Cobras Stock up on Home Grown Talent
January 8, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Carolina Cobras News Release
CHARLOTTE - The Carolina Cobras coaching staff did not have to look very far as they worked to fill their 37-man training camp roster. This season's Cobras squad, which includes only five returning players from the 2003 campaign, features eight players with ties to the Carolinas.
"When you look at our roster," said Cobras Head Coach and Director of Football Operations Eddie Khayat, "it is clear to see that there is a great wealth of talent in North and South Carolina."
First-year offensive/defensive linemen DeAngelo Lloyd and Troy Pelshak will make their AFL debuts very close to home. Both players were raised in the Charlotte area and have spent multiple seasons in the National Football League. Lloyd, named as a Parade All-American and Shrine Bowl MVP while at Independence High School, has spent time with four NFL teams over the past three seasons. Pelshak earned a Super Bowl XXIV ring as a member of the St. Louis Rams following a stellar career at Garinger High School and North Carolina A&T.
Gastonia-native James Bowden joins the Cobras for his eighth season in the AFL. A graduate of Ashbrook High School and North Carolina A&T, he is one of the most prolific receivers and kick returners in league history. Bowden was named as an All-Arena performer in 2001 as a member of the Tampa Bay Storm.
Offensive/defensive lineman Bryan Ray and wide receiver/linebacker D.J. Humphries each make their AFL debuts with the Cobras in 2004 after enjoying successful collegiate careers in the Carolinas. A standout defensive lineman at Wake Forest University, Ray most recently spent time in the Carolina Panthers' training camp in 2002. Humphries, formerly of Union, South Carolina, joins the Cobras after signing with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2002 following a well-decorated career in football and basketball at Presbyterian College.
Offensive/defensive linemen Otis Moore and Robert Stewart will have the pleasure of playing in front of their families at the Charlotte Coliseum throughout the 2004 season. Both players have spent 10 seasons in the AFL, including three seasons as teammates with the Charlotte Rage from 1994-1996. Moore, a Clemson graduate, and Stewart, a former AFL Lineman of the Year, currently reside with their families in the Charlotte area and will be looked upon to provide leadership to a Cobras' line that features seven AFL rookies.
Veteran quarterback Rickey Foggie makes his return to the Carolinas after spending 14 seasons in the AFL and the Canadian Football League. A native of Waterloo, South Carolina, he enjoyed a standout prep career at Laurens High School prior to moving on to star at the University of Minnesota. Foggie, who currently ranks in the top 10 in all the major passing categories, will compete with Matt Nagy for the starting quarterback position on the 2004 roster.
The Cobras will make their public debut on Saturday, January 24 at the annual Fang Fest festivities at the Charlotte Coliseum from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. The Cobras kick off the 2004 season on Sunday, February 8 on the road against the Dallas Desperados.
Carolina will open its home schedule on Saturday, February 21 versus the Arizona Rattlers. Season tickets are on sale now and start as low as $64 per seat. For more information, call 877-4-COBRAS or visit www.cobrasfootball.com.
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