Young Nfl Talent Heads to Europe; College Stars Among Allocated Quarterbacks
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NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017 (212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573 WWW.NFLMedia.com Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: NFL Europa-4 2/23/2007 MAIK MATISCHAK, NFL EUROPA, +49 69 770 608 200 [email protected] YOUNG NFL TALENT HEADS TO EUROPE; COLLEGE STARS AMONG ALLOCATED QUARTERBACKS The countdown to the 2007 NFL Europa League season – the 15th in league history – has begun with the assignment and drafting of NFL allocated players that was conducted today. More than 100 young prospects were assigned by the NFLEL office, while a further group of young NFL quarterbacks was drafted by the six NFL Europa head coaches. The assignment of kickers and punters during training camp in the Tampa Bay area early next month will enlarge the number of NFL allocated players to 150. Nine NFL quarterbacks – including college stars DREW OLSON of the Baltimore Ravens and OMAR JACOBS of the Kansas City Chiefs – were directly allocated to NFL Europa clubs, along with nine free-agent passers. Included in the free-agent group was CODY PICKETT, who was a seventh-round draft choice of the San Francisco 49ers in 2004 and went on to start two games for the team in 2005. Quarterbacks assigned to NFL Europa League teams: NFL Team Name College NFLEL Team Baltimore Ravens Drew Olson UCLA Amsterdam Chicago Bears J.T. O’Sullivan Cal-Davis Frankfurt Houston Texans Quinton Porter Boston College Cologne Indianapolis Colts Mike McGann Temple Hamburg Kansas City Chiefs Omar Jacobs Bowling Green Berlin San Diego Chargers Brett Elliott Linfield College Rhein Seattle Seahawks Travis Lulay Montana State Berlin Tampa Bay Buccaneers Bruce Eugene Grambling Frankfurt Washington Redskins Casey Bramlet Wyoming Hamburg Free Agent Matt Bohnet Eastern Michigan Amsterdam Free Agent Corey Bramlet Wyoming Amsterdam Free Agent Kevin Eakin Fordham Frankfurt Free Agent Erik Meyer Eastern Washington Cologne Free Agent Cody Pickett Washington Rhein Free Agent Paul Pinegar Fresno State Cologne Free Agent Rod Rutherford Pittsburgh Hamburg Free Agent Walter Washington Temple Berlin Free Agent Brian Wrobel Winona State Rhein Olson will quarterback the Amsterdam Admirals during the 2007 NFL Europa season. He was one of college football’s most prolific passers during his time at UCLA, ranking second on the school’s all-time charts after throwing for 8,532 yards and 67 touchdowns. Free agents COREY BRAMLET and MATT BOHNET complete the Admirals quarterback lineup heading into training camp. Jacobs, who will be a member of the Berlin Thunder this season, was a Heisman Trophy contender during his three years at Bowling Green, where he threw for 6,938 yards, 71 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions. He was a fifth-round selection of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2006 and has practice squad experience with the Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles. Seattle Seahawks quarterback TRAVIS LULAY and free agent WALTER WASHINGTON will compete for playing time under center for the Thunder. The defending World Bowl-champion Frankfurt Galaxy welcome back a fan favorite in J.T. O’SULLIVAN of the Chicago Bears, who led the club to a World Bowl berth in 2004. O’Sullivan has NFL experience with New Orleans, Green Bay, New England and Minnesota. During his last tenure in Europe he threw for 1,527 yards and 10 touchdowns en route to a 91.9 passer rating. He is joined in Frankfurt by strong-armed Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback BRUCE EUGENE and free-agent KEVIN EAKIN, who threw for 1,299 yards and 11 touchdowns with the Galaxy in 2005. Houston Texans 2006 practice squad member QUINTON PORTER will be out to make the starting quarterback’s job his own in Cologne, but will face competition from free agents ERIK MEYER and PAUL PINEGAR. The Hamburg Sea Devils will welcome back a familiar face when Washington Redskins-allocated quarterback CASEY BRAMLET returns to the team he led in 2005, throwing for 1,463 yards and seven touchdowns. He will be joined by MIKE MC GANN of the Indianapolis Colts and free agent ROD RUTHERFORD, who was a record-setting passer at the University of Pittsburgh. The Rhein Fire welcomes San Diego Chargers-allocated quarterback BRETT ELLIOTT to their team, along with a high-profile free-agent passer in Pickett. Free agent BRIAN WROBEL, who saw action as a backup for the Berlin Thunder in 2006, completes the group. Two famous sons will occupy running-back positions in NFL Europa this spring. JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON of the St. Louis Rams (Hamburg) is the son of Academy Award-winning actor DENZEL WASHINGTON, while Chicago Bears-allocated (Rhein) rusher GERALD RIGGS, JR. is the son of former Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl running back GERALD RIGGS. Cologne’s ground attack will be led by a man who played in seven regular season games for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2006 in DERRICK ROSS, while CHRIS BARCLAY, who saw regular-season action for the Cleveland Browns, will suit up for the Berlin Thunder. Former Virginia Tech star and 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad member CEDRIC HUMES will be in the backfield for Amsterdam. A total of 32 NFL players heading to Europe were previously selected in the NFL Draft, including Denver Broncos tight end TEYO JOHNSON, who was a second-round choice of the Oakland Raiders in 2003. Johnson, who started in nine of his 30 appearances in the NFL, has caught 26 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns. He will play for the Hamburg Sea Devils. “The NFL teams have once again provided us with a pool of players loaded with talent,” said NFLEL Director of Football Operations MIKE CHAN. “Each of these players is eager for the opportunity to play and compete for a championship in Europe. This is another clear example of the support and interest from NFL teams. “The pool of players include some that have seen extensive time in the NFL mixed with some exciting young players. The 2007 season is already shaping up to be another success. We expect these players to perform at their highest level for our coaches and our fans.” Guard ROB HUNT of the Kansas City Chiefs was the first overall pick in the NFL Allocated Player Draft after being chosen by the Berlin Thunder. Hunt was a fifth-round draft choice of the Indianapolis Colts in 2005 and has practice squad experience with the Denver Broncos. He played in NFL Europa in 2006 as a member of the Rhein Fire. Hamburg used its first selection to take Tennessee Titans defensive end NATHANIEL ADIBI, who has practice squad experience with Miami and Jacksonville after being selected in the fifth round of the 2004 draft by Pittsburgh. Cologne took Dallas Cowboys linebacker JOHN SALDI, while the Rhein Fire chose San Francisco 49ers receiver C.J. BREWER. Amsterdam selected Green Bay guard ADAM STENAVICH before Frankfurt closed out the first round by taking San Francisco 49ers safety VICKIEL VAUGHN, who was a seventh-round draft choice in 2006. List of NFL players in NFL Europa League 2007 – By NFL Club NFL Team Name Pos College NFLEL Team Arizona Cardinals Greg Lee WR Pittsburgh Cologne Arizona Cardinals Alex Shor TE Syracuse Berlin Arizona Cardinals Justin Wyatt CB Southern California Hamburg Atlanta Falcons Michael Bozeman DT Mississippi Rhein Atlanta Falcons Brent Grimes CB Shippensburg Amsterdam Atlanta Falcons Taurean Henderson RB Texas Tech Rhein Atlanta Falcons Dan Sheldon WR Northern Illinois Cologne Baltimore Ravens Rob Abiamiri TE Maryland Amsterdam Baltimore Ravens Jimmy Cottrell LB New Mexico State Frankfurt Baltimore Ravens Kenny King DT Alabama Frankfurt Baltimore Ravens Daniel Oliphant G Colby Cologne Baltimore Ravens Drew Olson QB UCLA Amsterdam Buffalo Bills Chris Denney WR Nebraska-Omaha Amsterdam Buffalo Bills Daunta Peterson WR Dubuque Rhein Carolina Panthers Kevin Garrett CB Southern Methodist Amsterdam Carolina Panthers Jason Hall DE Tennessee Cologne Carolina Panthers Justin McCullum WR Stanford Amsterdam Carolina Panthers Steve Sciullo G Marshall Hamburg Carolina Panthers John Wilson T Penn State Berlin Chicago Bears Tyler McMeans G Miami Berlin Chicago Bears J.T. O’Sullivan QB Cal-Davis Frankfurt Chicago Bears Gerald Riggs RB Tennessee Rhein Cincinnati Bengals Jason Berryman LB Iowa State Berlin Cincinnati Bengals Sean Mulcahy TE Connecticut Rhein Cincinnati Bengals Alan Reuber T Texas A&M Cologne Cincinnati Bengals Jimmy Verdon DE Arizona State Hamburg Cleveland Browns Chris Barclay RB Wake Forest Berlin Cleveland Browns Steve Sanders WR Bowling Green Berlin Cleveland Browns Alvin Smith DT Oregon State Amsterdam Cleveland Browns Clifton Smith LB Syracuse Cologne Dallas Cowboys Remi Ayodele DT Oklahoma Frankfurt Dallas Cowboys Tony Curtis TE Portland State Cologne Dallas Cowboys John Saldi LB Texas Tech Cologne Denver Broncos Greg Eslinger C Minnesota Cologne Denver Broncos Teyo Johnson TE Stanford Hamburg Denver Broncos Kevin McAlmont G Western Carolina Frankfurt Denver Broncos Doug Nienhuis T Oregon State Frankfurt Denver Broncos Lamont Reid CB North Carolina State Hamburg Detroit Lions Carl Ford WR Toledo Frankfurt Detroit Lions James Hargrave LB Connecticut Hamburg Detroit Lions Etric Pruitt S Southern Mississippi Berlin Detroit Lions Matthew Rice DE Penn State Rhein Detroit Lions Anthony Sherrell RB Eastern Michigan Frankfurt Green Bay Packers Carlton Brewster WR Ferris State Berlin Green Bay Packers Tim Goodwell LB Memphis Berlin Green Bay Packers Antonio Malone CB Toledo Rhein Green Bay Packers Alvin Nnabuife S Southern Methodist Cologne Green Bay Packers Adam Stenavich G Michigan Amsterdam