Raiders Add Tremendous Athletes To Roster
November 3, 2011 - Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL)
Lakeland Raiders News Release
LAKELAND,FL- The Raider Battalion adds talent, athleticism, and dedicated players to an already impressive roster. The Raiders wanted to give you some information about some of the individuals that we have signed for the 2012 season.
Troy Johnson was a Prep Nation All-American in High School and was first team All-State his Senior season at Lakeland Senior High. He was part of the 2005 USA Today National Championship team and completed his final two years with a 30-0 record. He then took his talents to the Big Ten as an Iowa Hawkeye. Troy was highly recognized with his career-best 13 tackles at Michigan, including five solo stops and eight assists in October of 2010. Troy adds experience, great awareness and athleticism to our linebacker position.
Octavius "Gator" Day is welcomed back to the Lakeland organization. Gator was a major part of the 2007 AIFA Lakeland Thunderbolts championship season where he was honored as the championship game MVP. A product of Seabreeze High School, he is a talented wide receiver with a high playmaking ability. Gator was always recognized for his great route running and ability to find the open spots on the field where he could turn a small play into a touchdown with his speed and athleticism. He also brings years of experience in Indoor/Arena football and a great indoor football mentality that adds an extra dimension of a player that can be coaching other players during a game. Gator will be a force to be reckoned with.
Julius McClellan was a highly recruited wide receiver out of Lakeland Kathleen High School. He was arguably the most physically gifted wide receiver in the deep south during his high school career. McClellan is a huge target that runs extremely well and can run by people or through them. Julius attended the North Carolina Central University where he was a dominant force and then joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers & Carolina Panthers. His versatility makes him dangerous with the ball but helps because he can play on both sides of the ball. A great local product and is thrilled to be able to play in front of his home crowd. Julius adds speed and power to the Raiders where he will be used in a variety of different ways and will be a headache for defenses around the league.
Theo Wilson was a multi-sport student athlete at Dunedin High school. During his time there, he racked up over 6,000 all-purpose yards by throwing, running and receiving (courtesy of scout.com). He then attended Pearl River Community College and then transferred to the University of South Florida. Theo first played cornerback and then was moved to wide receiver. One of his biggest career moments for Theo was a game changing 77yrd catch that set up a touchdown against Florida State. South Florida would then upset the Florida State Seminoles in Doak Campbell Stadium. Theo can hurt an opponent in a variety of different ways. On offense at quarterback, running back or wide receiver. On defense, he can match up and be a shut down style corner back. Theo can also return kicks as well. He is another player that will keep opponents coaches up at night.
Kendrick Stewart adds another Lakeland Senior High School athlete to the roster. He was a highly ranked defensive tackle coming out of high school and was also named MVP of the State Championship as Lakeland defeated Florida power house, St. Thomas Aquinas. He was also recognized as a first team All-State member. Kendrick took his talents to Tallahassee where he played with the Florida State Seminoles. He was named the defensive Seminole Warrior following the 2008 regular season by the coaching staff and also the most improved defensive player in 2008. Kendrick is a multi position athlete that can play as a defensive tackle or as a defensive end.
Owner Michael Mink is very pleased with the group of athletes he currently has on his roster and commented "It's great to have a good core of players that you can always depend on each play. Makes my job easier knowing how athletic this group of guys are. I can't wait to start working with them!" Operations Manager Feddy Azofeifa also commented on this group. "This group is dominant! These men bring great football knowledge and experience which makes this team even more talented. I can't wait to get these guys into camp."
For more information about the Lakeland Raiders visit the team website at www.lakelandraiders.com or call 863-834-7511. The Raiders will be playing home games at The Lakeland Center. The Lakeland Center offers a full variety of sporting events, concerts and shows. The Lakeland Center is a short drive from anywhere in Central Florida. Regular box office hours are Monday-Friday 9:30am-5:30pm and can be reached at 863-834-8111.tLake c
The Raiders were founded by Michael Mink and owned by Michael Mink and Robert Tannenbaum. The Raiders are a Professional Indoor/Arena Football Team in the Ultimate Indoor Football League(www.theuifl.com). The Raiders organization is a community based team that supports affordable family fun and entertainment. The original Marine Raiders were honored a group of warriors and sons from America. The lost Marine Raider Battalions completed their mission in real war and were the pride of World War II. One Team. One Mission. The Invasion begins in 2012!
• Discuss this story on the Ultimate Indoor Football League message board...
Ultimate Indoor Football League Stories from November 3, 2011
- Monsters Hire Director of Corporate Sales & Sponsorships - UIFL
- Super Bowl Winning Barnett Joins Commandos - Cincinnati Commandos
- Raiders Add Tremendous Athletes To Roster - Lakeland Raiders
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.
