SaberCats Assigned All-Ironman WR/DB Mike Brown, Former SaberCats OL Patrick Afif and WR Samora Good
October 19, 2010 - Arena Football League (AFL)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
SAN JOSE - The San Jose SaberCats today announced the assignment of All-Ironman WR/DB Mike Brown as well as former SaberCats OL Patrick Afif and WR Samora Goodson. The team was also assigned DB Courtney Bryan, DL Shemiah LeGrande, WR Kevin Robinson and K Rob Zarrilli, by the league office. Per team policy, terms were not disclosed.
WR/DB MIKE BROWN
An All-Ironman selection in 2006, given to players who play both on offense and defense, and a 2008 ArenaBowl champion with the Philadelphia Soul, Brown (6-0, 170) has totaled 111 receptions for 1,338 yards and 16 touchdowns to go along with 58 rushes for 170 yards and 11 touchdowns in six seasons in the AFL. In the return game, Brown has returned 145 kicks for 2,895 yards and six touchdowns, while tallying 296 tackles, 19 interceptions, 24 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries, on defense.
"Mike is a seasoned veteran of the AFL and ArenaBowl champion," Head Coach Darren Arbet said. "He is still one of the best defenders and returners in the game today who will bring valuable experience to our team."
Brown joins the SaberCats after spending the 2010 season with the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz, playing exclusively at defensive back. He registered 45 tackles, two interceptions and one forced fumble.
"I'm very happy to be here with the organization, the coaches and the players that Coach Arbet is bringing in," Brown said. "I think it's really going to set us up for a good season in 2011 and I'm very excited about our chances of winning another ArenaBowl."
OL PATRICK AFIF
Afif (6-7, 315) rejoins the SaberCats after helping the team to ArenaBowl XXI in 2007. He began his first season in the AFL with San Jose, starting in six games on the offensive line before his season was ended due to injury.
"Patrick was a part of championship run early in the 2007 season where he was a big part of our offensive line," Arbet said. "We're happy to have him back to help us towards our fourth ArenaBowl."
In three seasons in the league, Afif has played for the SaberCats, Arizona Rattlers (2008) and Orlando Predators (2010). He also served separate stints with the Rio Grande Valley Dorados (2006) of af2, Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (2009), Florida Tuskers (2009), New York Sentinels (2009) and Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL (2010).
WR SAMORA GOODSON
Goodson (6-3, 205) rejoins the SaberCats after originally signing with San Jose prior to the 2008 season, where he spent a majority of the year on the practice squad before being elevated to the active roster during the postseason.
"We liked what we saw from Samora in 2008," Arbet said. "He has an understanding of our system and brings athleticism as well as experience to our team."
Goodson started two seasons at Southeast Missouri, totaling 37 receptions for 439 yards and four touchdowns. He transferred from Citrus Community College where he earned All-Western State Conference and all-state honors.
DB COURTNEY BRYAN
Bryan (6-0, 210) played for the Miami Dolphins from 2007-08 after being signed as an undrafted free agent out of New Mexico State. He played in 19 games for the Dolphins, totaling 10 tackles and a fumble recovery on defense to go along with four special teams tackles.
"Courtney is a tremendous athlete who has played at a number of positions over his football career," Head Coach Darren Arbet said. "He will be able to help us in a variety of ways and adds to the large talent pool we have put together over the past couple weeks."
A four-year letterman at New Mexico State, Bryan played in 36 games (19 starts) at cornerback, finishing his career with 96 tackles, seven interceptions and 28 pass breakups. He led the team in interceptions both as a junior and a senior and was named second-team All-Western Athletic Conference his final season with the Lobos.
DL SHEMIAH LEGRANDE
LeGrande (6-0, 295) spent time with the Detroit Lions (2008), Arizona Cardinals (2009), the Bloomington Extreme of the Indoor Football League (2010) and the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League (2010).
"At Hofstra, Shemiah really showed he could clog up the middle and the ability to penetrate the pocket," Arbet said.
"We're looking forward to him doing similar things for us this season."
A second-team All-Colonial selection in 2007 at Hofstra, LeGrande played in 44 games for the Pride, registering 150 tackles, 12 sacks and 18 tackles for loss.
WR KEVIN ROBINSON
Robinson (5-11, 200) was a sixth-round draft choice (182nd overall) of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2007. After his stint with Kansas City, he joined the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the Canadian Football League from 2009-10.
"Kevin is an all-purpose threat who can affect the game whenever he has the ball in his hands," Arbet said. "He enjoyed an outstanding career at Utah State and further deepens the level of talent we have at wide receiver."
A first-team Sporting News Freshman All-American in 2004 at Utah State, Robinson totaled 178 receptions for 2,485 yards and 21 touchdowns for his career. A dynamic threat in the return game, Robinson fielded 78 punts for 1,104 yards and four touchdowns to go along with 110 kick returns for 2,725 yards and four touchdowns, with a career-high 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
K ROB ZARRILLI
Zarrilli (6-1, 195) played three seasons for Hofstra, connecting on 49-of-66 field goals and 79-of-85 extra point attempts while earning All-America honors his first two years for the Pride. Zarrilli transferred to Hofstra after spending his redshirt freshman season at Louisville.
"Rob has a very strong leg and has shown he can be accurate while at Hofstra," Arbet said.
A native of Brooklyn, NY, Zarrilli attended Colonial High School (FL) where he was voted all-county as a placekicker his senior season.
The XVI, XVIII and XXI ArenaBowl champion, San Jose SaberCats, return to the Arena Football League for their 15th season starting in 2011. The SaberCats began play in 1995, playing their home games at HP Pavilion. Fans and sponsors can go to www.thesanjosesabercats.com or call 408-673-3400 to sign up to receive the latest news and updates about the SaberCats, as well as to pre-register for ticket information. Make sure to follow the SaberCats on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest news on the team.
• Discuss this story on the Arena Football League message board...
Arena Football League Stories from October 19, 2010
- SaberCats Assigned All-Ironman WR/DB Mike Brown, Former SaberCats OL Patrick Afif and WR Samora Good - San Jose SaberCats
- Sharks Add Quarterback to Roster - Jacksonville Sharks
- Georgia Force Tryout Saturday, October 23rd - Georgia Force
- Pittsburgh Power Signs Defensive End Josh Gaines - Pittsburgh Power
- Pittsburgh Power Sign Four Players - Pittsburgh Power
- Barnstormers Add Two More to Roster - Iowa Barnstormers
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.
