Familiar faces return in NFLEL free agent draft
January 27, 2006 - National Football League Europa (NFLE) News Release
NFL Europe League fans will have familiar names to cheer during the 2006 season with the return of some star players from last season.
NFLEL coaches chose to protect a number of free agents from last season before rounding out their rosters of American players for training camp in Tampa Bay next month by selecting players in the annual NFLEL Free Agent Draft.
Among the players coming back to Europe is wide receiver RICKY BRYANT, who caught touchdown passes in each of the first four games for the Hamburg Sea Devils before his season was ruined by injury.
The Berlin Thunder will welcome back running back LITTLE JOHN FLOWERS, who was joint league leader with seven rushing touchdowns last season, and defensive back WILLIE FORD, who was joint second in the NFLEL with four interceptions.
Defensive tackle BRYAN SAVE is back for the Cologne Centurions after posting 30 tackles in 2005, while running back J.R. NIKLOS, who led his team with three rushing touchdowns, will again wear the purple of the Frankfurt Galaxy.
In the free agent draft itself, another NFLEL veteran was chosen as the first pick overall when the Rhein Fire selected former East Carolina defensive tackle JA'WAREN BLAIR, who posted 26 tackles and a pair of sacks for the Amsterdam Admirls in 2004.
As with the NFL Allocated Player Draft earlier in the day, teams took the opportunity to bolster their defenses, with only one of the first 18 players selected being an offensive specialist.
Two groups of players remain to be added to the NFLEL team rosters as preparations get underway for the 2006 season, which kicks off on March 18 and culminates in World Bowl XIV in Düsseldorf on May 27. NFL-allocated kickers/punters and this year's national players will all be assigned to teams during training camp.
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PROTECTED FREE AGENT PLAYERS (Protected players count ed against 4th, 5th and 6th round picks in the NFLEL Free Agent Draft)
NFLEL team Name Pos College
Amsterdam Earl Cochran DE Alabama State
Amsterdam Tyler Lenda T Penn State
Berlin Willie Ford CB Syracuse
Berlin Little John Flowers RB Michigan State
Berlin Ben Moa RB Utah
Cologne Randee Drew DB Northern Illinois
Cologne Omar Nazel DE Southern California
Cologne Bryan Save DT Colorado State
Frankfurt J.R. Niklos RB Western Illinois
Hamburg Ricky Bryant WR Hofstra
Hamburg Scott Genord LB Cal-Fullerton
Hamburg Ivory McCoy DE Michigan State
Rhein Terrence Robinson LB Oklahoma State
FREE AGENT DRAFT 2006
Round NFLEL Team Name Pos College
1 Rhein Ja'Waren Blair DT East Carolina
1 Frankfurt Josh Cooper DE Mississippi
1 Hamburg Uyi Osunde DE Connecticut
1 Cologne Darrell Wright DE Oregon
1 Berlin A.J. Lindsay DT Temple
1 Amsterdam James Lee DT Oregon State
2 Rhein Ronyell Whitaker CB Virginia Tech
2 Frankfurt Charles Howard DT Florida State
2 Hamburg Rayshun Reed CB Troy State
2 Cologne Reggie Newhouse WR Baylor
2 Berlin Joe Mimucci DT Delaware
2 Amsterdam Claude Harriott DE Pittsburgh
3 Amsterdam Kevin Timothee CB Florida International
3 Berlin Kevin Harrison LB Eastern Michigan
3 Cologne Todd Bates DE Alabama
3 Hamburg Jordan Kramer LB Idaho
3 Frankfurt Daryl Towns LB Nevada
3 Rhein Brian Atkinson LB Northern Illinois
5 Frankfurt Butchie Wallace RB Marshall
5 Rhein Guy Tuell LB Wyoming
6 Rhein Sasha Lancaster DE Arkansas
6 Frankfurt Joselio Hanson CB Texas Tech
6 Amsterdam Michael Tolbert LB Baylor
7 Amsterdam Sam Massey CB Morgan State
7 Berlin Reggie Love LB Duke
7 Cologne Thomas Houchin DE Kansas State
7 Hamburg Davern Williams DT Troy State
7 Frankfurt Joseph Scott LB Jackson State
7 Rhein Derrick Strong DE Illinois
8 Rhein Jameel Dumas LB Syracuse
8 Frankfurt Bill Alford CB Vanderbilt
8 Hamburg Marcell Willis WR Auburn
8 Cologne Chase Johnson C Texas Christian
8 Berlin Quentin Swain LB Florida Atlantic
8 Amsterdam Ben Herrell T Miami-Ohio
9 Amsterdam Lamar Lee CB Arkansas State
9 Berlin Marty Johnson RB Utah
9 Cologne Ryan Hoffman DE Shippinsburg State
9 Hamburg Byron Hardmon LB Florida
9 Frankfurt Travis Harris LB Florida
9 Rhein Johnathanio Conley DL Southeastern Louisiana
10 Frankfurt Hannibal Thomas WR Cincinnati
10 Hamburg Kevin Lewis DT Virginia Tech
10 Cologne Matt Clark CB UCLA
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National Football League Europa Stories from January 27, 2006
- Familiar faces return in NFLEL free agent draft - NFLE
- Cardinals DE King picked first in NFLEL Allocation Draft - NFLE
- Young NFL talent on way to Europe - NFLE
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