June 10, 2025 - 116 Games Today

10 Arena Football League 2024 Impact Signings

January 28, 2024 - Arena Football One (AF1) News Release

In preparation for the 2024 reboot of the Arena Football league teams are hard at work rounding out their rosters. Teams are looking for players who can fill needs, but more importantly for players that can make an instant impact in the 2024 season. While there are many player that should be impact signings this season of the AFL, here is an early top 10 of confirmed AFL signings.

Ramone Atkins - QB Nashville Kats

Believing that Ramone Atkins could be an instant impact player for the Nashville Kats isn't a huge leap, because Ramone Atkins was an instant impact player as a rookie last season in the IFL for the Tuscon Sugar Skulls. He made such an impact, that he was actually voted IFL rookie of the year last season. The 6-4 225 lbs QB completed 65% of his passes last season with an over 3 to 1 TD to INT ratio with 37 TD's to 11 INT's. He also adds an extra dynamic as a duel threat QB who ran for 692 yards with 21 rushing TD's.

Chris Elmore - FB/LB Iowa Rampage

Having experience playing at the highest level of college football, a Power 5 conference, can't be overlooked. Chris Elmore has ample P5 experience through his time at Syracuse in the ACC. In his time at Syracuse Elmore appeared in 53 games, starting 21 of them. He's a big back that could be a bruising runner around the goal line, taking advantage of his 6-1 280 lbs frame. His size leads me to believe that Elmore will transition well to iron man football and playing both ways as a FB/LB. His frame that makes him a load to tackle could also make him a bonafide run stuffer.

Lance Evans - WR/DB West Texas Desert Hawks

There was only one person in the NAL last season that topped Lance Evans in receptions, yardage, and touchdowns. He was one of two players to top the 1,000 yard mark and added 19 touchdowns to his yardage production. His yards per game (85.4) for the Carolina Cobras was good enough for third in the league, and his average yards per reception were good enough for top ten receivers with more than 10 receptions. His impact should be instant given who will be throwing him the ball in Odessa, the all time IFL passing yards leader, Charles McCullum.

Isaac Harker - QB Billings Outlaws

Experience at a high level goes a long way, and the CFL experience goes even further. After college football at the FCS and Division II level, Harker found a home with Saskatchewan of the CFL and even got a few starts under his belt in Canada. He's proven to be a very accurate passer in his time in Canada, hitting receivers at a 72% clip. Passing accuracy will prove paramount in the smaller confines of the Arena Football League game, and if he can duplicate his north of the border performance he'll have an instant impact for the Billings Outlaws.

Javin Kilgo - QB Salina Liberty

Javin Kilgore is another player that proved to be an impact player in 2022 when he won an IFL championship in 2022. The fact that Kilgo continues with head coach Heron O'Neal means that these two should be on the same page early while other newly formed teams might be subject to a gelling period to get QB's, receivers, and coaches all on the same page together.

Darius Prince - WR/DB Albany Firebirds

The Albany Firebirds might be loaded with instant impact players. Darius Prince brings something valuable to the table in the form of NFL experience combined with arena football experience. He spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018 and then the AAF in 2019 with the San Antonio Commanders. Last season Prince was in the NAL with the Orlando Predators and managed just shy of 1,000 yards (935) and was fourth in the league in receiving touchdowns.

Caleb Smith- WR/DB Albany Firebirds

Caleb Smith was the most productive receiver last season of the Albany Firebirds WR/DB signings. He spent 2023 with the Iowa Barnstormers of the IFL, and led his squad in touchdowns with 15. It's worth noting that Smith scored once in every 2.87 receptions.

Netori Johnson - OL/DL Philadelphia Soul

Netori Johnson doesn't just bring size to the table, he brings SEC size and SEC experience to the table. Johnson spent the first four seasons of his CFB career as a DL after an impressive high school career. He was a 4 star recruit out of high school and was selected to the East Team in the 2017 U.S. Army All American Bowl. After starting his collegiate career at Georgia, Johnson not only changed schools, but changed positions. Johnson made the move to the O-Line as a blue raider. This versatility should pay off immensely for the line play of the Philadelphia Soul as he continues to develop as an offensive lineman and still gets to utilize his skill set as a defensive player which he used under Kirby Smart at Georgia.

Tyarise Stevenson - OL/DL Salina Liberty

Stevenson brings a wealth of collegiate experience at the FBS level after playing 56 games at Tulsa University and starting 39 games. His performance in college was enough to earn him a spot last season with the Minnesota Vikings practice squad. Stevenson's size should be plenty to anchor any line in the AFL at 6-3, 365 lbs.

Clarence Williams - WR/DB Orlando Predators

Williams gets to fill in for the departing Darius Prince as the #1 receiving threat returning to the Orlando Predators after spending the last season with the Predators in the NAL. More of a home run threat, he averaged more scores per reception and yards per reception than Prince. His target share should go up with another year in the Predators offense as the returning WR1.

Arena Football One Stories from January 28, 2024

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.