Folks, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Time to look at the most high flying, draft dropping, shock the world-ing players in the league. It’s time for the round 14 round up. For those that didn’t see my previous article, I decided to take an early season look at the players drafted in the best round of them all, the 14th. In this article, I’ll be wrapping up their debut seasons in the DSFL, and taking a look at some of the highlights this group has seen in S21.
Pick #79 Ty Palmatier, Line Backer, Kansas City Coyotes
Ty is a buddy of mine from our affiliate league, Major League Redditball. There he is a pitcher, and a great clubhouse presence. Here, he decided he’s take a similar position, and signed up as a big body line backer. Last time we checked in Tyler had yet to see any playing time, picking up a torn activity check injury. Starting out behind, it was tough for him to see the light on the other side of the tunnel, but he ended up coming out the other side for the Coyotes. He put up 15 tackles, a sack, an interception, and 2 passes defensed in just 6 games! After not putting up a single stat for the first 8 games of the year, one has to think he could’ve been in contention for Linebacker of the year if he got to play out the full season.
Ty’s torn activity check left him with no real time to gain TPE, leaving him at 57 TPE going into the draft on Friday night. I could see him slipping back into the draft the same way he did in the DSFL draft, but that should just be more fuel to a scrappy gym rat like Ty. Even if Palmatier doesn’t return to his update sheet and truly heal from the torn activity check, the fact that he slotted into a role in the Coyotes' defense after a nearly career ending injury carries on the true spirit of the round 14’ers. Overcome, adapt, and attack.
Pick #80 JZ, Safety, Norfolk Seawolves
Another buddy from our affiliate leagues Major League Numberball and Major League Redditball, JZ kept up his stellar stats from our first visit with the round fourteeners. This is nothing new to JZ, as his college career saw him putting up monster numbers wherever he played on the defense. JZ racked up a monster 80 tackles, adding in one pass defensed. This put him at FOURTEENTH in tackles for the season in the DSFL. I mean, come on. That can’t be a coincidence, a 14th rounder finishing 14th in tackles? That’s divine intervention right there. Some things truly are meant to be.
Although these stats really jump off the index at you, the one thing that’s holding JZ back from making that next step and being a top pick in the NSFL is his work ethic. His college coaches openly stated that they had issues getting Ty to train every week, and any time his professors assigned a trivia assignment or point task it would always come back in someone else’s handwriting, clearly not done by him. The 50 TPE he’s sporting right now does not bode well for his future in the NSFL, but the Seawolves will always have this crazy ball hawking season to look back at.
Pick #81 Colbourne Frost, Kicker, Portland Pythons
Colbourne Frost is actually an alias for a name I won’t state, but he holds the distinguished position of a commissioner in Major League Redditball! A distant cousin of current top prospect Dax Frost, Colbourne decided to enter the DSFL as a kicker after starting out as a professional Kangaroo wrestler in Australia. Frost posted a 86.7% extra point percentage, and an 80% Field Goal percentage in his debut season for the Pythons. A season long 44 yard field goal was the highlight for this first time footballer, along with a total of 49 point scored on the season. When asked for some comment on the leadoff to the draft, Colbourne stated “I thought I retired”. What a goofball that Aussie!
Colbourne’s draft prospects don’t look great, as the kickers in the NSFL are all quite juiced with TPE at this point. Even with this, some monster stats and a few highlights are enough for Frost. Frost plans to return to Australia and continue wrestling kangaroos in the outback. The 50 TPE he posts isn’t impressive, but the spirit he carried all season, and the friends he made along the way make him a perfect round 14’er.
Pick #82 Rotticus Scott, Cornerback, Myrtle Beach Buccaneers
Rotticus ended up being drafted onto the best defense in the history of pro football in the Myrtle Beach Buccaneers. Along with Hehateme PickSix, Jeffrey LaVert, Dax Frost, and Warren Stephens, the No Fly Zone pushed the backside of the defense to an appearance in the Ultimini. Although Rotticus didn’t get to play Corner due to the stellar performance by Dax and HeHateMe, he slotted in at safety next to LaVert and Stephens. Rotticus put up 49 tackles, both a fumble recovery and a forced fumble, 1 sack, and 2 passes defensed. Not the best stats, but he was in fact seen as an extremely raw prospect when Myrtle Beach took a risk on him in the 14th.
Rotticus boasts the highest TPE total out of the round 14’ers, clocking in with a massive 210 TPE. This number has seen him shoot up through the draft board, with analysts having him anywhere to as high as the 1st round, to as low as the 4th. Rotticus’ true value comes from his insane work ethic, as stats took a backseat to putting in a lot of work on the practice field this season for Myrtle Beach. NSFL teams took note of that, and he’s hoping that they take enough note to give him a decent contract going into his rookie year.
Pick #83 Matt Meagher, Running Back, Tijuana Luchadores
Meagher filled the role of a short distance, early down back for Tijuana this season. Although he didn’t eat yards like some other running backs in this draft (195 yards on 49 attempts), he came through in the clutch big time for the Luchadores this season, His 4 touchdowns put him solidly in the top 10 around the DSFL in touchdowns from the running back position. He actually was quite efficient with his touches for Tijuana, notching 4 yards per carry with a long run of 15 yards! His low man wins, tough nosed running style is truly yet another representation of that 14th round mindset.
Meagher is clocking in at 59 TPE, gaining 2 TPE since the last round 14 recap! This might not be enough for him to see any time at the next level next season (along with every other one of the round 14’ers). Some work next season in the DSFL could see him carve out a starting role for Tijuana if he gets back on the activity checks and weekly training though, and you can never truly count out a round 14’er.
Pick #84 Bubba Twatford, Line Backer, Minnesota Gray Ducks
Twatford closes out our round 14 recap, but in this case last is truly far from least. Coming off the edge for the Gray Ducks, Twatford won himself a ultimini this season! He beat fellow round 14’er Rotticus Scott and the Buccaneers, but at the end of the day as long as a round 14’er takes the trophy you can’t complain. Along with the great team achievement, Twatford put up a monster season, terrifying quarterbacks and running backs alike. 58 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 interception, and 3 passes defensed combined to make a standout season for Twatford, leaving him truly in the discussion for Linebacker of the Year.
Sadly, there has been reports that Twatford may be stepping back from pro football. His high work rate and ability to always be around the football lead to a lot of damage to his body. If he were to keep playing, he’d be clocking in at a respectable 131 TPE going into the draft. If he calls if quits here, the Gray Ducks will always have the ring they collected with the help of Bubba, and Bubba will always have the NSFL to come back to. A round 14’er for life, forever and always.
So, there you have it. The season 21 round 14’ers were a crazy bunch, with top prospects, kangaroo wrestlers, and former baseball players all over the place. On Friday we will most likely hear all of their names called, and some of them might even be top picks in the draft. So, what’s the moral of the story? The moral of the story is to never give up. Keep pounding, carry that underdog 14th round spirit with you.
Normally I’d do a mock draft of who I think will be 14th round picks, but that’s in bad taste. No one wants to be a 14th round pick, but things happen and people fall through the cracks. Some of you reading this right now might be 14th round picks, but don’t let that stop you. Everyone is on a level playing field, and just because you went under the radar doesn’t mean you can’t flourish in this league. If you do end up going in the 14th round, I will be in contact, and you’ll have a fan no matter what!
Pick #79 Ty Palmatier, Line Backer, Kansas City Coyotes
Ty is a buddy of mine from our affiliate league, Major League Redditball. There he is a pitcher, and a great clubhouse presence. Here, he decided he’s take a similar position, and signed up as a big body line backer. Last time we checked in Tyler had yet to see any playing time, picking up a torn activity check injury. Starting out behind, it was tough for him to see the light on the other side of the tunnel, but he ended up coming out the other side for the Coyotes. He put up 15 tackles, a sack, an interception, and 2 passes defensed in just 6 games! After not putting up a single stat for the first 8 games of the year, one has to think he could’ve been in contention for Linebacker of the year if he got to play out the full season.
Ty’s torn activity check left him with no real time to gain TPE, leaving him at 57 TPE going into the draft on Friday night. I could see him slipping back into the draft the same way he did in the DSFL draft, but that should just be more fuel to a scrappy gym rat like Ty. Even if Palmatier doesn’t return to his update sheet and truly heal from the torn activity check, the fact that he slotted into a role in the Coyotes' defense after a nearly career ending injury carries on the true spirit of the round 14’ers. Overcome, adapt, and attack.
Pick #80 JZ, Safety, Norfolk Seawolves
Another buddy from our affiliate leagues Major League Numberball and Major League Redditball, JZ kept up his stellar stats from our first visit with the round fourteeners. This is nothing new to JZ, as his college career saw him putting up monster numbers wherever he played on the defense. JZ racked up a monster 80 tackles, adding in one pass defensed. This put him at FOURTEENTH in tackles for the season in the DSFL. I mean, come on. That can’t be a coincidence, a 14th rounder finishing 14th in tackles? That’s divine intervention right there. Some things truly are meant to be.
Although these stats really jump off the index at you, the one thing that’s holding JZ back from making that next step and being a top pick in the NSFL is his work ethic. His college coaches openly stated that they had issues getting Ty to train every week, and any time his professors assigned a trivia assignment or point task it would always come back in someone else’s handwriting, clearly not done by him. The 50 TPE he’s sporting right now does not bode well for his future in the NSFL, but the Seawolves will always have this crazy ball hawking season to look back at.
Pick #81 Colbourne Frost, Kicker, Portland Pythons
Colbourne Frost is actually an alias for a name I won’t state, but he holds the distinguished position of a commissioner in Major League Redditball! A distant cousin of current top prospect Dax Frost, Colbourne decided to enter the DSFL as a kicker after starting out as a professional Kangaroo wrestler in Australia. Frost posted a 86.7% extra point percentage, and an 80% Field Goal percentage in his debut season for the Pythons. A season long 44 yard field goal was the highlight for this first time footballer, along with a total of 49 point scored on the season. When asked for some comment on the leadoff to the draft, Colbourne stated “I thought I retired”. What a goofball that Aussie!
Colbourne’s draft prospects don’t look great, as the kickers in the NSFL are all quite juiced with TPE at this point. Even with this, some monster stats and a few highlights are enough for Frost. Frost plans to return to Australia and continue wrestling kangaroos in the outback. The 50 TPE he posts isn’t impressive, but the spirit he carried all season, and the friends he made along the way make him a perfect round 14’er.
Pick #82 Rotticus Scott, Cornerback, Myrtle Beach Buccaneers
Rotticus ended up being drafted onto the best defense in the history of pro football in the Myrtle Beach Buccaneers. Along with Hehateme PickSix, Jeffrey LaVert, Dax Frost, and Warren Stephens, the No Fly Zone pushed the backside of the defense to an appearance in the Ultimini. Although Rotticus didn’t get to play Corner due to the stellar performance by Dax and HeHateMe, he slotted in at safety next to LaVert and Stephens. Rotticus put up 49 tackles, both a fumble recovery and a forced fumble, 1 sack, and 2 passes defensed. Not the best stats, but he was in fact seen as an extremely raw prospect when Myrtle Beach took a risk on him in the 14th.
Rotticus boasts the highest TPE total out of the round 14’ers, clocking in with a massive 210 TPE. This number has seen him shoot up through the draft board, with analysts having him anywhere to as high as the 1st round, to as low as the 4th. Rotticus’ true value comes from his insane work ethic, as stats took a backseat to putting in a lot of work on the practice field this season for Myrtle Beach. NSFL teams took note of that, and he’s hoping that they take enough note to give him a decent contract going into his rookie year.
Pick #83 Matt Meagher, Running Back, Tijuana Luchadores
Meagher filled the role of a short distance, early down back for Tijuana this season. Although he didn’t eat yards like some other running backs in this draft (195 yards on 49 attempts), he came through in the clutch big time for the Luchadores this season, His 4 touchdowns put him solidly in the top 10 around the DSFL in touchdowns from the running back position. He actually was quite efficient with his touches for Tijuana, notching 4 yards per carry with a long run of 15 yards! His low man wins, tough nosed running style is truly yet another representation of that 14th round mindset.
Meagher is clocking in at 59 TPE, gaining 2 TPE since the last round 14 recap! This might not be enough for him to see any time at the next level next season (along with every other one of the round 14’ers). Some work next season in the DSFL could see him carve out a starting role for Tijuana if he gets back on the activity checks and weekly training though, and you can never truly count out a round 14’er.
Pick #84 Bubba Twatford, Line Backer, Minnesota Gray Ducks
Twatford closes out our round 14 recap, but in this case last is truly far from least. Coming off the edge for the Gray Ducks, Twatford won himself a ultimini this season! He beat fellow round 14’er Rotticus Scott and the Buccaneers, but at the end of the day as long as a round 14’er takes the trophy you can’t complain. Along with the great team achievement, Twatford put up a monster season, terrifying quarterbacks and running backs alike. 58 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 interception, and 3 passes defensed combined to make a standout season for Twatford, leaving him truly in the discussion for Linebacker of the Year.
Sadly, there has been reports that Twatford may be stepping back from pro football. His high work rate and ability to always be around the football lead to a lot of damage to his body. If he were to keep playing, he’d be clocking in at a respectable 131 TPE going into the draft. If he calls if quits here, the Gray Ducks will always have the ring they collected with the help of Bubba, and Bubba will always have the NSFL to come back to. A round 14’er for life, forever and always.
So, there you have it. The season 21 round 14’ers were a crazy bunch, with top prospects, kangaroo wrestlers, and former baseball players all over the place. On Friday we will most likely hear all of their names called, and some of them might even be top picks in the draft. So, what’s the moral of the story? The moral of the story is to never give up. Keep pounding, carry that underdog 14th round spirit with you.
Normally I’d do a mock draft of who I think will be 14th round picks, but that’s in bad taste. No one wants to be a 14th round pick, but things happen and people fall through the cracks. Some of you reading this right now might be 14th round picks, but don’t let that stop you. Everyone is on a level playing field, and just because you went under the radar doesn’t mean you can’t flourish in this league. If you do end up going in the 14th round, I will be in contact, and you’ll have a fan no matter what!
![[Image: RottiSig.png]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/610574797684080653/777265306702970910/RottiSig.png)
