Written By: Noah Underhill
Coming off one of the biggest and best years in the RFL, I have taken on my biggest project ever, The RFL 100. This is the list of the 100 best players in the league with a bit of commentary on my part, telling you why you should know these names and why they are on this list. Over the next few weeks, we will be counting down some of the legends of today with a look at what’s to come. Who made the list? Well, I guess you’ll just have to find out for yourself. This is the project two years in the making...The RFL 100.
(Shout out to the Steamers Justin Jones for getting me the stats.)
100) Jesse Newhauser OLB Pioneers
Jesse Newhauser was one of the bright spots for an otherwise rubbish Pioneers team. He led the team in tackles with 78 coming off the edge. He had a fantastic week two performance in which he dropped Russel Renes 4 times to accumulate half of his sacks on the season. He also changed the game by causing 5 turnovers over the course of the year. When Newhauser gets more people around him and has less focus on him from the opposing offense, I expect a lot from him this year.
99) Sean Acosta WR Marshalls
Sean Acosta had a shocking break out this year. The 3rd round pick shot up the depth chart and moved high above his draft class brethren. He had 101 Receptions last season, which is impressive, and his 1184 yards was good enough for 6th in the NFC. He had four games of over 100 yards and a 150 yard game against the Lancers in week 7. Acosta is the future in San Antonio and he put the whole league on watch.
98) Sean Carter SS Lancers
Sean Carter is one of those veterans that can be a solid starter for any team. Not many people know his name, but he is secretly the saving grace of the Lancers Defense. He took over in a lot of different spots for OKC, and he outplayed supposed starter Alex Darr. He grabbed 62 tackles, but he also crucially had 4 INTs and 2 TDs. Many may question why Carter is in over his teammate Cole McAnannly, but three more INTs outlasts ten more tackles. Carter is the guy right now and the more he is on the field, the better.
97) Douglas Drayton WR Voyagers
Another player that has star value but is on a team that needs to be talked about more. Drayton is an excellent target for Glen Haye and has been a bit overlooked. He was 8th in the RFL in receiving yards last year and he grabbed 6 TDs to go along with it. And that goes with the fact he only had 39 yards in the first two weeks. He had 177 and 181 Yards in games against the Pioneers, which isn’t that impressive knowing the competition but his 148 yards and 2 TDs against the Armadillos is a lot more impressive. He is a bit streaky, but he can go off at any time and get you a win in a tough spot.
96) Rainey Shropshire TE River Hogs
Rainey Shropshire is one of the TEs brought up when the top TE in the RFL is discussed, and he lived up to that this year. Hunter Mackey leaned on him as his main target and was getting him the ball all the time, racking up 98 receptions. The Rainmaker had 1055 yards and 6 TDs and a 96 yards performance against the all-mighty Red Dragons defense. Shropshire is a QBs best friend and he should be for a couple more years.
95) Wayman Yates DE Barons
Another substantial veteran presence that played well last year, Yates really came to play on that Barons defensive line. He was in opposing backfields a lot last year, grabbing 12 sacks last year. When he hits you, you feel it just like Chase McCoy did in week one when he was sacked 2 times, and he also picked up a fumble. Coach Woods loves this guy, but his opponents don’t.
94) Joey Lott TE Tigers
Joey Lott came out and was a crucial part of the surprisingly good Tigers offense. He was one reception short of Rainey Shropshire and he had 20 fewer yards, but he did have an extra TD with a 7th. He had a great game with 115 yards in a smashing of the Monarchs. Whoever the QB ends up being, Lott will be a fantastic target for the Tigers offense.
93) Dillon Cutler OLB Explorers
Dillon Cutler was one of the best FA signings that came out of nowhere. The Explorers needed some excellent pass rush, and he was a great addition this year. He had a very solid 11 sacks, which was tied for 2nd on the team. He had four sacks in 2 weeks, including a Week 14 stomping of the rival Snowhawks. It can only be imagined where Cutler can go from this incredible year.
92) Mahmoud Ajlouni CB River Hogs
Mahmoud Ajlouni is still an underrated corner in the league. The former 11th overall pick had 3 INTs last year. He was a part of lockdown secondary in Portland and has lived up to the hype. He also had 49 tackles and a TD to go along with it. After becoming a number 2 for Anthony Washington, he has become even better, and the 2 of them are a championship level duo.
91) Brandon Oliver FS Sentinels
The Sentinels were one of the most solid defenses, and Oliver was in the middle of it. He had 64 tackles, and he had 2 INTs to go right along with it. The 30-year-old came out and had an excellent season. The Sentinels defense was only 6th in the AFC in total yards, but Oliver kept them from being a lot worse. He got the Pro Bowl nod this year and hopes to get a few more before it’s all said and done.
There you have the first installment of this years RFL Top 100! What do you think about the list so far? let us know in the comments! We want to know what you think of Noah Underhill's list so far. As always, make sure you follow us on all of our social media accounts and join us here on the website to never miss new content!
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