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Jacksonville Sharks

Sharks Build Depth with Three Wednesday Additions

December 5, 2012 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Jacksonville Sharks News Release


JACKSONVILLE - The 2012 South Division Champion Jacksonville Sharks announced Wednesday that the team has continued to build depth by making three additions. Defensive back Jamaal Fudge, wide receiver London Crawford and defensive back Cortez Stubbs have each been assigned to the Jacksonville roster on one-year contracts. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Each player caught the eye of the Sharks' coaching staff by participating in the team's open tryout held on December 1 in Nashville, Tennessee. Fudge is a Jacksonville native played with the New Orleans VooDoo last season, while both Crawford and Stubbs are set for their first respective seasons in the Arena Football League.

"London Crawford was a great receiver at Arkansas. He has good hands and should convert well to the indoor game," Sharks Head Coach Les Moss said. "Cortez Stubbs is a defensive back with a lot of speed and quickness, and Jamaal Fudge is an AFL veteran who played with New Orleans last year. Having both of them on board gives us depth at every position in the secondary."

The 29-year-old Fudge (5'10", 190) appeared in six games for the VooDoo as an AFL rookie, joining the team in the second half of the 2012 season. He recorded a total of 14.5 tackles (13 solo) and one pass breakup, notching a pair of tackles against the Sharks in Week 17.

Fudge also brings significant NFL experience to the Sharks, as he played for his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars from 2006-07 before logging time with the Atlanta Falcons in both 2008 and 2009. In 27 career NFL games, Fudge totaled 27 tackles (23 solo), grabbed an interception, forced a fumble and recorded two passes defended.

With the addition of Fudge, the Sharks have brought on yet another homegrown talent. Fudge attended Edward H. White High School in Jacksonville before playing football at Clemson University.

Crawford, 26 (6'3", 205), comes to Jacksonville with experience in both the NFL and CFL. After going undrafted in 2010, Crawford signed with the Houston Texans as a free agent. Though the Texans released him prior to the start of the NFL season, he then worked with the practice squads of both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts of the CFL.

Before beginning his professional career, Crawford played at the University of Arkansas, where he tallied 27 catches for 311 yards and a touchdown as a junior in 2009. Over the course of his four-year career as a Razorback, Crawford caught 53 catches for 747 yards and four scores. He also ran the ball eight times for 74 yards during his time in college. Crawford is a native of Mobile, Alabama.

The 24-year-old Stubbs (5'9", 185) was a two-year starter at Concordia College, located in Selma, Alabama. He recorded an interception against Football Championship Subdivision opponent Grambling State.

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