Portland Adds Three Rookies to Roster

Published on November 25, 2013 under Arena Football League (AFL)
Portland Thunder News Release


PORTLAND, OR - The Portland Thunder added three more rookie players to its roster today, announcing the acquisitions of DB Isaac Madison, DB Varmah Sonie, and WR Douglas McNeil. As Portland ventures into its inaugural AFL season, the franchise now has 23 players on its 2014 roster, just 12 shy of the League-mandated 35-man limit for training camp.

Madison (5-11, 180, Arkansas) enters his first AFL season following NFL stints with the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions. At the University of Arkansas, he played in 45 career games and registered 89 tackles with two stops for loss, 14 pass breakups and one interception.

"Isaac is an explosive athlete with terrific cover skills," said Head Coach Matthew Sauk. "He has played against elite competition throughout his career and possesses the ability to matchup against any wide receiver."

Sonie (5-8, 175, Northern Iowa) earned second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference accolades during his senior season at the University of Northern Iowa. As a three-year starter, Sonie's career totals included 158 tackles, 7.5 stops for loss, 16 pass breakups, six interceptions, three forced fumbles and two blocked kicks. Sonie earned his roster spot after impressing the coaching staff during Portland's private invite workout last Wednesday.

"When transitioning to the AFL, it can be difficult to learn on the fly and immediately apply new techniques to the field, but Varmah accepted that challenge by attending our private workout. What we saw on film really translated in person. Varmah has a skill set that will give him the opportunity to play the middle safety position and cover opposing receivers in motion."

McNeil (6-3, 200, Bowie State) attended Virginia Tech and James Madison before transferring to Bowie State University (Bowie, MD), where he played three seasons and delivered 84 receptions for 1,407 yards and 11 touchdowns. McNeil specialized in making big plays, averaging over 19 yards per catch as a senior in 2012. He earned second-team All-Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association honors after leading BSU with 34 catches for 667 yards and five scores.

"Douglas is another wide receiver that really fits our mold. He's a tall, quick, and physical wide receiver that competes for the ball in the air. We feel his combination of size and speed will translate to the arena game."

The Portland Thunder will kick off its inaugural season at the Moda Center on Monday, March 17th when they take on the San Jose SaberCats. Season tickets are available for purchase starting as low as $99 by calling 503-773-4AFL or by visiting PortlandAFL.com.

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