09-12-2021, 10:42 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-24-2021, 04:07 PM by Tesla. Edited 2 times in total.)
Quote:Word Count: 18,055. 1.5x Media.
It's been a very busy time for me, I meant to get this out right around draft day, but I just had a lot of things go out of control. Glad I managed to get it in in time for 1.5x though, and I hope you all enjoy this!
JY's S31 Big Board Extravaganza
Last season, I gave this a shot to try and stack rank the prospects in my own draft, which I will admit can be a conflict of interest as well. I feel that it went alright, but I had to learn more about the league and thankfully am now a season older here and thus a season wiser. I still don’t know much, but I do know more than I did before.
What ultimately happens here is that I use my expertise from the SHL and try to apply it as much as possible to the ISFL. When it comes to scouting and ranking prospects, the leagues have a lot of overlap of what a general manager will be looking for come draft day. There are differences in the sense of positional needs applying more in the ISFL potentially, and there is a difficulty for me in that I haven’t spoken with prospects in the ISFL Draft and thus cannot comment on what their expectations may be. I know the ISFL is a lot more heavy on position switching, and so it is very possible that I may rank prospects differently if I knew they would be willing to move and others not so willing.
That is the role of a journalist, though. We don’t always have all of the information, but we can run with the information we have. This is going to play a lot like a ranking article from The Athletic. If you saw my big board last season, it will look similar. I will divide the prospects up into their buckets so to say (positional rankings, or on the defense in groupings more so) and rank them by that. In the ISFL there are so many positions at play, one team may have wildly different rankings from another based on needs. Because I can’t account for needs as much, I just rank positionally and can maybe make an argument of who is in the discussion for being the top prospects overall.
The most publicized position in football, where a team realistically is made or broken. In the ISFL, this is the hardest position to play as there are just so few positions to be able to fill and with so much possible competition you need to be an absolute maximum earner to be able to take a spot typically. It is always going to be a lower count in this section, but the ones who are here are really great earners.
1. Wendell Sailor, POR
269 TPE, $162,435,352 Bank, 2 Former Players (1181 Max TPE, 57 Min TPE)
Passing Statistics: 49/69, 711 Yds, 71% Completion Percentage, 6 TD, 4 INT, 109 Passer Rating
This is guaranteed to be the hardest ranking I have to make. In the debate of quarterbacks, this is an extremely close field. When it’s close, I tend to lean on pedigree a bit but in this case I actually took a different approach and looked more at the bank to help me determine a leader for the class.
Wendell Sailor is the TPE leader for quarterbacks, has the biggest bank by a fairly wide margin and while his max TPE of a previous player is lower than the others, it was a recent player and I would fully expect that to be able to continue. That kind of bank is one that can carry you to max earning on this player, and really sets you up to be a great quarterback as a long-term option. The only fear to have is that something can come up in real life that pulls him away, and let’s be honest that fear exists for everybody. You can’t pass up on a great talent, simo is a fantastic user and addition to a locker room who can play that leader role perfectly.
Taking a look at the on field talent, Sailor was the only one restricted this season in play. It kind of works in my mind like a pitch count in baseball. They had a young quarterback who just saw the field when he needed to, getting reps in without a fear of getting hurt. Sailor is going to be taking over long-term for Portland soon, and showed out well with by far the highest passer rating of the league and an incredible 71% completion percentage. He can hit any window you leave open, but when he does miss it can be dangerous as he only has 20 incompletions but a fifth of those became interceptions. If that continues, he may be a liability, but with his incredible accuracy, I don’t foresee it being a problem.
Sailor is going to be a fantastic addition for any team, and while he doesn’t have the history you look for, he has recent history on his side and a massive bank that is prepared to make him a superstar for a long, long time.
2. Malcolm Savage, NOR
256 TPE, $63,039,320 Bank, 1 Former Player (1293 Max TPE)
Passing Statistics: 288/501, 3766 Yds, 57.5% Completion Percentage, 19 TD, 12 INT, 84 Passer Rating
Now on to the part where I continue to be conflicted. While I selected Sailor as the top quarterback prospect at this point, it just is so close and you can see it here. Savage is a great prospect, the second best in TPE but only by about 13 TPE. He does have the lowest bank among the quarterbacks, which is where he slid to second on my rankings, but his pedigree is solid. While the other two quarterbacks in this class have had failed players to go along with their more recent successes, this is somebody who has yet to have a failed player and I don’t foresee it happening here with Savage.
Norfolk was not a great team this year, and so Savage’s numbers being a bit lower are reasonable and understandable. He had the lowest completion percentage in the league, showing that he may be a bit more wild and more of a gunslinger. That is further supported by him also having the longest passing play of the year in the DSFL this season. He has arm strength for days, but could work on getting it to the right target. For a team like Norfolk, he had his struggles for sure. But if he goes to a team with a solid receiving corps that can outrun and just get under the ball, he should have no problem putting up a ton of yards every season.
I’m not very familiar with Moosey, but I know he is in the SHL as well and to my understanding is a fairly likeable person. Ultimately, they have every reason to expect that he’ll be a fantastic addition to any team and should be a huge pick up in the draft for anyone in need of a quarterback.
3. Carter Knight, KCC
220 TPE, $113,274,139 Bank, 2 Former Players (1559 Max TPE, 214 Min TPE)
Passing Statistics: 308/498, 3503 Yds, 61.8% Completion Percentage, 22 TD, 9 INT, 90.1 Passer Rating
Finally on to the third rank where we have yet another player that could easily be the top ranked prospect for the quarterbacks. He is behind quite a bit in TPE, nearly a full 50 TPE behind Sailor. However, he has the second largest bank and a previous max earner that led the quarterback prospects. To my understanding, 1500 TPE here is like the 2000 TPE of the SHL, you have to be a super earner to make it there and this is someone who was able to manage that. That is incredible, and with it being their most recent player, it is logical to say they can do it again in a very highly sought after position where you need the best of the best in terms of earning. That bank can ride you out for a long time, and the TPE is something that can be negligible. In the grand scheme of things, what is 50 TPE? Not a ton.
Knight played on a fairly good Kansas City team this year, and showed that he has great touch. He had the lowest interceptions in the league among players with more than 400 pass attempts – the Portland duo had fewer but neither hit 400 pass attempts. He was second in completion percentage, ignoring Sailor and his few attempts, and put up respectable middle of the road numbers on yardage and passer rating. Knight showed to have the ability to get the ball where it needs to go, though he did have a fairly low yards per attempt comparatively. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders, able to make a solid read and make a play without trying to force things. It’s harder to teach at the ISFL level, and so to see that poise at this level is huge.
This is another user I just am not familiar with personally, but with a high bank and the pedigree of a maximum earning player, it’s reasonable to think he should be highly sought after as well. He is going to be a great pick up for anybody who jumps on him, but to me he landed third just on basically a coin flip.
This can be a big difference maker for a team, and if you get the right person for your offense, they can open things up massively. Not every team can run an air raid, and realistically the most successful at passing are the teams that can run the ball just as well. This group wasn’t the hardest to rank, but does feature some good options this time around.
1. Ken Oath, BBB
261 TPE, $61,242,473 Bank, 1 Former Player (1267 Max TPE)
Rushing Statistics: 147 Carries, 641 Yds, 4.4 AYC, 5 TD
Receiving Statistics: 9 Catches, 47 Yds
What a surprise pick, right? I pick the player with the highest bank, highest TPE and a former player that shows great pedigree as they were a very high earner just under 1300 TPE at their peak. This feels like a no-brainer as the top running back of the class, and realistically is somebody that could easily be a high earner for their second player in a row. There is always a hesitation with players who have never experienced failure, as it is possible they could find themselves getting burned out on their newest player but I don’t see that coming up as a problem here. With such a good bank stored up, Oath should be a fine player no matter what.
Oath was the worst statistically among the rookies this season, with only 147 carries, he just wasn’t as featured in the line-up as the others were. He had a fair average yards per carry, getting a number that any coach would love at just over four yards per carry, but it just isn’t really spectacular. He didn’t get too involved in the passing game either, having about a third as many drops as he had catches and not really getting things moving in the air much. Realistically, a running back is usually a check down option, and Oath was splitting carries with Tron Carter, so it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that he could be a bit of a sleeper agent for the passing game and just didn’t have as much of an opportunity to show it.
Oath is a great option for a team in need of a strong running game, seemingly more of a hard-nosed, north-south runner than the others in the draft. However, if you want to be an air it out offense, maybe he isn’t the best pick up right now. He has a long way to go, though, and could easily develop into an all-around player over time. He seems like a good user with a great history of making good players, and so I see him as the first running back off the board personally.
2. Beniri T'Chawama, DAL
273 TPE, $1,219,430 Bank, No Former Players
Rushing Statistics: 193 Carries, 941 Yds, 4.9 AYC, 8 TD
Receiving Statistics: 12 Catches, 107 Yds
I know Dextaria from the SHL and I know him as a very smart, very active user that people really love to be around. That is a fantastic addition to any team, and somebody that you want around. The fear here is that he just doesn’t have the bank to keep up. While he is the TPE leader for the running backs this season, that 12 TPE is negligible compared to an over $60-million difference in bank accounts. Dextaria has built a great bank in the SHL, but I know there are a lot of users that make their way from the SHL and see the ISFL as a bit of a more casual experience and don’t intend to make a lot of money. He could be that way with it, just using the affiliation. He’ll have no problem earning TPE, but I don’t know that he’ll be racking up the equipment purchases every season.
On the field, T’Chawama was clearly the guy for Dallas and nearly put up over a thousand yards on the ground and if we include his receiving yardage, he did have over a thousand yards from scrimmage at least. He has the highest average yards per carry and touchdowns among the draftees this season, showing he has the ability to make big plays and find the endzone. His play in the passing game wasn’t the best, but he was able to be a big more featured and have a bit more of an impact. While he didn’t find a way to the endzone in the passing game, he was able to get the ball moving consistently and as running backs are more of a checkdown option, that shows the ability to ball and make plays.
Like I said, I know Dextaria is a great user. Realistically, I would rank him pretty highly based on TPE and the knowledge that he’s a big locker room addition. The fear is just that you have nothing from his past to bank on to know that he’ll make a good player, and with such a low bank value, he could be on the fringes for a long time or be someone that needs to take up extra budget space that some teams just don’t have. He would be a great pick-up, but it is a debate to have and that is why he finished second here.
3. Lot Smith VIII, KCC
242 TPE, $36,428,765 Bank, 2 Former Players (408 Max TPE, 85 Min TPE)
Rushing Statistics: 215 Carries, 1005 Yds, 4.7 AYC, 7 TD
Receiving Statistics: 11 Catches, 75 Yds, 1 TD
Another user I know I have encountered on the SHL before, and I believe comes from the PBE as well. So you know he has the affiliation that he can lean on, similar to Dextaria. The good with him is that he has an alright bank that should mean he can be decent earner at the least. He has one negative to him, really, which is that his past will haunt teams. Having two players and barely making it over 400 TPE, it’s hard to foresee him being a superstar in the league. He has the ability to, and that bank is good enough to give you a chance at anything. He just isn’t going to be able to lean on it like say Sailor could. This could be a shortsighted view on my part, and I accept that. It just seems that history shows a bit of a reputation, and so I lean into that on what is ultimately a very difficult decision.
What adds to how difficult this is, is if we look at the sim side of things. Smith had it all figured out for the most part, putting up over a thousand yards in his rookie season on the ground and being the only rookie running back to score through the air this season. He was also the most relied on of the rookies, but his 4.7 average yards per carry is a ridiculously high number and shows that he has a prowess for moving the chains. Realistically, Smith was a high impact player and the question will just be if that can translate to the next level as well.
Smith is a tricky one to rank, and ultimately I put him third mostly on history. He has a lot to back up that he should be great this time around, showing that he has the bank and the TPE and he had success with his build to a degree. This is just something that I always get a little wary of. One miss is a mistake, two is a trend. Whatever team does take the risk and takes him may end up with a hall of fame worthy player. This is probably the most boom or bust pick I can line out from this group.
After a very deep group last season at this position, we again have a pretty deep group. This is the second largest group in the draft, and it is an important one. While quarterbacks are the motor that keeps the train moving, the wide receiver is the track keeping it from going off a cliff. It is a glamorous position, one that has a major impact on play and is often filled with loud characters. The teams that jump on wide receivers do it with confidence they’ll be impact players soon, and I see quite a few who could be here.
1. Kotoni Staggs, BBB
271 TPE, $19,109,105 Bank, No Former Players
Receiving Statistics: 85 Receptions, 1111 Yds, 13.1 YPR, 4 TD, 15 Drops
This wasn’t all that close to me. Staggs may not have any history in this league, but the ones in this group that do really lack much success in the past. What we’ve seen already from Staggs here is somebody who knows how to build a good, deep bank account, and is a fantastic earner as the second highest earner in the class behind only Dextaria listed earlier. I don’t know if emfaith comes from another league, as I haven’t encountered them in SHL and I don’t have a history in PBE. However, they seem to be pretty comfortable with what they’re doing here and they have definitely set themselves apart in this class by a pretty wide margin.
In terms of play, Staggs was one of many to top the thousand yard marker in the air. Really the only struggles that Staggs had was in what are ultimately turnovers. They had four fumbles, which is a pretty massive number for a wide receiver who only gets the ball typically when they have some openings to work with. They also had 15 drops, while only getting to the endzone 4 times. Those drops don’t look like the biggest deal in the world, but all it takes is to have the wrong drop at the wrong time and you’re basically stalling out an offense. The thing is, that doesn’t really hurt Staggs because even through all of that, they had 85 catches! That is ridiculous, and getting over a thousand yards is a massive achievement for a rookie. Realistically, Staggs was a big impact player with three plays over 40 yards even.
My lack of familiarity with this user plays a part for me, but I feel like this is the easiest no-brainer in this draft. A solid bank that can be built on and made to be a max earning bank, and great earning already that hasn’t really had a big effect on that bank yet. There is no history of a former player here, and so if they are a true first gen, that’s a great addition to a locker room in terms of enthusiasm and is likely to come in without having any prior feelings about a team. A nice easy pick at this stage when things are going to be difficult moving forward in this group.
2. French Fries, NOR
225 TPE, $12,750,000 Bank, No Former Players
Receiving Statistics: 96 Receptions, 1596 Yds, 16.6 YPR, 8 TD, 15 Drops
Like I said, things get difficult. I know, this is a different choice than probably many of you would have. Jaycee Higgins and Rodka Raskolnikov both have reasons to believe they belong in this spot. I made a different choice and went with French Fries, and that comes down to that pedigree. While it can help massively to be a recreate, I often lean toward first-generation players when I can and especially when that history isn’t some massive superstar player. French Fries is more likely to be a big locker room addition as someone who hasn’t had any preconceived notions coming in and could really be molded by the general manager that does get a hold of him. He hasn’t appeared to miss any point tasks, and so is on the path of a max earner and should have no issue catching up on the small TPE difference that remains here.
On the field is another place that French Fries excelled. Fries was the DSFL leader in yards, and nearly had 100 receptions while having a fairly solid 8 touchdown grabs. He was a deep ball threat, similar to a Randy Moss type of figure in Norfolk. While he still has the issue of drops, with his 15 matching that of Staggs, and he had three fumbles, he makes up for it with an extra four hundred yards. He was a dominating force in a group that was extremely young – they had three rookie receivers this season – and stood out massively from there.
The importance of this ranking is that Fries is a first-generation player to my knowledge. I like to lean toward that, knowing that he has yet to really stumble and can really be brought in as this excitable player who will be more likely to work with their general manager than someone coming in already with knowledge. Not everybody will think like I do on this, and that’s fine and understandable. This is a very contentious second place spot in the group, and I’ll explain why the others could easily make the argument to be here as well.
3. Jaycee Higgins, KCC
243 TPE, $46,707,850 Bank, 1 Former Player (567 Max TPE)
Receiving Statistics: 89 Receptions, 1300 Yds, 14.6 YPR, 11 TD, 11 Drops
The largest bank in the group falling to third, would you ever expect it? Not really, but it is what it is. Higgins is the third highest TPE player, and has some pedigree that actually was the key factor in them falling to the third spot. The TPE differences are negligible to me, but the history of a player that didn’t even make it to 600 TPE is a tricky one to estimate. I don’t know this user, of course. What I can speak on is that their history can show someone that was a steady earner, and is a good possible locker room addition. They have some familiarity, but seem like somebody that probably won’t be too dead set in their ways and could blow up from here.
Higgins has an argument also on the field to be the best receiver in this class. The 89 receptions is no joke, and hitting over 1300 yards is still a huge milestone to hit. They had 11 touchdowns to go against their 11 drops, one of two who had as many touchdowns as drops on the season. Higgins added more to the team than he cost them, only having one fumble as well. This is a great player who added in on the kick return with a 22-yard average on kick returns, and was a good run blocker with 14 pancake blocks in situations that some receivers just take a break.
This was a really difficult choice, and this is the reason Higgins is third when the next person also could argue to be second or third. They have a large enough bank to coast a bit, and can use it to give themselves time to build on it more and more. While they have a history that isn’t the greatest, they definitely aren’t damaged goods in any way and should be a good addition to whatever team comes around in the draft.
4. Rodka Raskolnikov, MINN
247 TPE, $24,356,000 Bank, 2 Former Players (725 Max TPE, 500 Min TPE)
Receiving Statistics: 51 Receptions, 775 Yds, 15.2 YPR, 6 TD, 7 Drops
The last of the players that could easily argue they deserve to be in the second spot on this list. Raskolnikov has the second largest bank in the group, and that partially comes from their history with the league having had two players prior to this point. Their best was just over 700 TPE, their worst at 500 TPE. That’s a good player, ultimately, because it does give you comfort. You know what you’re going to get if you take this player, and that can be a huge thing for a team making their pick. Getting somebody that you can comfortably say this is how they’ll develop is a great addition and helps you a lot with future planning to a degree. Raskolnikov is the second highest in TPE in the class, and could really be having their breakout in terms of building a player now, but I have them ranked lower with a lower bank needing to be built on still.
On the field, Raskolnikov represents a drop off of sorts in the class, with the lowest number of receptions of any receiver available. However, that ultimately comes down to opportunity. Raskolnikov is a very talented player, but being stuck behind Ivan Toastovich and Cliff Burton means there’s only so much to go around and you’re going to have a lot of times that you just don’t get the catches because they just aren’t even looking your way. The good for Raskolnikov is that he should see an increased role next season, and so while he wasn’t able to get to the thousand-yard mark, he still showed well with six touchdowns and should easily find himself on the rise quickly.
This was a hard ranking for me, as the comfort of knowing that this is someone who will give you a solid player almost guaranteed means that there is a natural value to be had there. However, at some point you have to swing for the fences really, and I don’t know that this is a fences kind of pick. Raskolnikov is likely going to have a very good career, but there is a question of if they’re a number one receiver on a winning team, and that’s okay.
5. Tony Demonson, BBB
208 TPE, $563,150 Bank, No Former Players
Receiving Statistics: 60 Receptions, 982 Yds, 16.4 YPR, 10 TD, 4 Drops
As we mention boom or bust, this is probably a boom or bust pick and I’m leaning toward boom ultimately. Demonson doesn’t have any history in the league, and wasn’t exactly a max earner. This is the last of the receivers in the draft over 200 TPE, and he is pretty clearly separated from the four above him and the three below him. This is a clear middle ground where Demonson occupies, and it’s an interesting position to be in. They lack in the bank, and so that’s a clear red flag, however they also are one of the most active players in the draft at this position having been on the site over seven hours in the last three weeks of the season and making 20 posts, which is a pretty solid amount. It seems they’ve gotten involved a lot, and that’s a great sign for the likelihood that they’ll at the very least be able to stay consistent with updating and be a good addition to a team, the question being how far they can go with their bank to really give themselves the opportunity to be the top guy on their team.
In Bondi Beach, Demonson was a pretty good receiver. Just outside the thousand-yard mark, but with just 60 receptions due to sharing the field with Squidward Tentacles and Kotoni Staggs. Demonson was able to make a pretty big impact with more limited opportunities, and especially so when you take into account the ten touchdowns that make a huge difference. It really seems that Demonson was a huge playe driver for Bondi Beach this season, as the lack of drops shows that they really had a knack for getting the ball and making big plays anytime they got that opportunity. It is without a doubt that Demonson is going to be a terror to DSFL teams next season.
This is an interesting one to look at, as they aren’t really in the range of the potentially elite picks but also are definitely well above the others in the class. This middle space is fascinating and will get somebody to bite, but it just makes for a difficult situation to predict. Demonson could become a superstar in the league, considering their activity levels, but they could struggle without earning a lot of money.
6. Johnny Patey, NOR
136 TPE, $3,706,800 Bank, No Former Players
Receiving Statistics: 61 Receptions, 579 Yds, 9.5 YPR, 3 TD, 6 Drops
These last three are hard to rank, honestly. I went with Patey in this spot because ultimately, he has a fine bank and hasn’t shown to have any problems exactly. He is active, for sure, as in a two week span he put up 17 posts, so he definitely is around and participating. He just doesn’t seem to be doing the big tasks. He’s focusing on just getting what he can, it feels like, and isn’t going above and beyond in any way. That’s fine, but that isn’t someone that you typically prioritize. Realistically, if it weren’t for the lack of other options, he probably drops down thanks to being the lowest TPE receiver in the class. However, he’s definitely the best option here, and at the very least should be a solid player for whoever does take him.
Patey was kind of unspectacular on the field as well this season, with double the drops as he had touchdowns and falling under 10 yards per reception. He made an impact on the game, and he did have to deal with a pretty difficult hand to be dealt being behind other draftees in French Fries and Malcador “The Hero.” I wouldn’t say he was a huge piece of the offense, but he kept the ball moving forward and definitely gave some serious help to the offense as the more short-yardage option that could keep the defense honest with having to play tighter to the line. This kind of player is great for helping to open up the field deep, just may not be the superstar of the team down the road.
Patey is a fine user it seems like, and has an okay bank for what he is doing thus far. I don’t think anyone is going to look at him and say this is a future hall of fame, max earning player. But not everyone needs to be that. This is a player that will be solid for you, earn consistently and that’s all you can really hope for sometimes. I don’t anticipate him going early, but he will be a fine pick wherever he goes.
7. Dumais Wells, TIJ
181 TPE, $996,000 Bank, 1 Former Player (103 Max TPE)
Receiving Statistics: 69 Receptions, 921 Yds, 13.3 YPR, 8 TD, 8 Drops
Boy is this a tough decision, but I’m going to lean Dumais Wells here with the hope of him coming back around. Wells is a great user who really can add to a locker room significantly, and that’s huge for a pick this late in the draft. However, he lacks a bank account really, and only put up three minutes of activity in the week prior to the draft, so he is very likely to be passed on by the majority if not all of the teams. He has a history with a low earning player, but it was so low that I don’t know that I would count it as their first time in the league really. Wells is a great person, but if he is gone, he’s not going to add much. This is the ultimate boom or bust potential, as if he comes around, he’ll be a huge addition to a locker room, but if he’s gone, there just isn’t any value there.
On the field, Wells was stealing my catches in Tijuana. That’s fine, ultimately, he did really well this season. Falling just under the thousand-yard marker, he managed to have 69 receptions (nice.) and was a strong deep threat to compare to my mid-range type of style. His touchdowns and drops were even, but the touchdowns were pretty big when he had them. The fairly even spread of the Tijuana offense meant that Wells was able to be featured pretty well, and he balled out at times.
Like I was saying, Wells is just boom or bust, who knows what you’ll get exactly but if he does come back around consistently he can be a major addition. If it weren’t for the pedigree on display by the next guy, he’d probably be my last ranked receiver, but I have to hope sometimes that you can get the boom out of them.
8. Malcador "The Hero", NOR
171 TPE, $15,155,760 Bank, 2 Former Players (293 Max TPE, 266 Min TPE)
Receiving Statistics: 81 Receptions, 1131 Yds, 14 YPR, 3 TD, 21 Drops
The last guy on the receiver board for me, and I mean no offense with this. The key to this ranking was the former players. The bank is solid, the TPE isn’t bad. The only thing that makes me very wary of him is that history of not being able to make it to 300 TPE even. He seems like a DSFL lifer from my view, and that’s just as someone who doesn’t really know this person. There is reason to believe they could be on the right path and could be using that bank to be more consistent in their earning and could pass the DSFL level this time around. I just have a hard time trusting it. Once is an accident, twice is a trend, basically.
This is unfortunate also because Hero was fantastic on the field this season for Norfolk, putting up over 1100 yards with 81 receptions. The only part that Hero wasn’t able to do was get the ball past the line, only having 3 touchdown receptions this season. Norfolk was a very pass happy offense, and that feeds into the 21 drops, which is by far the most for any draftee. He seems to play kind of a boom or bust style, and that boom hasn’t been the biggest thing but he does have that deep ball energy and can definitely move the chains at least. He just seems to struggle to get the ball when the field shortens, and that’s fine, there are other players with those abilities.
I like Hero to a degree, because that bank has been good and shows the ability to be consistent. He put up exactly an hour of time on the site in the last two weeks of the season before the draft, and so he hasn’t been around a lot but he is around more than Wells was. It is reasonable to expect that this could be the breakthrough for Hero, but I don’t see a superstar coming out of it and that is perfectly fine. Hero has an easy argument to make to be ranked at 7th, I just hold out hope for Wells. Hero will be a fine prospect, I hope they’re able to find consistency and break 300 for the first time.
One of the most interesting positions in the sport of football, Tight End is the only one that really has a significant impact on both pass and run plays without often getting the ball. This is a position that you need to get right, just to make the others on your team that much better.
1. Mark Goodhead, POR
212 TPE, $16,477,110 Bank, No Former Players
Receiving Statistics: 40 Receptions, 380 Yds, 9.5 YPR, 2 TD, 1 Drop, 21 Pancake Blocks
This is one of the more obvious picks for the top player at their position on this board, as Goodhead is very clearly the best tight end available. He has the most TPE, the best bank and while he doesn’t exactly have a history of great players, he is a first generation player and should be a more easily molded player to a degree. Goodhead looks to me like a fantastic prospect, somebody who has done a good amount of media and who has spent over five hours on the site in the last two weeks before the draft. To me, if you have an inkling that you need a tight end in the near future, this is a great pick to make and somebody that I would likely rank pretty highly compared to other positions as well.
Goodhead may not have been the most impactful tight end this season, but he definitely was a good contributor to the team with a huge amount of pancake blocks showing his effectiveness in the run game. Like I said at the start, tight ends are crucial at making the other players on your team better, and that is an example of how Goodhead is a great complementary piece for a dangerous running game. Then you take into account that he only had one drop, while he wasn’t targeted a lot, he is great at ball security and helping to move the chains. This is everything you want in a tight end, and is incredible to see honestly.
The clearest number one on the board, and that isn’t any offense to the others behind him who have been good. This is just a very good player, seems to be a great user, and I see no way to make an argument to drop him down this board at all. I could easily see him being a first round pick in this league considering how much of an impact he can make.
2. Anthony MacGuire, DAL
174 TPE, $9,319,320 Bank, 1 Former Player (Max TPE 118)
Receiving Statistics: 60 Receptions, 548 Yds, 9.1 YPR, 5 TDs, 5 Drops, 31 Pancake Blocks, 2 Sacks Allowed
This one is mostly built on the TPE and bank difference for the ranking. MacGuire is a good kid, who I know has a big impact over in the SHL as a new co-GM for the New Orleans Specters. I fully anticipate him being a pretty solid addition to whatever team does draft him, as he is a highly active user on discord and should be a good locker room piece. He has a fine enough bank to carry him to a good career going along with contract money over time. The real risk with him is that his first player busted pretty quickly, but I don’t foresee that here and because of that the guy with the better bank and TPE at draft time takes the lead on the board here.
MacGuire was a great addition to the Dallas offense, and in a season where it was pretty clear that tight ends just didn’t get the workload that they typically would, MacGuire was a player that was relied on in the Birddogs offense. His five drops are effectively negated by his five touchdowns, and he was a big part of the run game with 31 pancake blocks. The two sacks that were allowed are a bit of a fear to have, but he seems pretty solid as a blocker and can easily maul with the best of them. Realistically, he didn’t manage to move the ball very far, but he had enough to move the chains pretty consistently and should be admired for powering through pretty well as a versatile player.
It is a difficult rank to make, because the next player has the pedigree to show that they know what they’re doing. However, I lean on my expertise here and I see a better bank and higher TPE and I say let’s go for it. Add in that I know the user and can feel confident that they are going to be a great addition to any locker room you have, I feel this is the right choice to make, just won’t be as sought after as Goodhead should be.
3. Marquees Acho Jr., KCC
154 TPE, $1,452,988 Bank, 3 Former Players (Max TPE 900, Min TPE 50)
Receiving Statistics: 46 Receptions, 366 Yds, 8 YPR, 0 TD, 9 Drops, 11 Pancake Blocks, 1 Sack Allowed
Once again, there is nothing wrong with this player or user to say that they’re ranked last among the tight ends. The tight end group is a good group, and Acho has a lot to hang their hat on really to say they should be higher in the ranking. While they have the lowest TPE and bank, they also have the longest tenure on the site and have been the most active overall. They bring with them experience, which is a huge thing sometimes to add as they likely have people they’re close with and can help you bring to your team as well. They may be able to contribute ideas that others just don’t have the concept of at this point in time. The pedigree is the saving grace to me, the ability to get to 900 TPE is pretty huge and I truly think Acho is capable of doing it again. I just get scared away by that low bank account, personally.
Acho is in a similar predicament to Goodhead on the field, just somebody that wasn’t really used very often. He had more receptions, but went for fewer yards and definitely shows that this was the checkdown option when nothing would open up deep. No touchdowns shows a lack of ability to push through defenses, and the nine drops could be a pretty big deal. The pancake blocks are good, but also allowing a sack is just interesting to me for a tight end. Acho is an up-and-down kind of player, who I think will be fine down the line, but right now just didn’t pop on the field much.
I feel bad about this ranking, but I can justify it at least. Acho seems fine overall, and it seems if you need a tight end you can’t exactly go wrong with any of the three, it just is clear that there is a divide between them all to a degree. Acho is going to be a good player, but isn’t going to pop off the page for you.
I will always argue that this is possibly the most valuable position on the team. You need to score to win, and it’s hard to do that without a good blocker in front of your skill players. You need to give your quarterback time, you need to open lanes for your running back to get through. These are the least publicized guys, but some of the most impressive in the world, and every team should be praising their offensive lines massively.
1. Zoltan, OT, TIJ
190 TPE, $9,600,000 Bank, No Former Players
Statistics: 63 Pancake Blocks, 1 Sack Allowed
When it’s close, I lean on my expertise. In this case, I know Zoltan well. Not only from my connection in Tijuana with him, but also from knowing he’s a head office member in the SHL and is likely to be a very committed user just based on his history with the SHL. He is a great addition to a locker room, and it’s well known that his dog becomes the star of the show just about everywhere he goes. He is behind in TPE, but he has the higher bank and so to me is more likely to be able to fight his way back in that TPE difference. It being such a small difference, it is negligible down the line. Zoltan is a great locker room guy to have, and that’s really the big difference maker here is my knowledge of these guys.
Zoltan is a big, big boy. He’s 6’7” and 325 pounds, and that is fantastic for the position he plays. As a tackle, he did have one lapse where he allowed a sack but he bulldozes people pretty easily as shown in his 63 pancake blocks this season. He has the wingspan and athleticism needed to defend against some speedy and strong pass rushers, and should have a good first step to set the pocket and keep your quarterback safe. Last season I saw a lot of linemen playing in positions I thought didn’t really fit them, but this is a perfect fit for the tackle position and being realistically the most important player for a pass heavy offense.
This is a close debate, and if you told me you had Carimi above Zoltan, I wouldn’t argue it. I like both options here, and Carimi is a bit more active in the ISFL than Zoltan is. This is just a personal preference, and I have more exposure to Zoltan driving my choices here. He is a fantastic person and I have no doubt he’ll make a fantastic player here as well.
2. Michael Carimi, G, POR
212 TPE, $6,418,440 Bank, No Former Players
Statistics: 53 Pancake Blocks, 0 Sacks Allowed
Looking at Carimi, he definitely has an argument to be the top dog in the offensive line for this draft class. He is 22 TPE above Zoltan, and still has a good bank account to be able to build from here as this isn’t exactly a slacker in that regard. He just has a little less than Zoltan, but that isn’t exactly something that will guarantee more or less earning really. Just like Zoltan, this is his first player in the league, so the chances are that Carimi is moldable, excited to get into things and should be a good addition to whatever team he gets on. He is a more active user on the boards, with nearly four hours on the boards in the two weeks prior to the draft. That can be pretty important, as you can’t earn if you aren’t getting on the boards and for Zoltan, it may be that ISFL gets cut when busy while Carimi is more committed that way. Who knows, really.
On the field, Carimi is a great player for the inside of the line. He’s 6’5” and 325 pounds. That is a serious force to be reckoned with on run blocking primarily. He had 53 pancake blocks, which is a major number to have, and his ability to keep from allowing a sack is great, though it is a lot more rare for a guard to allow a sack against their quarterback. Carimi has the wingspan and ability to move to the outside of the line, but with his more stout nature – he is the same weight as Zoltan while two inches shorter – is perfectly aligned for that inside role that can really push through and lead the way for an effective run offense. It is a perfect balance here, Zoltan is a pass offense dream while Carimi is perfect for running games.
This is a toss up, legitimately. Carimi could be the number one lineman in this draft easily, and it really depends on your team and the conversations you have. Realistically, this is why scouting interviews are a thing, because that is what it would come down to for Zoltan and Carimi. The two are going to be in a heavy debate for any team considering a lineman, and there doesn’t appear to be a wrong option here at all.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO POST 2
What ultimately happens here is that I use my expertise from the SHL and try to apply it as much as possible to the ISFL. When it comes to scouting and ranking prospects, the leagues have a lot of overlap of what a general manager will be looking for come draft day. There are differences in the sense of positional needs applying more in the ISFL potentially, and there is a difficulty for me in that I haven’t spoken with prospects in the ISFL Draft and thus cannot comment on what their expectations may be. I know the ISFL is a lot more heavy on position switching, and so it is very possible that I may rank prospects differently if I knew they would be willing to move and others not so willing.
That is the role of a journalist, though. We don’t always have all of the information, but we can run with the information we have. This is going to play a lot like a ranking article from The Athletic. If you saw my big board last season, it will look similar. I will divide the prospects up into their buckets so to say (positional rankings, or on the defense in groupings more so) and rank them by that. In the ISFL there are so many positions at play, one team may have wildly different rankings from another based on needs. Because I can’t account for needs as much, I just rank positionally and can maybe make an argument of who is in the discussion for being the top prospects overall.
QUARTERBACKS
The most publicized position in football, where a team realistically is made or broken. In the ISFL, this is the hardest position to play as there are just so few positions to be able to fill and with so much possible competition you need to be an absolute maximum earner to be able to take a spot typically. It is always going to be a lower count in this section, but the ones who are here are really great earners.
1. Wendell Sailor, POR
269 TPE, $162,435,352 Bank, 2 Former Players (1181 Max TPE, 57 Min TPE)
Passing Statistics: 49/69, 711 Yds, 71% Completion Percentage, 6 TD, 4 INT, 109 Passer Rating
This is guaranteed to be the hardest ranking I have to make. In the debate of quarterbacks, this is an extremely close field. When it’s close, I tend to lean on pedigree a bit but in this case I actually took a different approach and looked more at the bank to help me determine a leader for the class.
Wendell Sailor is the TPE leader for quarterbacks, has the biggest bank by a fairly wide margin and while his max TPE of a previous player is lower than the others, it was a recent player and I would fully expect that to be able to continue. That kind of bank is one that can carry you to max earning on this player, and really sets you up to be a great quarterback as a long-term option. The only fear to have is that something can come up in real life that pulls him away, and let’s be honest that fear exists for everybody. You can’t pass up on a great talent, simo is a fantastic user and addition to a locker room who can play that leader role perfectly.
Taking a look at the on field talent, Sailor was the only one restricted this season in play. It kind of works in my mind like a pitch count in baseball. They had a young quarterback who just saw the field when he needed to, getting reps in without a fear of getting hurt. Sailor is going to be taking over long-term for Portland soon, and showed out well with by far the highest passer rating of the league and an incredible 71% completion percentage. He can hit any window you leave open, but when he does miss it can be dangerous as he only has 20 incompletions but a fifth of those became interceptions. If that continues, he may be a liability, but with his incredible accuracy, I don’t foresee it being a problem.
Sailor is going to be a fantastic addition for any team, and while he doesn’t have the history you look for, he has recent history on his side and a massive bank that is prepared to make him a superstar for a long, long time.
2. Malcolm Savage, NOR
256 TPE, $63,039,320 Bank, 1 Former Player (1293 Max TPE)
Passing Statistics: 288/501, 3766 Yds, 57.5% Completion Percentage, 19 TD, 12 INT, 84 Passer Rating
Now on to the part where I continue to be conflicted. While I selected Sailor as the top quarterback prospect at this point, it just is so close and you can see it here. Savage is a great prospect, the second best in TPE but only by about 13 TPE. He does have the lowest bank among the quarterbacks, which is where he slid to second on my rankings, but his pedigree is solid. While the other two quarterbacks in this class have had failed players to go along with their more recent successes, this is somebody who has yet to have a failed player and I don’t foresee it happening here with Savage.
Norfolk was not a great team this year, and so Savage’s numbers being a bit lower are reasonable and understandable. He had the lowest completion percentage in the league, showing that he may be a bit more wild and more of a gunslinger. That is further supported by him also having the longest passing play of the year in the DSFL this season. He has arm strength for days, but could work on getting it to the right target. For a team like Norfolk, he had his struggles for sure. But if he goes to a team with a solid receiving corps that can outrun and just get under the ball, he should have no problem putting up a ton of yards every season.
I’m not very familiar with Moosey, but I know he is in the SHL as well and to my understanding is a fairly likeable person. Ultimately, they have every reason to expect that he’ll be a fantastic addition to any team and should be a huge pick up in the draft for anyone in need of a quarterback.
3. Carter Knight, KCC
220 TPE, $113,274,139 Bank, 2 Former Players (1559 Max TPE, 214 Min TPE)
Passing Statistics: 308/498, 3503 Yds, 61.8% Completion Percentage, 22 TD, 9 INT, 90.1 Passer Rating
Finally on to the third rank where we have yet another player that could easily be the top ranked prospect for the quarterbacks. He is behind quite a bit in TPE, nearly a full 50 TPE behind Sailor. However, he has the second largest bank and a previous max earner that led the quarterback prospects. To my understanding, 1500 TPE here is like the 2000 TPE of the SHL, you have to be a super earner to make it there and this is someone who was able to manage that. That is incredible, and with it being their most recent player, it is logical to say they can do it again in a very highly sought after position where you need the best of the best in terms of earning. That bank can ride you out for a long time, and the TPE is something that can be negligible. In the grand scheme of things, what is 50 TPE? Not a ton.
Knight played on a fairly good Kansas City team this year, and showed that he has great touch. He had the lowest interceptions in the league among players with more than 400 pass attempts – the Portland duo had fewer but neither hit 400 pass attempts. He was second in completion percentage, ignoring Sailor and his few attempts, and put up respectable middle of the road numbers on yardage and passer rating. Knight showed to have the ability to get the ball where it needs to go, though he did have a fairly low yards per attempt comparatively. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders, able to make a solid read and make a play without trying to force things. It’s harder to teach at the ISFL level, and so to see that poise at this level is huge.
This is another user I just am not familiar with personally, but with a high bank and the pedigree of a maximum earning player, it’s reasonable to think he should be highly sought after as well. He is going to be a great pick up for anybody who jumps on him, but to me he landed third just on basically a coin flip.
RUNNING BACK
This can be a big difference maker for a team, and if you get the right person for your offense, they can open things up massively. Not every team can run an air raid, and realistically the most successful at passing are the teams that can run the ball just as well. This group wasn’t the hardest to rank, but does feature some good options this time around.
1. Ken Oath, BBB
261 TPE, $61,242,473 Bank, 1 Former Player (1267 Max TPE)
Rushing Statistics: 147 Carries, 641 Yds, 4.4 AYC, 5 TD
Receiving Statistics: 9 Catches, 47 Yds
What a surprise pick, right? I pick the player with the highest bank, highest TPE and a former player that shows great pedigree as they were a very high earner just under 1300 TPE at their peak. This feels like a no-brainer as the top running back of the class, and realistically is somebody that could easily be a high earner for their second player in a row. There is always a hesitation with players who have never experienced failure, as it is possible they could find themselves getting burned out on their newest player but I don’t see that coming up as a problem here. With such a good bank stored up, Oath should be a fine player no matter what.
Oath was the worst statistically among the rookies this season, with only 147 carries, he just wasn’t as featured in the line-up as the others were. He had a fair average yards per carry, getting a number that any coach would love at just over four yards per carry, but it just isn’t really spectacular. He didn’t get too involved in the passing game either, having about a third as many drops as he had catches and not really getting things moving in the air much. Realistically, a running back is usually a check down option, and Oath was splitting carries with Tron Carter, so it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that he could be a bit of a sleeper agent for the passing game and just didn’t have as much of an opportunity to show it.
Oath is a great option for a team in need of a strong running game, seemingly more of a hard-nosed, north-south runner than the others in the draft. However, if you want to be an air it out offense, maybe he isn’t the best pick up right now. He has a long way to go, though, and could easily develop into an all-around player over time. He seems like a good user with a great history of making good players, and so I see him as the first running back off the board personally.
2. Beniri T'Chawama, DAL
273 TPE, $1,219,430 Bank, No Former Players
Rushing Statistics: 193 Carries, 941 Yds, 4.9 AYC, 8 TD
Receiving Statistics: 12 Catches, 107 Yds
I know Dextaria from the SHL and I know him as a very smart, very active user that people really love to be around. That is a fantastic addition to any team, and somebody that you want around. The fear here is that he just doesn’t have the bank to keep up. While he is the TPE leader for the running backs this season, that 12 TPE is negligible compared to an over $60-million difference in bank accounts. Dextaria has built a great bank in the SHL, but I know there are a lot of users that make their way from the SHL and see the ISFL as a bit of a more casual experience and don’t intend to make a lot of money. He could be that way with it, just using the affiliation. He’ll have no problem earning TPE, but I don’t know that he’ll be racking up the equipment purchases every season.
On the field, T’Chawama was clearly the guy for Dallas and nearly put up over a thousand yards on the ground and if we include his receiving yardage, he did have over a thousand yards from scrimmage at least. He has the highest average yards per carry and touchdowns among the draftees this season, showing he has the ability to make big plays and find the endzone. His play in the passing game wasn’t the best, but he was able to be a big more featured and have a bit more of an impact. While he didn’t find a way to the endzone in the passing game, he was able to get the ball moving consistently and as running backs are more of a checkdown option, that shows the ability to ball and make plays.
Like I said, I know Dextaria is a great user. Realistically, I would rank him pretty highly based on TPE and the knowledge that he’s a big locker room addition. The fear is just that you have nothing from his past to bank on to know that he’ll make a good player, and with such a low bank value, he could be on the fringes for a long time or be someone that needs to take up extra budget space that some teams just don’t have. He would be a great pick-up, but it is a debate to have and that is why he finished second here.
3. Lot Smith VIII, KCC
242 TPE, $36,428,765 Bank, 2 Former Players (408 Max TPE, 85 Min TPE)
Rushing Statistics: 215 Carries, 1005 Yds, 4.7 AYC, 7 TD
Receiving Statistics: 11 Catches, 75 Yds, 1 TD
Another user I know I have encountered on the SHL before, and I believe comes from the PBE as well. So you know he has the affiliation that he can lean on, similar to Dextaria. The good with him is that he has an alright bank that should mean he can be decent earner at the least. He has one negative to him, really, which is that his past will haunt teams. Having two players and barely making it over 400 TPE, it’s hard to foresee him being a superstar in the league. He has the ability to, and that bank is good enough to give you a chance at anything. He just isn’t going to be able to lean on it like say Sailor could. This could be a shortsighted view on my part, and I accept that. It just seems that history shows a bit of a reputation, and so I lean into that on what is ultimately a very difficult decision.
What adds to how difficult this is, is if we look at the sim side of things. Smith had it all figured out for the most part, putting up over a thousand yards in his rookie season on the ground and being the only rookie running back to score through the air this season. He was also the most relied on of the rookies, but his 4.7 average yards per carry is a ridiculously high number and shows that he has a prowess for moving the chains. Realistically, Smith was a high impact player and the question will just be if that can translate to the next level as well.
Smith is a tricky one to rank, and ultimately I put him third mostly on history. He has a lot to back up that he should be great this time around, showing that he has the bank and the TPE and he had success with his build to a degree. This is just something that I always get a little wary of. One miss is a mistake, two is a trend. Whatever team does take the risk and takes him may end up with a hall of fame worthy player. This is probably the most boom or bust pick I can line out from this group.
WIDE RECEIVERS
After a very deep group last season at this position, we again have a pretty deep group. This is the second largest group in the draft, and it is an important one. While quarterbacks are the motor that keeps the train moving, the wide receiver is the track keeping it from going off a cliff. It is a glamorous position, one that has a major impact on play and is often filled with loud characters. The teams that jump on wide receivers do it with confidence they’ll be impact players soon, and I see quite a few who could be here.
1. Kotoni Staggs, BBB
271 TPE, $19,109,105 Bank, No Former Players
Receiving Statistics: 85 Receptions, 1111 Yds, 13.1 YPR, 4 TD, 15 Drops
This wasn’t all that close to me. Staggs may not have any history in this league, but the ones in this group that do really lack much success in the past. What we’ve seen already from Staggs here is somebody who knows how to build a good, deep bank account, and is a fantastic earner as the second highest earner in the class behind only Dextaria listed earlier. I don’t know if emfaith comes from another league, as I haven’t encountered them in SHL and I don’t have a history in PBE. However, they seem to be pretty comfortable with what they’re doing here and they have definitely set themselves apart in this class by a pretty wide margin.
In terms of play, Staggs was one of many to top the thousand yard marker in the air. Really the only struggles that Staggs had was in what are ultimately turnovers. They had four fumbles, which is a pretty massive number for a wide receiver who only gets the ball typically when they have some openings to work with. They also had 15 drops, while only getting to the endzone 4 times. Those drops don’t look like the biggest deal in the world, but all it takes is to have the wrong drop at the wrong time and you’re basically stalling out an offense. The thing is, that doesn’t really hurt Staggs because even through all of that, they had 85 catches! That is ridiculous, and getting over a thousand yards is a massive achievement for a rookie. Realistically, Staggs was a big impact player with three plays over 40 yards even.
My lack of familiarity with this user plays a part for me, but I feel like this is the easiest no-brainer in this draft. A solid bank that can be built on and made to be a max earning bank, and great earning already that hasn’t really had a big effect on that bank yet. There is no history of a former player here, and so if they are a true first gen, that’s a great addition to a locker room in terms of enthusiasm and is likely to come in without having any prior feelings about a team. A nice easy pick at this stage when things are going to be difficult moving forward in this group.
2. French Fries, NOR
225 TPE, $12,750,000 Bank, No Former Players
Receiving Statistics: 96 Receptions, 1596 Yds, 16.6 YPR, 8 TD, 15 Drops
Like I said, things get difficult. I know, this is a different choice than probably many of you would have. Jaycee Higgins and Rodka Raskolnikov both have reasons to believe they belong in this spot. I made a different choice and went with French Fries, and that comes down to that pedigree. While it can help massively to be a recreate, I often lean toward first-generation players when I can and especially when that history isn’t some massive superstar player. French Fries is more likely to be a big locker room addition as someone who hasn’t had any preconceived notions coming in and could really be molded by the general manager that does get a hold of him. He hasn’t appeared to miss any point tasks, and so is on the path of a max earner and should have no issue catching up on the small TPE difference that remains here.
On the field is another place that French Fries excelled. Fries was the DSFL leader in yards, and nearly had 100 receptions while having a fairly solid 8 touchdown grabs. He was a deep ball threat, similar to a Randy Moss type of figure in Norfolk. While he still has the issue of drops, with his 15 matching that of Staggs, and he had three fumbles, he makes up for it with an extra four hundred yards. He was a dominating force in a group that was extremely young – they had three rookie receivers this season – and stood out massively from there.
The importance of this ranking is that Fries is a first-generation player to my knowledge. I like to lean toward that, knowing that he has yet to really stumble and can really be brought in as this excitable player who will be more likely to work with their general manager than someone coming in already with knowledge. Not everybody will think like I do on this, and that’s fine and understandable. This is a very contentious second place spot in the group, and I’ll explain why the others could easily make the argument to be here as well.
3. Jaycee Higgins, KCC
243 TPE, $46,707,850 Bank, 1 Former Player (567 Max TPE)
Receiving Statistics: 89 Receptions, 1300 Yds, 14.6 YPR, 11 TD, 11 Drops
The largest bank in the group falling to third, would you ever expect it? Not really, but it is what it is. Higgins is the third highest TPE player, and has some pedigree that actually was the key factor in them falling to the third spot. The TPE differences are negligible to me, but the history of a player that didn’t even make it to 600 TPE is a tricky one to estimate. I don’t know this user, of course. What I can speak on is that their history can show someone that was a steady earner, and is a good possible locker room addition. They have some familiarity, but seem like somebody that probably won’t be too dead set in their ways and could blow up from here.
Higgins has an argument also on the field to be the best receiver in this class. The 89 receptions is no joke, and hitting over 1300 yards is still a huge milestone to hit. They had 11 touchdowns to go against their 11 drops, one of two who had as many touchdowns as drops on the season. Higgins added more to the team than he cost them, only having one fumble as well. This is a great player who added in on the kick return with a 22-yard average on kick returns, and was a good run blocker with 14 pancake blocks in situations that some receivers just take a break.
This was a really difficult choice, and this is the reason Higgins is third when the next person also could argue to be second or third. They have a large enough bank to coast a bit, and can use it to give themselves time to build on it more and more. While they have a history that isn’t the greatest, they definitely aren’t damaged goods in any way and should be a good addition to whatever team comes around in the draft.
4. Rodka Raskolnikov, MINN
247 TPE, $24,356,000 Bank, 2 Former Players (725 Max TPE, 500 Min TPE)
Receiving Statistics: 51 Receptions, 775 Yds, 15.2 YPR, 6 TD, 7 Drops
The last of the players that could easily argue they deserve to be in the second spot on this list. Raskolnikov has the second largest bank in the group, and that partially comes from their history with the league having had two players prior to this point. Their best was just over 700 TPE, their worst at 500 TPE. That’s a good player, ultimately, because it does give you comfort. You know what you’re going to get if you take this player, and that can be a huge thing for a team making their pick. Getting somebody that you can comfortably say this is how they’ll develop is a great addition and helps you a lot with future planning to a degree. Raskolnikov is the second highest in TPE in the class, and could really be having their breakout in terms of building a player now, but I have them ranked lower with a lower bank needing to be built on still.
On the field, Raskolnikov represents a drop off of sorts in the class, with the lowest number of receptions of any receiver available. However, that ultimately comes down to opportunity. Raskolnikov is a very talented player, but being stuck behind Ivan Toastovich and Cliff Burton means there’s only so much to go around and you’re going to have a lot of times that you just don’t get the catches because they just aren’t even looking your way. The good for Raskolnikov is that he should see an increased role next season, and so while he wasn’t able to get to the thousand-yard mark, he still showed well with six touchdowns and should easily find himself on the rise quickly.
This was a hard ranking for me, as the comfort of knowing that this is someone who will give you a solid player almost guaranteed means that there is a natural value to be had there. However, at some point you have to swing for the fences really, and I don’t know that this is a fences kind of pick. Raskolnikov is likely going to have a very good career, but there is a question of if they’re a number one receiver on a winning team, and that’s okay.
5. Tony Demonson, BBB
208 TPE, $563,150 Bank, No Former Players
Receiving Statistics: 60 Receptions, 982 Yds, 16.4 YPR, 10 TD, 4 Drops
As we mention boom or bust, this is probably a boom or bust pick and I’m leaning toward boom ultimately. Demonson doesn’t have any history in the league, and wasn’t exactly a max earner. This is the last of the receivers in the draft over 200 TPE, and he is pretty clearly separated from the four above him and the three below him. This is a clear middle ground where Demonson occupies, and it’s an interesting position to be in. They lack in the bank, and so that’s a clear red flag, however they also are one of the most active players in the draft at this position having been on the site over seven hours in the last three weeks of the season and making 20 posts, which is a pretty solid amount. It seems they’ve gotten involved a lot, and that’s a great sign for the likelihood that they’ll at the very least be able to stay consistent with updating and be a good addition to a team, the question being how far they can go with their bank to really give themselves the opportunity to be the top guy on their team.
In Bondi Beach, Demonson was a pretty good receiver. Just outside the thousand-yard mark, but with just 60 receptions due to sharing the field with Squidward Tentacles and Kotoni Staggs. Demonson was able to make a pretty big impact with more limited opportunities, and especially so when you take into account the ten touchdowns that make a huge difference. It really seems that Demonson was a huge playe driver for Bondi Beach this season, as the lack of drops shows that they really had a knack for getting the ball and making big plays anytime they got that opportunity. It is without a doubt that Demonson is going to be a terror to DSFL teams next season.
This is an interesting one to look at, as they aren’t really in the range of the potentially elite picks but also are definitely well above the others in the class. This middle space is fascinating and will get somebody to bite, but it just makes for a difficult situation to predict. Demonson could become a superstar in the league, considering their activity levels, but they could struggle without earning a lot of money.
6. Johnny Patey, NOR
136 TPE, $3,706,800 Bank, No Former Players
Receiving Statistics: 61 Receptions, 579 Yds, 9.5 YPR, 3 TD, 6 Drops
These last three are hard to rank, honestly. I went with Patey in this spot because ultimately, he has a fine bank and hasn’t shown to have any problems exactly. He is active, for sure, as in a two week span he put up 17 posts, so he definitely is around and participating. He just doesn’t seem to be doing the big tasks. He’s focusing on just getting what he can, it feels like, and isn’t going above and beyond in any way. That’s fine, but that isn’t someone that you typically prioritize. Realistically, if it weren’t for the lack of other options, he probably drops down thanks to being the lowest TPE receiver in the class. However, he’s definitely the best option here, and at the very least should be a solid player for whoever does take him.
Patey was kind of unspectacular on the field as well this season, with double the drops as he had touchdowns and falling under 10 yards per reception. He made an impact on the game, and he did have to deal with a pretty difficult hand to be dealt being behind other draftees in French Fries and Malcador “The Hero.” I wouldn’t say he was a huge piece of the offense, but he kept the ball moving forward and definitely gave some serious help to the offense as the more short-yardage option that could keep the defense honest with having to play tighter to the line. This kind of player is great for helping to open up the field deep, just may not be the superstar of the team down the road.
Patey is a fine user it seems like, and has an okay bank for what he is doing thus far. I don’t think anyone is going to look at him and say this is a future hall of fame, max earning player. But not everyone needs to be that. This is a player that will be solid for you, earn consistently and that’s all you can really hope for sometimes. I don’t anticipate him going early, but he will be a fine pick wherever he goes.
7. Dumais Wells, TIJ
181 TPE, $996,000 Bank, 1 Former Player (103 Max TPE)
Receiving Statistics: 69 Receptions, 921 Yds, 13.3 YPR, 8 TD, 8 Drops
Boy is this a tough decision, but I’m going to lean Dumais Wells here with the hope of him coming back around. Wells is a great user who really can add to a locker room significantly, and that’s huge for a pick this late in the draft. However, he lacks a bank account really, and only put up three minutes of activity in the week prior to the draft, so he is very likely to be passed on by the majority if not all of the teams. He has a history with a low earning player, but it was so low that I don’t know that I would count it as their first time in the league really. Wells is a great person, but if he is gone, he’s not going to add much. This is the ultimate boom or bust potential, as if he comes around, he’ll be a huge addition to a locker room, but if he’s gone, there just isn’t any value there.
On the field, Wells was stealing my catches in Tijuana. That’s fine, ultimately, he did really well this season. Falling just under the thousand-yard marker, he managed to have 69 receptions (nice.) and was a strong deep threat to compare to my mid-range type of style. His touchdowns and drops were even, but the touchdowns were pretty big when he had them. The fairly even spread of the Tijuana offense meant that Wells was able to be featured pretty well, and he balled out at times.
Like I was saying, Wells is just boom or bust, who knows what you’ll get exactly but if he does come back around consistently he can be a major addition. If it weren’t for the pedigree on display by the next guy, he’d probably be my last ranked receiver, but I have to hope sometimes that you can get the boom out of them.
8. Malcador "The Hero", NOR
171 TPE, $15,155,760 Bank, 2 Former Players (293 Max TPE, 266 Min TPE)
Receiving Statistics: 81 Receptions, 1131 Yds, 14 YPR, 3 TD, 21 Drops
The last guy on the receiver board for me, and I mean no offense with this. The key to this ranking was the former players. The bank is solid, the TPE isn’t bad. The only thing that makes me very wary of him is that history of not being able to make it to 300 TPE even. He seems like a DSFL lifer from my view, and that’s just as someone who doesn’t really know this person. There is reason to believe they could be on the right path and could be using that bank to be more consistent in their earning and could pass the DSFL level this time around. I just have a hard time trusting it. Once is an accident, twice is a trend, basically.
This is unfortunate also because Hero was fantastic on the field this season for Norfolk, putting up over 1100 yards with 81 receptions. The only part that Hero wasn’t able to do was get the ball past the line, only having 3 touchdown receptions this season. Norfolk was a very pass happy offense, and that feeds into the 21 drops, which is by far the most for any draftee. He seems to play kind of a boom or bust style, and that boom hasn’t been the biggest thing but he does have that deep ball energy and can definitely move the chains at least. He just seems to struggle to get the ball when the field shortens, and that’s fine, there are other players with those abilities.
I like Hero to a degree, because that bank has been good and shows the ability to be consistent. He put up exactly an hour of time on the site in the last two weeks of the season before the draft, and so he hasn’t been around a lot but he is around more than Wells was. It is reasonable to expect that this could be the breakthrough for Hero, but I don’t see a superstar coming out of it and that is perfectly fine. Hero has an easy argument to make to be ranked at 7th, I just hold out hope for Wells. Hero will be a fine prospect, I hope they’re able to find consistency and break 300 for the first time.
TIGHT END
One of the most interesting positions in the sport of football, Tight End is the only one that really has a significant impact on both pass and run plays without often getting the ball. This is a position that you need to get right, just to make the others on your team that much better.
1. Mark Goodhead, POR
212 TPE, $16,477,110 Bank, No Former Players
Receiving Statistics: 40 Receptions, 380 Yds, 9.5 YPR, 2 TD, 1 Drop, 21 Pancake Blocks
This is one of the more obvious picks for the top player at their position on this board, as Goodhead is very clearly the best tight end available. He has the most TPE, the best bank and while he doesn’t exactly have a history of great players, he is a first generation player and should be a more easily molded player to a degree. Goodhead looks to me like a fantastic prospect, somebody who has done a good amount of media and who has spent over five hours on the site in the last two weeks before the draft. To me, if you have an inkling that you need a tight end in the near future, this is a great pick to make and somebody that I would likely rank pretty highly compared to other positions as well.
Goodhead may not have been the most impactful tight end this season, but he definitely was a good contributor to the team with a huge amount of pancake blocks showing his effectiveness in the run game. Like I said at the start, tight ends are crucial at making the other players on your team better, and that is an example of how Goodhead is a great complementary piece for a dangerous running game. Then you take into account that he only had one drop, while he wasn’t targeted a lot, he is great at ball security and helping to move the chains. This is everything you want in a tight end, and is incredible to see honestly.
The clearest number one on the board, and that isn’t any offense to the others behind him who have been good. This is just a very good player, seems to be a great user, and I see no way to make an argument to drop him down this board at all. I could easily see him being a first round pick in this league considering how much of an impact he can make.
2. Anthony MacGuire, DAL
174 TPE, $9,319,320 Bank, 1 Former Player (Max TPE 118)
Receiving Statistics: 60 Receptions, 548 Yds, 9.1 YPR, 5 TDs, 5 Drops, 31 Pancake Blocks, 2 Sacks Allowed
This one is mostly built on the TPE and bank difference for the ranking. MacGuire is a good kid, who I know has a big impact over in the SHL as a new co-GM for the New Orleans Specters. I fully anticipate him being a pretty solid addition to whatever team does draft him, as he is a highly active user on discord and should be a good locker room piece. He has a fine enough bank to carry him to a good career going along with contract money over time. The real risk with him is that his first player busted pretty quickly, but I don’t foresee that here and because of that the guy with the better bank and TPE at draft time takes the lead on the board here.
MacGuire was a great addition to the Dallas offense, and in a season where it was pretty clear that tight ends just didn’t get the workload that they typically would, MacGuire was a player that was relied on in the Birddogs offense. His five drops are effectively negated by his five touchdowns, and he was a big part of the run game with 31 pancake blocks. The two sacks that were allowed are a bit of a fear to have, but he seems pretty solid as a blocker and can easily maul with the best of them. Realistically, he didn’t manage to move the ball very far, but he had enough to move the chains pretty consistently and should be admired for powering through pretty well as a versatile player.
It is a difficult rank to make, because the next player has the pedigree to show that they know what they’re doing. However, I lean on my expertise here and I see a better bank and higher TPE and I say let’s go for it. Add in that I know the user and can feel confident that they are going to be a great addition to any locker room you have, I feel this is the right choice to make, just won’t be as sought after as Goodhead should be.
3. Marquees Acho Jr., KCC
154 TPE, $1,452,988 Bank, 3 Former Players (Max TPE 900, Min TPE 50)
Receiving Statistics: 46 Receptions, 366 Yds, 8 YPR, 0 TD, 9 Drops, 11 Pancake Blocks, 1 Sack Allowed
Once again, there is nothing wrong with this player or user to say that they’re ranked last among the tight ends. The tight end group is a good group, and Acho has a lot to hang their hat on really to say they should be higher in the ranking. While they have the lowest TPE and bank, they also have the longest tenure on the site and have been the most active overall. They bring with them experience, which is a huge thing sometimes to add as they likely have people they’re close with and can help you bring to your team as well. They may be able to contribute ideas that others just don’t have the concept of at this point in time. The pedigree is the saving grace to me, the ability to get to 900 TPE is pretty huge and I truly think Acho is capable of doing it again. I just get scared away by that low bank account, personally.
Acho is in a similar predicament to Goodhead on the field, just somebody that wasn’t really used very often. He had more receptions, but went for fewer yards and definitely shows that this was the checkdown option when nothing would open up deep. No touchdowns shows a lack of ability to push through defenses, and the nine drops could be a pretty big deal. The pancake blocks are good, but also allowing a sack is just interesting to me for a tight end. Acho is an up-and-down kind of player, who I think will be fine down the line, but right now just didn’t pop on the field much.
I feel bad about this ranking, but I can justify it at least. Acho seems fine overall, and it seems if you need a tight end you can’t exactly go wrong with any of the three, it just is clear that there is a divide between them all to a degree. Acho is going to be a good player, but isn’t going to pop off the page for you.
OFFENSIVE LINE
I will always argue that this is possibly the most valuable position on the team. You need to score to win, and it’s hard to do that without a good blocker in front of your skill players. You need to give your quarterback time, you need to open lanes for your running back to get through. These are the least publicized guys, but some of the most impressive in the world, and every team should be praising their offensive lines massively.
1. Zoltan, OT, TIJ
190 TPE, $9,600,000 Bank, No Former Players
Statistics: 63 Pancake Blocks, 1 Sack Allowed
When it’s close, I lean on my expertise. In this case, I know Zoltan well. Not only from my connection in Tijuana with him, but also from knowing he’s a head office member in the SHL and is likely to be a very committed user just based on his history with the SHL. He is a great addition to a locker room, and it’s well known that his dog becomes the star of the show just about everywhere he goes. He is behind in TPE, but he has the higher bank and so to me is more likely to be able to fight his way back in that TPE difference. It being such a small difference, it is negligible down the line. Zoltan is a great locker room guy to have, and that’s really the big difference maker here is my knowledge of these guys.
Zoltan is a big, big boy. He’s 6’7” and 325 pounds, and that is fantastic for the position he plays. As a tackle, he did have one lapse where he allowed a sack but he bulldozes people pretty easily as shown in his 63 pancake blocks this season. He has the wingspan and athleticism needed to defend against some speedy and strong pass rushers, and should have a good first step to set the pocket and keep your quarterback safe. Last season I saw a lot of linemen playing in positions I thought didn’t really fit them, but this is a perfect fit for the tackle position and being realistically the most important player for a pass heavy offense.
This is a close debate, and if you told me you had Carimi above Zoltan, I wouldn’t argue it. I like both options here, and Carimi is a bit more active in the ISFL than Zoltan is. This is just a personal preference, and I have more exposure to Zoltan driving my choices here. He is a fantastic person and I have no doubt he’ll make a fantastic player here as well.
2. Michael Carimi, G, POR
212 TPE, $6,418,440 Bank, No Former Players
Statistics: 53 Pancake Blocks, 0 Sacks Allowed
Looking at Carimi, he definitely has an argument to be the top dog in the offensive line for this draft class. He is 22 TPE above Zoltan, and still has a good bank account to be able to build from here as this isn’t exactly a slacker in that regard. He just has a little less than Zoltan, but that isn’t exactly something that will guarantee more or less earning really. Just like Zoltan, this is his first player in the league, so the chances are that Carimi is moldable, excited to get into things and should be a good addition to whatever team he gets on. He is a more active user on the boards, with nearly four hours on the boards in the two weeks prior to the draft. That can be pretty important, as you can’t earn if you aren’t getting on the boards and for Zoltan, it may be that ISFL gets cut when busy while Carimi is more committed that way. Who knows, really.
On the field, Carimi is a great player for the inside of the line. He’s 6’5” and 325 pounds. That is a serious force to be reckoned with on run blocking primarily. He had 53 pancake blocks, which is a major number to have, and his ability to keep from allowing a sack is great, though it is a lot more rare for a guard to allow a sack against their quarterback. Carimi has the wingspan and ability to move to the outside of the line, but with his more stout nature – he is the same weight as Zoltan while two inches shorter – is perfectly aligned for that inside role that can really push through and lead the way for an effective run offense. It is a perfect balance here, Zoltan is a pass offense dream while Carimi is perfect for running games.
This is a toss up, legitimately. Carimi could be the number one lineman in this draft easily, and it really depends on your team and the conversations you have. Realistically, this is why scouting interviews are a thing, because that is what it would come down to for Zoltan and Carimi. The two are going to be in a heavy debate for any team considering a lineman, and there doesn’t appear to be a wrong option here at all.
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