Top 25 Players of 2012: the Top 5
July 20, 2012 - Arena Football League (AFL) News Release
CHICAGO - Throughout the 2012 season, the Arena Football League has been counting down a number of "Top 25" lists to celebrate the League's Silver Anniversary. The lists have ranged from the "25 Greatest Uniforms in AFL History" to the "25 Greatest Players in AFL History". The majority of these lists have been voted on by the Silver Anniversary Committee, a group consisting of longtime AFL executives, media members and former players.
The League also wanted to include fans in select voting categories. Subscribers to AFL Field Pass, the official fan club of the Arena Football League, were tasked with deciding upon the Top 25 Players of the 2012 regular season. During Week 19 of the AFL season, the League office collected ballots from members and tallied the votes. The results were divided into five segments, beginning with numbers 21-25 and ending with the announcement of the Top 5 Players of 2012.
1. Utah Blaze QB Tommy Grady
Tommy Grady has put together perhaps the greatest individual season an Arena Football League quarterback has ever seen. Through 17 games, Grady has completed 483 passes on 701 attempts for 5,579 yards and 137 touchdowns. In Week 19, Grady tied the AFL single-game record for passing touchdowns with 12, becoming the first quarterback in AFL history to record three double-digit touchdown games in a season. Grady is a candidate for Russell Offensive Player of the Year and National Guard MVP of the Year.
2. Philadelphia Soul WR Tiger Jones
Jones became the first receiver in AFL history to record back-to-back 2,000-yard seasons. Jones finished the year with 133 receptions for 2,010 yards and 47 touchdowns. Jones ranks second in the League in yards per game (125.6) and third in yards per catch (15.1). Jones earned AFL Playmaker of the Week honors in Week 17 after hauling in 12 balls for 204 yards and six touchdowns in his final game with the Soul. Jones is a candidate for Russell Offensive Player of the Year and Cutters Wide Receiver of the Year.
3. Arizona Rattlers QB Nick Davila
The defending National Guard MVP of the Year, Nick Davila, broke his own single-season franchise record for passing yards by totaling 5,137 in 2012. "The Latin Laser" leads the League in yards per attempt (9.3) and completion (14.0) and ranks third in total offense (5,182 yards/113 touchdowns). He is 11 touchdown passes shy of his own single-season franchise record of 117 touchdowns, set last season. Davila is a candidate for Russell Offensive Player of the Year and National Guard MVP of the Year.
4. Iowa Barnstormers WR Jesse Schmidt
The AFL's scoring leader could break as many as eight receiving records by the end of the 2012 regular season. Schmidt became the first receiver in AFL history to record back-to-back seasons with 150 receptions and 2,000 receiving yards. Schmidt earned National Guard MVP of the Week honors for the AFL's opening weekend, tallying 12 catches for 157 yards and four touchdowns against Spokane. In Week 13, he hauled in a single-game franchise record 18 passes for 206 yards and five scores. Schmidt is a candidate for Russell Offensive Player of the Year.
5. Philadelphia Soul FB Derrick Ross
"The Boss" Derrick Ross has set single-season Soul records with 133 carries for 564 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2012, becoming the first player in League history to rush for 30 touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. Ross set single-game franchise records with 21 carries in Week 12 and 84 rushing yards in Week 13. Ross was voted National Guard MVP of the Week twice and is a candidate for Russell Offensive Player of the Year and National Guard MVP of the Year.
Top 25 Players of 2012 (as voted on by AFL Field Pass subscribers)
1. Utah Blaze QB Tommy Grady
2. Philadelphia Soul WR Tiger Jones
3. Arizona Rattlers QB Nick Davila
4. Iowa Barnstormers WR Jesse Schmidt
5. Philadelphia Soul FB Derrick Ross
6. Philadelphia Soul QB Dan Raudabaugh
7. San Jose SaberCats QB Mark Grieb
8. Cleveland Gladiators WR Dominick Goodman
9. Utah Blaze WR Aaron Lesue
10. Arizona Rattlers WR Maurice Purify
11. San Antonio Talons QB Aaron Garcia
12. Chicago Rush WR Reggie Gray
13. Utah Blaze WR Tysson Poots
14. Pittsburgh Power WR PJ Berry
15. Georgia Force WR Larry Shipp
16. New Orleans VooDoo JLB Alvin Ray Jackson
17. San Jose SaberCats DL Joe Sykes
18. Philadelphia Soul DB Kent Richardson
19. Spokane Shock DB Terrance Sanders
20. Chicago Rush WR Jared Perry
21. San Antonio Talons WR Jomo Wilson
22. Philadelphia Soul WR Donovan Morgan
23. Iowa Barnstormers QB J.J. Raterink
24. San Antonio Talons DB Fred Shaw
25. Chicago Rush JLB Kelvin Morris
Arena Football League Stories from July 20, 2012
- Sharks Stomp Power to Clinch South Division Title - Jacksonville Sharks
- Blaze Make Strong Showing in AFL's Top 25 - Utah Blaze
- Sharks Stomp Power to Clinch South Division Title - Jacksonville Sharks
- Top 25 Players of 2012: the Top 5 - AFL
- Mustangs up for 2012 Year-End AFL Awards - Milwaukee Mustangs
- Command vs. Rattlers Game Preview - Kansas City Command
- Soul Look to End Season on a High Note - Philadelphia Soul
- Gray Named Week 20 National Guard Community MVP - Chicago Rush
- Philadelphia Soul Bring Back Summer Slam - Philadelphia Soul
- Kenny McEntyre to be Inducted into the Orlando Predators Ring of Honor - Orlando Predators
- Gray Named Week 20 National Guard Community MVP - AFL
- Dominick Goodman Named One of the Top 10 AFL Players of 2012 - Cleveland Gladiators
- VooDoo Pep Rally Cancelled - New Orleans VooDoo
- Kickoff for Avitae ArenaBowl XXV Pushed to 10:30 Pm ET - AFL
- 'X-Man' Looks to Break Rookie Record - New Orleans VooDoo
- Philadelphia's Raudabaugh No. 6 in Top 25 Players - Philadelphia Soul
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.
