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Portland Adds Rookie WR Austin, DL Swanson

October 14, 2013 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Portland Thunder News Release


PORTLAND, OR - Portland's Arena Football team has added two more rookies to its roster in wide receiver Matt Austin and nose guard Kayon Swanson. The franchise has been active in acquiring talent this offseason, bringing its total roster count up to 12 players.

Austin (6-1, 200, Utah State) signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2013. Prior to his professional career, he played collegiately at Utah State University, where he led the Aggies in all receiving categories during his junior and senior seasons. Over his final two campaigns, Austin totaled 82 receptions for 1,194 yards with 11 touchdowns and was named a second-team All-WAC performer as a senior in 2012. He arrived at USU after transferring from Mt. San Antonio College (CA), where he earned all-conference accolades as a sophomore.

"Matt has great speed and a reliable set of hands," said Head Coach Matthew Sauk. "He has a natural ability to adjust to the ball in the air and make the tough catches. Matt has a passionate approach and I'm confident he will make a quick transition to the arena game."

Swanson (6-1, 300, Southern Illinois) was a dominant interior force during his college career at Southern Illinois University. Over four seasons with the Salukis, he racked up 146 tackles with 6.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. As a junior, Swanson garnered second-team All-Conference honors while leading the team with 52 tackles, including four sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. His best performance came against his stiffest competition, as he earned the National Defensive Player of the Week Award after recording two sacks and three tackles for loss against Mississippi in 2011.

"We want to build a strong defense but don't want to sacrifice speed in the process. Kayon brings both of those qualities to the interior of our defensive line. He can play with power but also has exceptional burst to gain penetration and disrupt the rhythm of an offense."

Portland opens its inaugural season at the Moda Center in March of 2014. For information on season tickets, call 503-773-4AFL. For the latest news and information, visit PortlandAFL.com or facebook.com/PDXAFL and follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@portlandafl).

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