Post by David on Jul 24, 2023 17:52:11 GMT -8
7.24.23 -
The Indoor Football League has announced its selections for the 2023 All-Rookie Team.
The Bay Area Panthers and the Massachusetts Pirates led the way with four (4) selections to the All-Rookie squad. Bay Area saw two members on Offense (WR, OL) and two on Defense (DL, LB/DB) while Massachusetts represented with all four players on Offense (QB, RB, C, OL).
Tied with three (3) selections apiece were the Northern Arizona Wranglers and Frisco Fighters, one member each on Offense, Defense, and Special Teams. Both teams will currently be represented in the Western and Eastern Conference Championships, respectively.
Rounding off with one member each on the All-Rookie roster was the Green Bay Blizzard (DL), Sioux Falls Storm (DB), Tucson Sugar Skulls (DL), and Tulsa Oilers (LB).
No members of the Arizona Rattlers, Duke City Gladiators, Iowa Barnstormers, Quad City Steamwheelers, San Diego Strike Force and Vegas Knight Hawks made the All-Rookie team. With the exception of Arizona and Quad City, none of the other teams with zero selections made the playoffs.
The complete IFL All-Rookie team is as follows (with descriptions via Indoor Football League):
2023 IFL ALL-ROOKIE TEAM - OFFENSE
QB - Anthony Russo (Massachusetts) - [Week 10 IFL Offensive Player of the Week]
- In fourteen games, Russo completed 61.4% of his passes for 2,243 yards and 49 touchdowns and led his team (9-6) to the Eastern Conference playoffs.
RB - Jimmie Robinson (Massachusetts) - [Week 7 IFL Offensive Player of the Week]
- In his rookie campaign, Robinson led the league with 959 rushing yards. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry and scored 28 touchdowns on the ground.
WR - Nih-Jer Jackson (Bay Area)
- Surrounded by talent, Jackson still managed to shine in 2023. He finished the season with 622 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.
WR - Ryan Wisniewski (Northern Arizona) - [Week 5 IFL Offensive Player of the Week]
- Wisniewski was a constant contributor for the Wranglers. He amassed 653 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was also named Offensive Player of the Week for Week Five with a four-touchdown performance.
WR - Phazione McClurge (Frisco)
- McClurge was a force in 2023. In just nine games played, he accumulated 564 yards and nine receiving touchdowns. He’s fifth in the league with an average of 62.7 receiving yards per game.
C - Hunter Kelly (Massachusetts)
- The front line in Massachusetts is young and talented. It is led by Center, Hunter Kelly. Kelly and company paved the way for the fourth ranked offense in the league.
OL - Navaughn Donaldson (Massachusetts)
- Right next to Kelly on the Pirates line is Navaughn Donaldson. All 6’6”, 345 lbs. of him. Donaldson was dominant in both run blocking and pass protection.
OL - Amari Catchings (Bay Area)
- At 6’4”, 320 lbs., Catchings played a big role in the IFL top-three Bay Area Panthers offense.
2023 IFL ALL-ROOKIE TEAM - DEFENSE
DL - Tevaughn Grant (Bay Area)
- Grant flourished in his rookie IFL campaign. He finished the season fourth in tackles for loss with 13 and tied for fourth in sacks with 6.5.
DL - Melik Owens (Tucson) - [Week 13 IFL Defensive Player of the Week]
- Owens ended his rookie season fifteenth in total tackles for loss (nine) and twelfth in the league in sacks (three).
DL - Anthony Hayes (Green Bay)
- It didn’t take long for Hayes to make his presence known in the IFL. In his rookie season, he was tenth in the league with 10.5 tackles for loss and 20th in the league with 3.5 sacks.
LB - Jordan Jones (Tulsa) - [Week 18 IFL Defensive Player of the Week]
- ones was a bright spot in the Tulsa Oilers inaugural season. In only fourteen games, he led the IFL with 113 tackles. The next closest had 95.5.
LB/DB - Antwon Kincade (Bay Area)
- Bay Area has some impressive young talent. Their fourth addition to the All-Rookie Team is Antwon Kincade who finished the season with 58 tackles.
DB - Eugene Ford (Sioux Falls)
- The Storm features an impressive group of Defensive Backs. Leading the way was rookie Eugene Ford. Ford landed second in the league with seven interceptions on the year.
DB - Kordell Jackson (Frisco) - [Week 1 IFL Defensive Player of the Week]
- Jackson put up an incredible rookie season. He led the league with 28 pass breakups and was tied for third in the league with six interceptions.
DB - Kishawn Walker (Northern Arizona)
- Walker was a big part of the Wranglers 2023 success. He finished the season with six interceptions, tied for third in the IFL. He also had 15 pass breakups, good for eighth in the league.
2023 IFL ALL-ROOKIE TEAM - SPECIAL TEAMS
K - Conor Mangan (Northern Arizona) - [Week 17 IFL Special Teams of the Week]
- Mangan added a new twist to the IFL this year with his implementation of the drop kick. In just six games, Mangan connected on eight of eleven drop kick attempts. He also finished third in the league in field goal percentage.
KR - Charles Haeden III (Frisco)
- Haeden led the league in kickoff returns for a touchdown with six. He was second in the league with 1,078 return yards, averaging 22.5 yards per return.
- DKH
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