With the Season 9 NSFL Draft wrapped up, I wanted to take this chance to look at the newest class of San Jose SaberCats, now including me. And with the draft stock the SaberCats built up, it brought them quite a haul that will hopefully turn into championships when these picks mature into ready-to-go professionals. San Jose hauled in 8 new prospects from this class, accounting for one quarter of the entire pool. We'll have plenty to discuss for each player's inaugural DSFL season, the needs they fill, their current outlook and what might be expected of them when they move up to the NSFL to stay.
1st Overall -
Xavier Flash, WR @Leafs4ever
Somewhat of a surprise to come out first overall with many mocks expecting the 'Cats to take Bucky Barnes first. Flash had a phenomenal rookie season with the DSFL champions, leading all receivers with 76 catches, leading rookie wideouts and finishing second among all receivers in yards with 1,003. Flash also tied for second among all receivers with 5 TD, the only human-controlled rookie to accomplish that mark in Season 8.
He made 8 catches for 93 yards in the SFC Championship and 7 catches for 63 yards and a touchdown in a highly-defensive Ultimini. With San Jose identifying WR as a key need, they couldn't have made a better choice to fill it. With at least another season to marinate in the DSFL, Flash could bolt to the top of the NSFL when he hits the pro scene. Combining his Possession tendencies with speed and staying power to boot, Flash has a lot to live up to when he hits the big time, and he still could outpace such expectations.
4th Overall -
Kolby Deringer, LB (me)
Only to note this happened. I'm leaving analysis to less-biased reporters.
9th Overall -
Elijah Lagerfield, RB @JSS
Another explosive offensive rookie on the scene, Elijah Lagerfield willed the Pythons as hard as he could to contend last season and get them enough to make their NFC Championship bid against the Coyotes. Lagerfield led all rushers in the DSFL in Season 8 with 1,562 yards and tied for second with 10 touchdowns. He was sixth among all rushers with at least 100 attempts with an average of 4.9 yards per attempt. He rushed 17 times for 51 yards and a touchdown against the Coyotes in a losing excursion in the NFC final, still leading the team against a solid KC defense.
Lagerfield goes all-in to the speed back model, planning his game on being fast, even if he's not that strong. Another season in the DSFL would help either round him into a more complete back or help him build on his strengths even more, and perhaps confidence in the leap to the pros. It'll be up to him and the club how he fits in and whether they're ready for him to take the leap now. With how he looks now, though, he will become an instant asset once he gets called up to the club.
11th Overall - Zapp Brannigan, TE @pazuzu
Though not a target often sought out, Zapp Brannigan was nonetheless reliable for the DSFL champion Luchadores. The second selected of two TEs in this class, Brannigan made 58 catches for 435 yards and 1 TD last season for Tijuana. He caught 6 for 29 yards in the SFC Championship and 6 for 41 yards in the Ultimini, helping the Luchadores claw any ground they could forward in two low-scoring affairs.
Brannigan's playing style is more of a balanced tight end, ready to flex into whichever role a play calls for. He has decent speed and hands to go up for a safety pass when necessary for short yards and first downs, though he can throw up a decent block when the running back needs to go outside the tackles. Brannigan would do well with a little more time to develop, and the SaberCats can afford to give him that time with this draft having two, three seasons down the road in mind.
15th Overall - Barnaby Earl, LB @twiggin56
Barnaby Earl was one of the DSFL's top-performing LBs in last season's campaign for the Pythons, racking up 107 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 7 pass deflections and even blocking a field goal on special teams. Earl's a natural and can get his hands into any offense's business - all he needs to know is where. He put on a valiant performance for Portland in the NFC final against Kansas City, making 15 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and deflecting a pass.
With another round of seasoning in the DSFL, Earl could be a force alongside Deringer in the linebacker corps. He will have to develop more than he did this season, however, if he is to attain that level with some of the potential expectations based off Season 8. The NSFL eats naturals up for an afternoon snack if they're not tough enough. With that time in the D-League, however, he could still develop plenty for what the 'Cats will need out of him in the future.
17th Overall - Kyle Corbett, K/P @[@kylecorbett42]
The latecomer of the season in the DSFL, Kyle "The Rocket Man" Corbett stole the show at the end of the Ultimini. He first put on the second-best extra point percentage with 24/25 made for 96% and was also second in field goal percentage, going 30/32 for a 93.8% clip. Kid's got leg to go with that accuracy focus, too, sinking all 13 kicks from the 40-49 range plus his season-long 50-yard field goal at the final gun of the Ultimini you might have heard about, absolving him of his only missed XP early on in that contest. No one even cared about that when he sank the winner and he's consistent on PATs anyhow.
His punting still has time to develop as he improves there as well, with him taking 62 punts last season averaging 41 yards per punt with 7 landing inside the opponents' 20. If things work out wellf for the 'Cats, though, it won't be as great a concern, though having that in their toolbox will still be nice. San Jose has been in need on special teams in their quest to round out the entire squad, and with Corbett showing a cool head and nailing the kick that heralded him a championship hero in Mexico, he's got a bright future ahead of him if he stays the course.
21st Overall - DaQuan Richardson, CB @Dmann49
DaQuan Richardson put out a good season playing man-to-man secondary last season. He picked up 42 tackles at cornerback, made 3 interceptions, deflected 10 passes and scored 2 touchdowns on defense in Season 8. In playoffs, he put up 6 tackles in the SFC Championship against San Antonio in their upset bid. In the Ultimini, he also racked up 6 tackles plus an interception on Kansas City's first drive coming out of halftime, almost immediately killing their clear heads on offense and starting up the Luchadores' comeback from 17-0 down at the break.
As mentioned before, he's a bit of a natural, though he'll need to develop with the future in mind as the NSFL is unkind to naturals who coast on talent. He may have a chance to improve his training in Season 9 before the time comes when San Jose will start needing a return on their investment in him. Hopefully, he can be a key for Tijuana and prove useful to the 'Cats when his turn to move up comes.
23rd Overall - Alsan Arshad, WR @CptSquall
The route runner from Memphis coming to San Jose by way of Kansas City, Alsan Arshad had quite a few big plays in the KC depth last season. He pulled in 24 catches for 229 yards, a 9.5 YPC average, and came up with 3 touchdowns last season. Arshad has decent hands at his position, a bit of speed to boot, agility for good evasive measure, decent endurance and a bit of strength to make the difference when he gets caught.
He'll need to work his way up the depth chart in Kansas City first. His inaugural season appeared somewhat low on data, though in training, he could rise if he puts in the time. He may not become an immediate threat like Flash, though he could still be a surprise sleeper great if he gets after it and earns those chances to prove himself.
Sometime soon, I'll also write on how my Coyotes teammates went in the Draft, their outlooks for the future, both for Season 9: The Revenge Campaign and for their future NSFL careers. That will also include the new litter of Coyotes following the DSFL Draft. This is it for now, though. Thanks for tuning in and I'll see you next time!
(1,490)
1st Overall -
Xavier Flash, WR @Leafs4everSomewhat of a surprise to come out first overall with many mocks expecting the 'Cats to take Bucky Barnes first. Flash had a phenomenal rookie season with the DSFL champions, leading all receivers with 76 catches, leading rookie wideouts and finishing second among all receivers in yards with 1,003. Flash also tied for second among all receivers with 5 TD, the only human-controlled rookie to accomplish that mark in Season 8.
He made 8 catches for 93 yards in the SFC Championship and 7 catches for 63 yards and a touchdown in a highly-defensive Ultimini. With San Jose identifying WR as a key need, they couldn't have made a better choice to fill it. With at least another season to marinate in the DSFL, Flash could bolt to the top of the NSFL when he hits the pro scene. Combining his Possession tendencies with speed and staying power to boot, Flash has a lot to live up to when he hits the big time, and he still could outpace such expectations.
4th Overall -
Kolby Deringer, LB (me)Only to note this happened. I'm leaving analysis to less-biased reporters.
9th Overall -
Elijah Lagerfield, RB @JSSAnother explosive offensive rookie on the scene, Elijah Lagerfield willed the Pythons as hard as he could to contend last season and get them enough to make their NFC Championship bid against the Coyotes. Lagerfield led all rushers in the DSFL in Season 8 with 1,562 yards and tied for second with 10 touchdowns. He was sixth among all rushers with at least 100 attempts with an average of 4.9 yards per attempt. He rushed 17 times for 51 yards and a touchdown against the Coyotes in a losing excursion in the NFC final, still leading the team against a solid KC defense.
Lagerfield goes all-in to the speed back model, planning his game on being fast, even if he's not that strong. Another season in the DSFL would help either round him into a more complete back or help him build on his strengths even more, and perhaps confidence in the leap to the pros. It'll be up to him and the club how he fits in and whether they're ready for him to take the leap now. With how he looks now, though, he will become an instant asset once he gets called up to the club.
11th Overall -
Zapp Brannigan, TE @pazuzuThough not a target often sought out, Zapp Brannigan was nonetheless reliable for the DSFL champion Luchadores. The second selected of two TEs in this class, Brannigan made 58 catches for 435 yards and 1 TD last season for Tijuana. He caught 6 for 29 yards in the SFC Championship and 6 for 41 yards in the Ultimini, helping the Luchadores claw any ground they could forward in two low-scoring affairs.
Brannigan's playing style is more of a balanced tight end, ready to flex into whichever role a play calls for. He has decent speed and hands to go up for a safety pass when necessary for short yards and first downs, though he can throw up a decent block when the running back needs to go outside the tackles. Brannigan would do well with a little more time to develop, and the SaberCats can afford to give him that time with this draft having two, three seasons down the road in mind.
15th Overall -
Barnaby Earl, LB @twiggin56Barnaby Earl was one of the DSFL's top-performing LBs in last season's campaign for the Pythons, racking up 107 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 7 pass deflections and even blocking a field goal on special teams. Earl's a natural and can get his hands into any offense's business - all he needs to know is where. He put on a valiant performance for Portland in the NFC final against Kansas City, making 15 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and deflecting a pass.
With another round of seasoning in the DSFL, Earl could be a force alongside Deringer in the linebacker corps. He will have to develop more than he did this season, however, if he is to attain that level with some of the potential expectations based off Season 8. The NSFL eats naturals up for an afternoon snack if they're not tough enough. With that time in the D-League, however, he could still develop plenty for what the 'Cats will need out of him in the future.
17th Overall -
Kyle Corbett, K/P @[@kylecorbett42]The latecomer of the season in the DSFL, Kyle "The Rocket Man" Corbett stole the show at the end of the Ultimini. He first put on the second-best extra point percentage with 24/25 made for 96% and was also second in field goal percentage, going 30/32 for a 93.8% clip. Kid's got leg to go with that accuracy focus, too, sinking all 13 kicks from the 40-49 range plus his season-long 50-yard field goal at the final gun of the Ultimini you might have heard about, absolving him of his only missed XP early on in that contest. No one even cared about that when he sank the winner and he's consistent on PATs anyhow.
His punting still has time to develop as he improves there as well, with him taking 62 punts last season averaging 41 yards per punt with 7 landing inside the opponents' 20. If things work out wellf for the 'Cats, though, it won't be as great a concern, though having that in their toolbox will still be nice. San Jose has been in need on special teams in their quest to round out the entire squad, and with Corbett showing a cool head and nailing the kick that heralded him a championship hero in Mexico, he's got a bright future ahead of him if he stays the course.
21st Overall -
DaQuan Richardson, CB @Dmann49DaQuan Richardson put out a good season playing man-to-man secondary last season. He picked up 42 tackles at cornerback, made 3 interceptions, deflected 10 passes and scored 2 touchdowns on defense in Season 8. In playoffs, he put up 6 tackles in the SFC Championship against San Antonio in their upset bid. In the Ultimini, he also racked up 6 tackles plus an interception on Kansas City's first drive coming out of halftime, almost immediately killing their clear heads on offense and starting up the Luchadores' comeback from 17-0 down at the break.
As mentioned before, he's a bit of a natural, though he'll need to develop with the future in mind as the NSFL is unkind to naturals who coast on talent. He may have a chance to improve his training in Season 9 before the time comes when San Jose will start needing a return on their investment in him. Hopefully, he can be a key for Tijuana and prove useful to the 'Cats when his turn to move up comes.
23rd Overall -
Alsan Arshad, WR @CptSquallThe route runner from Memphis coming to San Jose by way of Kansas City, Alsan Arshad had quite a few big plays in the KC depth last season. He pulled in 24 catches for 229 yards, a 9.5 YPC average, and came up with 3 touchdowns last season. Arshad has decent hands at his position, a bit of speed to boot, agility for good evasive measure, decent endurance and a bit of strength to make the difference when he gets caught.
He'll need to work his way up the depth chart in Kansas City first. His inaugural season appeared somewhat low on data, though in training, he could rise if he puts in the time. He may not become an immediate threat like Flash, though he could still be a surprise sleeper great if he gets after it and earns those chances to prove himself.
Sometime soon, I'll also write on how my Coyotes teammates went in the Draft, their outlooks for the future, both for Season 9: The Revenge Campaign and for their future NSFL careers. That will also include the new litter of Coyotes following the DSFL Draft. This is it for now, though. Thanks for tuning in and I'll see you next time!
(1,490)
[OPTION]S27: 16 GP | 164 Att, 675 Yds, 8 TD | 35 Rec, 234 Yds, | 22 PC, 3 SA
[OPTION]S28: 16 GP | 176 Att, 743 Yds, 6 TD | 38 Rec, 311 Yds, 1 TD | 34 PC, 1 SA
[OPTION]=======================================
[OPTION]ISFL Postseason Stats
[OPTION]S24: 2 GP | 28 Att, 103 Yds, 1 TD | 4 Rec, 16 Yds, 1 TD | 3 PC
[OPTION]=======================================
[OPTION]ISFL Postseason Stats
[OPTION]S24: 2 GP | 28 Att, 103 Yds, 1 TD | 4 Rec, 16 Yds, 1 TD | 3 PC
[OPTION]S25: 3 GP | 56 Att, 225 Yds, 1 TD | 3 Rec, 39 Yds | 3 PC
[OPTION]S28: 3 GP | 44 Att, 222 Yds, 3 TD | 9 Rec, 72 Yds | 6 PC
[OPTION]=======================================
[OPTION]DSFL Regular Season Stats
[OPTION]S20: 14 GP | 241 Att, 1176 Yds, 14 TD | 9 Rec, 62 Yds | 10 PC, 3 SA
[OPTION]=======================================
[OPTION]DSFL Postseason Stats
[OPTION]S20: 1 GP | 14 Att, 74 Yds, 1 TD
[OPTION]=======================================
[OPTION]Awards and Honors:
[OPTION]Ultimus Champion: S24, S25, S28
[OPTION]ASFC Champion: S24, S25
[OPTION]DSFL Regular Season Stats
[OPTION]S20: 14 GP | 241 Att, 1176 Yds, 14 TD | 9 Rec, 62 Yds | 10 PC, 3 SA
[OPTION]=======================================
[OPTION]DSFL Postseason Stats
[OPTION]S20: 1 GP | 14 Att, 74 Yds, 1 TD
[OPTION]=======================================
[OPTION]Awards and Honors:
[OPTION]Ultimus Champion: S24, S25, S28
[OPTION]ASFC Champion: S24, S25
[OPTION]Ultimus Offensive Player of the Game: S28
[OPTION]NSFC Champion: S28
[OPTION]DSFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: S20
[OPTION]DSFL Pro Bowl: S20
[OPTION]=======================================
[OPTION]Career Events
[OPTION]S20: Selected 38th overall by the Kansas City Coyotes
[OPTION]S21: Selected 32nd overall by the San Jose SaberCats
[OPTION]NSFC Champion: S28
[OPTION]DSFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: S20
[OPTION]DSFL Pro Bowl: S20
[OPTION]=======================================
[OPTION]Career Events
[OPTION]S20: Selected 38th overall by the Kansas City Coyotes
[OPTION]S21: Selected 32nd overall by the San Jose SaberCats
[OPTION]S28: Announced retirement, traded to Yellowknife Wraiths
![[Image: FCsCXyq.png]](https://imgur.com/FCsCXyq.png)
