick. He was definitely more of a coverage linebacker, but he still made his impact on the field. Philadelphia lost their only other linebacker, K.J. Becker, to retirement this year, so Hardshaft is going to be more of a focal point this season, even if they make some other additions.
#46: Timmy Hoss, TE, San Antonio
191 TPE, inactive since April 29th
Drafted #46 overall by Chicago
Timmy Hoss seems destined to become the new Roman Stakowski. A tight end with a high enough TPE to beast through the D-League, but not enough to ever justify a call up and inactive without a chance of improving. However, like I said, Hoss was one of the best tight ends in the D-League. He finished fourth in receptions and fifth in receiving yards among all receivers, with 64 receptions, 700 yards, and a single score. Chicago already has Declan Harp on the depth chart ahead of him, and surely tight end will become an area of need soon for them, and I don’t think Timmy Hoss is the answer. Maybe he’ll get called up if some team wants to try some two TE sets, but for now, he seems like he’ll stay in San An for the rest of his career.
#45: Jay Longshaw, QB, Norfolk
198 TPE, inactive since June 12th, but hasn’t done anything since early May
Drafted #43 overall by Colorado
This inactive really surprised me, because Jay Longshaw was usered by a former GM, Dropbear. He did get hit with some tampering penalties right before his logged off, so maybe that just kinda took it out of him. He was supposed to be the heir apparent to Micycle McCormick, but Dropbear’s disappearance forced Colorado’s other GM to make a position change to his incoming player, Wolfie McDummy. Longshaw stayed in the D-League and did OK, but seeing as how Norfolk used Dorfus Jimbo to an almost comical effect, his efforts didn’t really show up. Longshaw was middle of the pack in most categories: 4th in yards, 2nd in completion percentage, 3rd in touchdowns, and 5th in INTs (all among qualifying players). Nothing really leapt out at you about his performance. And with Norfolk reverting to a bot team again, Longshaw has found his way onto the Coyotes, but even still, I don’t know if he’ll be able to get the starting gig, given that active quarterbacks usually play over inactive but higher TPE ones.
#44: Martavius Mack, Safety, Arizona
223 TPE, inactive since June 15th
Drafted #40 overall from Tijuana by Chicago
Martavius Mack actually had a good amount of hype around him as he was traded from Chicago to Arizona not long after he was drafted. So Arizona must’ve believed that he was capable of being a major piece of their rebuild. And while Arizona did improve from S14, Mack wasn’t the piece that they were hoping for. He finished the season with very mediocre numbers: 54 tackles, five deflections, and a forced fumble. His lone saving grace came from the four interceptions that he snagged, which were tied for the third most in the league. Honestly though, I don’t know where Mack fits on the field in this upcoming season. He’s behind returning hero Bucky Barnes and fellow S15er Lamont McKinnie at safety, and they have plenty of talent at corner. So, unless Mack sees time at linebacker, I think he’ll ride the pine a lot this season.
#43: Ludicolo Bigby, RB, Palm Beach
255 TPE, active
Drafted #47 overall by Baltimore
S15 was a really big year for running backs in the DSFL. When I tell you that Ludicolo Bigby finished the season with 288 carries for 1516 yards and nine scores, that sounds pretty good right? Well it would be, if he wasn’t surrounded by guys like Bast Foija, Forrest Gump, and of course Dorfus Jimbo, who all ran circles around the league. But the one thing Bigby has on those three is a higher yards per carry. He’s a very efficient runner, and that’ll be good for him, as both he and Dorfus Jimbo are getting called up to the Hawks, to compete for the #2 job. I don’t think Bigby will see a ton of carries in S16 (though he will get some), but if he keeps up the grind, once Brown begins to feel regression set in, he could be a star in waiting in Baltimore.
#42: Marquees Acho, LB, Norfolk
257 TPE, active
Drafted #33 overall by Baltimore
Much like how running backs had an explosion in the D-League last year, so too did the linebackers. If you were a starting middle linebacker with two functional legs, you were getting at least 120 tackles, and Marquees Acho was one of the best in the league. He finished S15 with a whopping 170 tackles, along with four TFLs, two fumble recoveries, a sack and a deflection. Not the best numbers ever, but I’d certain take them for my starting middle linebacker. Speaking of starting jobs, he will now have one in Baltimore, alongside rising star Charlie Trout and veteran stalwart Austin Roenick. That to me looks like one of the best linebacker corps in the league, and I’m sure Hawk fans can’t wait to see them all in action.
#41: Farley Hank, RB, Philadelphia
273 TPE, active
Drafted #49 overall from Kansas City
Players like Farley Hank are why you can never count out an inactive. Because if they come back into the fold, like Hank did, through a combination of joining Discord servers and general friendly interactions, then you just snagged a solid contributor at a great price. I had no expectations for Farley, and didn’t even include him in my pre-draft offensive scouting report. Philadelphia needed a solid #2 back behind Vander Jones, and Farley looked like he might be a decent interim piece, but nope. Hank did pretty well in the limited role he was given. On the season, he carried it 66 times for 267 yards and four touchdowns. Not the greatest numbers, but good ones nonetheless, with plenty of room for improvement. He’s still putting in the work to this day, and I think he could have a real future in this league.
#40: Brave Ulysses, OL, Tijuana
276 TPE, inactive since June 12th, hasn’t done anything since May 23rd
Drafted #38 overall by New Orleans
It’s kinda hard to go into serious detail about O-Linemen, because they’re such a weird position to quantify. Ulysses was pretty good from what I’ve been able to tell, with 43 pancake blocks, and just two sacks allowed all season. But is that going to be enough to justify a call up as opposed to just getting an O-Line bot? Right now, he’s not on the New Orleans roster page, while several of his draft mates already are, so unless something changes Ulysses is staying in Tijuana for another year. However, if I were New Orleans’s management, I’d call him up soon. He could probably be signed for cheaper than a bot, and people don’t like to languish down in the D-League if they don’t have to.
#39: Edmond Beaver-Dantes, OL, Tijuana
296 TPE, active
Drafted #32 overall by Austin
Now despite what I just said, it’s a little easier to see how Edmond Beaver-Dantes is currently on an NSFL roster. Beaver-Dantes had a much stronger season than Ulysses did, with 55 pancakes and two sacks allowed, not to mention the fact that EBD has stayed active, while Ulysses has been on and off at best. Beaver-Dantes will be playing this season for the Copperheads, and as an added bonus, he’s a proven locker room leader, being a rookie mentor. Should be handy for a team that just drafted a rookie quarterback, running back, and tight end. Thankfully this is the last O-Linemen, so I won’t have to scrounge for things to talk about.
#38: Jack Rambo, Safety, Chicago
306 TPE, active
Drafted #36 overall out of Norfolk
The Chicago Butchers are a team that’s built to win now, but that’s not to say that don’t have anything for the future. Jack Rambo tore in up in the D-League last season and is now ready to step into a starter’s role in Chicago. In Norfolk last season, he had 75 tackles (2nd among safeties), six sacks (3rd in the league), two picks, and a forced fumble. A bit understated when surrounded by the tacklemongers in the DSFL last year, but definitely still numbers to be impressed by. There’s a ton of ballhawks in the Butchers’s secondary, meaning there’s no safe place to throw it, which could mean a strong rookie season incoming for Rambo.
#37: Alex Dasistwirklichseinnachname, K/P, Orange County
311 TPE, active
Drafted #42 overall out of Portland
Now this guy’s name does give me problems, even though he made a post about how to say it. But however you say his name, the guy can kick a ball pretty well. He made 20/21 from inside 40 yards and only missed two extra points on the season. Even from distance, he still had some accuracy to him, making 7/10 from 40+ yards with a long of 53 yards. At this rate, he’ll be one, if not the best kicker in the league if he stays active, and I’ve always had a soft spot for the kickers who become fan favorites. So, here’s to you Alex D. Knock ‘em through.*
*except when you’re playing San Jose, then you suck
#36: Apollo Reed, RB, Orange County
320 TPE, active
Drafted #44 overall out of Norfolk
Much like Farley Hank, I wasn’t expecting a ton out of Apollo Reed. His activity level at the time of the draft didn’t hint at any kind of progress incoming. But he came back, and did well enough that when the expansion draft came around, the Otters were cool with not protecting incumbent Seer Zephyrous, and letting him get snatched up by the Butchers. Reed had a very solid rookie season: 230 carries for 926 yards and nine scores, the last of those stats was second in the league. Right now, Reed is the only back in town, so Orange County are going to expect him to take that next step into superstardom if they want to get back into title contention.
#35: Dorfus Jimbo, RB, Norfolk
337 TPE, active
Drafted #23 overall by Baltimore
Dorfus Jimbo broke the D-League last year. 2087 rushing yards on 449 carries with 10 TDs. He had more rushing yards than his quarterback had passing yards. He was the runaway winner of Offensive Player of the Year, and the fact that another RB beat him in the MVP race should be viewed as a war crime. So now with all the hype in the world, Jimbo and Ludicolo Bigby will both come up to compete for the backup running back job in Baltimore, and once Marquis Brown retires, those two will be fighting tooth and nail to be the Hawks’ lead back, although if Baltimore is smart, they’ll have both players get a strong workload after Brown leaves.
#34: Ryan Leaf Jr., DT, Yellowknife
343 TPE, active
Drafted #54 overall out of Norfolk
This is a bit of an odd case, as I don’t think I’ve ever seen a mid-season call-up, but if the stat pages are to be believed (and I’ve been living off those pages in these posts, so I hope they aren’t wrong), Ryan Leaf Jr. started six games for Norfolk and five games in Yellowknife in Season 15. And of course, when something weird happens, the mercurial Leaf is at the center of it. So, in the six games he played in Norfolk he had 11 tackles and a sack, and in Yellowknife, he had six tackles and two TFLs. The Wraiths have a very fun young D-Line with Nero Alexander, Leaf, and the incoming Chad Maulalo, as well as the veteran Alex Skinner. Look out for them to all make some noise this season.
#33: Quentin Sinclair, Safety, Colorado
344 TPE, active
Drafted #37 overall out of Palm Beach
Colorado tried to go all in a few seasons ago, and didn’t make it, and now they’re paying the price for it. Luckily for them though, they’re getting their picks back and some young talent like Quentin Sinclair is coming down the pipeline are helping them get back on track. Sinclair did OK in his rookie season, and even had some Defensive Rookie of the Year vibes for a bit. 76 tackles, three deflections, and one pick. You do want to see a little bit more to stop the ball from getting into the receivers hands, but at least he keeps the receiver in front of him. Since Colorado only has one corner and a surplus of safeties, Sinclair might get some playing time at corner, so we’ll see if Quentin has some versatility this year.
#32: Tony Gabagool, LB, Colorado
369 TPE, active
Drafted #22 overall out of Palm Beach
Another one of those young pipeline guys also came from the Solar Bears, it’s Tony Gabagool. Now I don’t know if this is just a common thing for rookies, but Tony didn’t get to the quarterback very much, with only one sack on the season. Maybe that kind of thing will just come in time or something, I don’t know. But aside from that, Tony had a strong season, with 95 tackles, two TFLs, and three deflections. Solid season, and there are signs for improvement to be seen. Tony and fellow rookie Mo Berry are the only two linebackers in Colorado, so they’ll need to continue to improve before we see Colorado’s defense in a new light.
#31: Logan Uchiha, Safety, Yellowknife
381 TPE, active
Drafted #24 overall out of Norfolk
The Yellowknife defense has a lot of good young pieces to be excited about. The new signee Danny Grithead, Johnny Snuggles, Alex Selich, the aforementioned Leaf Jr., the incoming Chad Maulalo and Jaylen Storm, plus a few more guys on this list, including Logan Uchiha. Uchiha had a good, but not great season, but like a lot of guys, there’s plenty of room for improvement. 54 tackles, two sacks, two picks, three deflections, and a blocked punt. All solid numbers I’d love to see from my rookie safety. Much like Colorado, Yellowknife has a bunch of safeties but only one corner, so Uchiha might see some playing time at corner, we’ll see how that goes.
#30: Giannis Kroustis, Safety, Norfolk
382 TPE, active
Drafted #34 overall by Yellowknife
Here’s another one of those enticing Yellowknife defenders, the Sleek Greek himself, Giannis Kroustis. In Norfolk, last season, he was kind of middle of the road with just 54 tackles, one forced fumble, and very healthy five sacks (2nd among secondary members). However, he’s been racking up TPE like a champ and he’ll debut with Yellowknife with a good amount of hype around him. Like Logan Uchiha before him, Kroustis could see some play elsewhere, but unlike Logan, I think he’d have more success at linebacker than corner, because of his ability to get to the quarterback. We’ll have to see if the Yellowknife GMs agree.
#29: Terry Taffy, RB, Colorado
396 TPE, active
Drafted #31 overall out of Kansas City
You know what this list hasn’t seen in a while? MORE YETIS. In the D-League, Terry Taffy was stuck on a somewhat toxic Kansas City Coyote squad, and I swear that hurt his draft stock, as he fell to the fourth. Colorado let him split the workload with Devo Cansino, and wouldn’t you know it, The Candy Man came through. Taffy finished the season with 167 carries, 693 rushing yards, and six touchdowns, along with 202 receiving yards and three more touchdowns through the air. However, Devo has left the building, so Taffy will only have the aging Mark Grau to split carries with, so it seems like Taffy will be the bellcow in Colorado this year.
#28: Rod Tidwell, WR, Tijuana
413 TPE, active
Drafted #15 overall by Austin
There’s always a receiver who gets sent down to the D-League, even though he’s playing way above those around him. In Season 13, it was Django Anoa’i. In Season 14, it was Bona’beri Jones. And in Season 15, it was Rod Tidwell. Rod Tidwell was the best receiver in the D-League last year, and it wasn’t close. Tidwell went off for 77 receptions for 1243 yards and three TDs. Guess it was all that Kwan (whatever that means). Tidwell is heading to Austin for his rookie season, where he and Django Anoa’i will be a scary one-two punch at receiver. Like the Boldin/Fitzgerald of our generation, with Sam Hardwick also there to perhaps play the role of Steve Breaston. Anyone remember that trio?
#27: Guy Nikko, LB, Palm Beach
422 TPE, active
Drafted #26 overall by Chicago
Guy Nikko is getting called up at just the right time to do big things. After an extra season of warming up in the D-League, Nikko is joining one of the best young defenses in the majors. In Palm Beach, he had a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber season, with 166 tackles, nine TFLs, three forced fumbles, five deflections, a sack, and a pick. A very strong season that was a huge part of Palm Beach nabbing the Ultimini. Now in Chicago, he’ll compete alongside Gekyume Stokeley and Blake Faux, and four strong actives in the secondary. I don’t know if Nikko will see the individual level of success he saw in Palm Beach, but I think he’ll be a larger part of his team’s overall success.
#26: Ahri Espeeyeeseetee, WR, Norfolk
427 TPE, active
Drafted #10 overall by San Jose
Ahri Espeeyeeseetee was the other receiver going down to the minors, alongside Rod Tidwell, who were expected to blow up the D-League, and while Tidwell was the better receiver of the two, Ahri did pretty good for himself too. He finished S15 with 61 receptions for 978 yards, and eight scores, the most in the D-League. He’s now on his way to San Jose, where he’ll be expected to help fill the void left by the departing Kazimir Oles. He’ll still be the #2 receiver behind Xavier Flash, and he’s still got a couple of strong tight ends in Cam Olsen and Dan Wright, but his impact will hopefully still be pretty big.
#25: Deon Taylor, CB, New Orleans
434 TPE, active
Drafted #27 overall out of Palm Beach
New Orleans is a team that needs to get younger and fast, and Deon Taylor is a key part of making that happen. He did alright in his rookie season, collecting 59 tackles, three interceptions, and a very impressive 21 deflections, good for fourth in the league. Unfortunately, Taylor’s running buddy, Gordon Ramsey Jr, is off to Orange County, and New Orleans traded out of the entire S16 draft, so unless some late free agent moves are made, Taylor will be all alone at CB, aside from a very lowly rated Daquan Richardson. Taylor will have to take on a much larger role in the Second Line secondary this season.
#24: Jammerson Irving, TE, Arizona
437 TPE, active
Drafted #41 overall out of Tijuana
Jammerson Irving might just be the best find in the whole draft. Arizona found a bonafide starter and nearly a second round-level of TPE in the fifth round. I had Irving as my #2 TE in this class (higher than me even), and while the other three tight ends are currently higher in TPE, you can’t say my faith in the guy wasn’t unfounded. For the Outlaws, he did alright with 45 receptions for 393 yards and two scores. That might not sound like a ton, but they’re all top four among all the tight ends in the league. With Sam Hardwick off to Chicago, Irving is now the second best receiver on the team, behind fellow rookie Brock Landers, so he’ll step into a bigger role of the Outlaw offense in Season 16.
#T-22: AJ Lattimer, DT, Orange County
440 TPE, active
Drafted #8 overall out of Portland
AJ Lattimer gets the dubious distinction of having the lowest TPE of any first round pick from this draft. He’s still active, and no GM in their right mind would snub their nose at a 400+ TPE, 2nd year DT, but still he gets to live with that little nugget. On the field, he didn’t do a whole lot. You’d think Thorian Skarsgard and Marc Spector would attract enough attention to let Lattimer thrive, but he only managed 24 tackles, five TFLs, and one sack. He’s still plenty active, so it wouldn’t be fair to label him a bust after just one season, but he’s gotten off to a rocky start.
#T-22: Lucas Knight, CB, Arizona
440 TPE, active
Drafted #21 overall out of Norfolk
Arizona had needs everywhere last season, and they were able to find starters all over the draft, including a huge find late in the draft, but for now let’s talk about their new highest rated corner, Lucas Knight. Over the offseason, Knight surpassed former top corner Hike Mughes, and will likely be Arizona’s #1 corner. Last year, he did alright in a #2 role: 43 tackles, nine deflections, and two picks, one of which went for six points. Pretty good, although Mughes had double those deflections and almost 30 more tackles, so he’ll be expected to get close to or match those numbers this season.
#21: Franklin Armstrong, QB, Portland
445 TPE, active
Drafted #28 overall by Orange County
Franklin Armstrong is actually the first active person on this list who’ll spend a third year in the D-League. Orange County drafted him to be the heir-apparent to Gus T.T. Showbiz. But Gus only just hit his first season of regression and has one year left on his contract with a mutual option for two more. So, Armstrong will certainly be ready by the time he comes up, but is he going to want to wait that long? In the minors, he was probably the second best quarterback there, only behind the breakout star in Easton Cole. On the season, he threw for 2322 yards on 57.7% completion with 14 TDs and nine INTs. He’ll get back one of his favorite targets back in Beauregard Smallwood-Chess, but you just know he wants to see the majors soon.
#20: Lanzer Grievous, LB, Portland
467 TPE, active
Drafted #18 overall by Orange County
Lanzer Grevious was the player who most greatly benefitted from the rise in tackles as he annihilated the record for tackles in a season in a way that we may never see again. Grievous finished his Co-Defensive Player of the Year season with 199 tackles, three forced fumbles, three sacks, three TFLs, and three deflections. It was a monsterous season, and I’m sure the only regret that he has is not hitting the big 200. Now, he’ll be tearing it up in the Orange County defense, alongside David Ginsberg and Jon Gott, and with both Grievous and Ginsberg active, they should make a powerful 1-2 punch. And hey, with Gott in the mix too, surely they can make a fun nickname for their corps, right? Come up with your nickname for this group in the comments.
#19: Dan Wright, TE, San Jose
470 TPE, active
Drafted #30 overall out of Palm Beach
Hey, that me. Dan Wright has been in some tough positions in his two seasons so far, behind Chase Jensen in Palm Beach, and now behind Cameron Olsen in San Jose, but he’s making the most of his opportunities, and showing that he’s definitely a starting caliber TE in this league. His numbers were pretty mediocre for a TE, only 30 receptions for 263 yards and two scores. However he is on a team that loves to spread the ball around. But with Xavier Flash and Cameron Olsen ahead of him, he’ll be in a dogfight with Ahri Espeeyeeseetee for the #3 pass catcher role.
#T-17: Forrest Gump, RB, Tijuana
473 TPE, active
Drafted #13 overall by New Orleans
Forrest Gump’s first season in the D-League was really good, but surprisingly he managed to top it in Year 2. In Season 15, he exploded for 343 carries for 1713 yards and 20 rushing TDs, leading the league in that category for the second year in a row, and he rode that success all the way to an MVP award. Now, he’s on his way to New Orleans to help revitalize their offense. Alongside fellow running back Tyler Swift, receivers Vladimir Fyodorovich and Bona’beri Jones, and newly converted QB Stan Francisco, this Second Line offense might just be in good shape going forward.
#T-17: Morgan Marshall, RB, Yellowknife
473 TPE, active
Drafted #14 overall out of San Antonio
Morgan Marshall entered a crowded Yellowknife backfield last season. Jerrod Canton had just come in and was in the prime of his career, and Dick Wizardry had one more year left before he’d take on a bigger role in Austin. However, despite that, Morgan Marshall was still the lead back for Yellowknife for the majority of the season. He ended the year with 191 attempts for 812 yards and eight touchdowns. All three of those stats were in the top six in the league last season. With Wizardry out of the picture, Marshall will most likely take the majority of his carries and be the undisputed lead back in the Great White North.
#T-14: Quenton Bode, LB, New Orleans
476 TPE, active
Drafted #2 overall out of San Antonio
It’s not a great sign to see the #2 overall pick this far down, but even still, he’s made up a ton of TPE. Basically, if you’re at or above this level, you’re just really friggin’ good. So, New Orleans had the #2 and #3 picks last year and took two linebackers. Johnny Slothface stayed in the D-League, while Quenton Bode tried his hand in the majors, and I think had a very good rookie season. 108 tackles, three TFLs, three sacks, two deflections, and two turnovers. The Second Line defense as a whole was pretty crummy, so Bode and the incoming Johnny Slothface are expected to help this unit turn around.
#T-14: Lamont McKinnie, Safety, Arizona
476 TPE, active
Drafted #25 overall out of Palm Beach
While Martavius Mack had the interceptions that Arizona was hoping for when they took a couple of safeties, Lamont McKinnie had the tackles. 86 of them to be precise. And that’s most of what he did last season, along with a forced fumble and a single deflection. No sacks and no picks. At least one of those numbers has to go up for next season. Arizona has a pretty solid secondary this season, so you know they’re going to be hoping for some breakout seasons out of Mack, Lucas Knight, and of course McKinnie.
#T-14: Mo Berry, Linebacker, Colorado
476 TPE, active
Drafted #11 overall out of San Antonio
San Antonio’s Fabulous Five absolutely laid waste to the DSFL in S14 (at least in the regular season). They were a force to be reckoned with, and you just knew that they would make some noise in the majors, and sure enough Mo Berry made some big noise. In his rookie season in the majors, he went off, with 114 tackles (most among rookies), six deflections, two TFLs, two sacks, and Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He’s only been playing for two seasons total, but he already has the fourth highest TPE on this Yeti team. This dude is the leader of this Yeti defense, and if he, Gabagool, Sinclair, and Taffy keep up what they’re doing, Colorado might be due for a turnaround.
#13: Johnny Slothface, Linebacker, Tijuana
478 TPE, active
Drafted #3 overall by New Orleans
Johnny Slothface is the highest person on this list who was sent down to the minors by choice (the others didn’t have a team to go to). He was also the third overall pick, so him going to the minors was a bit of a surprise, but as you might expect from someone of his caliber, he crushed it. He finished his final year in the minors with 142 tackles, 13 sacks, 10 TFLs, and three deflections. Those 13 sacks nearly doubled the next closest, and it came as no surprise that he was one of the Co-Defensive Players of the Year. Now in New Orleans, Slothface and fellow first rounder Quenton Bode will be leading the middle of this Second Line defense. They have some pieces, now they just need to put it all together.
#12: Lightsout Lewis, LB (now a safety), Kansas City
481 TPE, active
Drafted #6 overall by Chicago
Chicago had the first two picks in this year’s draft, and took two of the best players available, Sam Torenson and Blake Faux, giving the Butchers four good young linebackers (Lewis, Nikko, Stokeley, and Faux). So, Lightsout Lewis moved over to safety and will now be tasked to get better in coverage. Over in KC, Lewis had a good season with 165 tackles, four forced fumbles, six sacks, and two deflections. I’m not sure if I would’ve gone with Lewis as the one to change positions, as both Nikko and Faux had more success in the D-League in getting picks and deflections. But Lewis had the money to afford such a move so he’s the one who moves. Let’s see how well that goes.
#11: Ricardo Morris, DT, Arizona
485 TPE, active
Drafted #7 overall out of Norfolk
When a team has two first round picks, they have the expectation to take a leap, especially if they both contribute right away. Arizona had two firsts, and now they’re a team on the rise. Ricardo Morris was the latter of those two picks, and he’s already one of the better DTs in the league. After just one season in the majors, he’s got the third highest TPE among DTs, and he played like it. He finished his rookie campaign with 42 tackles (3rd most among DTs), a TFL, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery which he took to the house. Solid numbers for a rookie DT, and what I would like to see if I were the Outlaws.
#10: Xerxes Ridley, CB, Portland
487 TPE, active
Drafted #16 overall by Chicago
You’d think we’d be too far into this list to be talking about players with mediocre DSFL seasons, but Xerxes Ridley didn’t stand out too much, despite having a max TPE for the league. Ridley had 63 tackles, a forced fumble and recovery, a sack, and eight deflections. Those numbers are all just fine. They’re average for the position, and that’s not great when he’s about to head to a league where the TPE’s can be quadrupled what he saw in the minors or even more. He’ll have help in the secondary from the likes of Lightsout Lewis, Achilles Hondo, Jack Rambo and Bobson Dugnett. So he’ll have plenty of talent around him, we’ll just have to see if we’ll see the talent from Xerxes that we know he’s capable of.
#9: Nacho Varga, WR, Philadelphia
489 TPE, active
Drafted #29 overall out of Palm Beach
In relation to his draft position, Nacho Varga has made the one of the biggest leap in his rookie season, going up 20 spots from where he was drafted. On the field, he wasn’t used that often, netting only 18 receptions on the season for 188 yards and no scores. That has to change in Year 2. Carter Bush has retired and Zapp Brannigan is starting to go through regression. He’s the second best receiver on this Liberty squad, behind only Jordan von Matt. With all the progress he’s made, he absolutely deserves to be a bigger part of this offense.
#8: Cameron Olsen, TE, San Jose
493 TPE, active
Drafted #20 overall out of Kansas City
Both San Jose and New Orleans managed to find two players at the same position who’re both in the top 20 in TPE of this draft class. Bode and Slothface for the Second Line, and Wright and Cameron Olsen for the Sabercats (and spoilers, there’s one more of these coming). It didn’t take long for Cam Olsen to establish himself as one of the best tight ends in the league, with a freshman season of 53 receptions for 416 yards and one score. The only tight ends that you can say had a better season were Verso L’Alto and barely Stan Francisco. With Declan Harp leaving Baltimore, Olsen and Wright are now easily the best tight end tandem in the league, and should continue to give opposing defenses fits for years to come.
#7: Richard D’Attoria V, Safety, Philadelphia
494 TPE, active
Drafted #9 overall out of Portland
In Richard D’Attoria’s D-League year, he was one of the best sack artists in the league, leading all safeties in sacks. In his rookie NSFL season, that sacking talent was still there, but he was also halting drives in another way. His first season in the majors was a fruitful one, with 57 tackles, three sacks, four INTs, and 13 deflections. Those last two stats were ones that he really struggled at in the minors, but he might’ve gotten it figured out in the pros. D’Attoria will continue being the #2 safety behind GM Lennox Garnett, so he’ll at least never have to worry about having to guard the toughest assignment.
#6: Walt Green, Safety, Baltimore
500 TPE, active
Drafted #12 overall out of San Antonio
Walt Green’s first season in the D-League was one to remember, where he led the league in deflections and was second in picks. His first season in the majors, wasn’t quite at that level, but it was still a season that Walt could hang his hat on. He finished his first year in Baltimore with 59 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, four deflections, three sacks, two picks with one pick-six, and even a safety. Walt Green and Fatih Terim were a dynamite combo at safety and will once again be called upon to make some big plays for the reigning champions.
#5: Nero Alexander, DE, Yellowknife
504 TPE, active
Drafted #4 overall out of San Antonio
San Antonio’s Fabulous Five had some really big stars come out of it, but Nero Alexander may be the biggest. Even though Yellowknife is full of young stars, Alexander may have the most upside of them all. Alexander finished his first season with 43 tackles, six TFLs, and three tackles, solid numbers that should only get better next season. Zach Skinner is going through regression, and at this point, that line now belongs to Nero. With all of this talent on that side of the ball, don’t be surprised if Yellowknife has the toughest defense in the league.
#4: Brock Landers, WR, Arizona
507 TPE, active
Drafted #1 overall out of Norfolk
Glad to know the #1 overall pick in the draft wasn’t a bust. With Sam Hardwick shipped off to Austin and Slim Shady going IA, QB Andrew Reese and Brock Landers are going to be tasked with keeping this Outlaw offense running. Last year was very good for Landers as he had 68 receptions for 933 yards, and seven scores. That was easily the best offensive season of anyone we’ve seen out of this draft class. With Hardwick gone, it’ll be all on Landers and Jammerson Irving to catch Reese’s bombs. I think he’s ready for that duty.
#3: Fatih Terim, Safety, Baltimore
517 TPE, active
Drafted #12 overall out of Palm Beach
Last season, Baltimore only had one major hole that they need to address right away, safety. They proceeded to draft both Walt Green and Fatih Terim to fix that problem. Consider it fixed. Even though Mo Berry got the Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, Terim was close, and it could’ve gone to either man. Terim closed out the season with 47 tackles, two picks, three deflections, and seven sacks, which more than doubled the next closest person in this draft class. Between these two rookies, along with Xandra Troyski, Axel Hornbacher and Arbin Asipi III at corner, this secondary is monstrous. Might wanna just run on these guys.
#2: Chase Jensen, TE (now a Safety), Palm Beach
525 TPE, active
Drafted #5 overall by Austin
Can you believe people criticized taking Jensen in the top 5? If he would’ve stayed at tight end, he would already be the fifth best tight end in the league in TPE, with three of the four ahead of him hitting regression. He’s on his way to the majors after back-to-back TE of the Year honors in the D-League, with his second season in Palm Beach looking like this: 80 receptions, 946 yards, seven TDs, one Ultimini ring. Now having said all of that, Jensen is moving to safety in the majors. At safety, he’s not quite best in the league material just yet, but he’s still someone that offense need to be worried about.
#1: Emondov Emoji, CB, Philadelphia
528 TPE, active
Drafted #19 overall out of Portland
Back in my Biggest Steals post, I mentioned that even though Emondov Emoji is a GM, and he had to be taken in the second round, getting Emoji at #19 was still an insane value. Today, he currently has the highest TPE of anyone in this draft class. Can’t say I was wrong. He did well in his first season. Not great, just well. His 70 tackles were the third most by any cornerback, and his 11 deflections were the second most in this draft class. Emoji is right now the undisputed lead corner in Philly, and he, Richard D’Attoria, and Lennox Garnett are sure to terrorize quarterbacks for years to come.
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