Here at Shady Sports Network we have had some incredible luck when it comes to interviewing players getting big names from nearly every league. Whether it be the CFL, USFL, XFL, NFL, FCF, IFL, NAL, AWFC, of ECFL, as well as some free agents mixed in, we have found players that were gracious enough to lend us some time. So many players in fact, that in our short time doing this we have interviewed so many players that we are able to build out our very own Shady Sports Network “All Star” Roster. Check out the Names below. Each Name on the depth chart portion links their full interview.
Depth Chart:
QB1:Justin Arth
QB2:Chris Barrett
QB3: Tre Ford
RB2:Brycen Alleyne
RB3:Boogie Caviness/Marco Garcia/Cam Echols-Luper
FB:Rashad Payne
TE2:Tommy Auger
WR2 Aaron Dilworth
WR3:Treydonte Hill
WR4:Cam Echols-Luper
WR5: Caleb Eagans/Harrison Dreher/Tyis Boykin
OL: Jordan McCray
DE:
DT
NT
WLB
MLB
SLB
CB1 Qwantez Stiggers
CB2 Famus Hasty
CB3 Kevin Estime
CB4 Logan Husk
CB5 Ethan Graubard
FS2:Kevin Estime
SS: Cody Brown
P/KOS Matt Mengel
We have had incredible run so far in less than a year at this media thing. With that being said we have already completed over 40 interviews with more to come. However other than the offensive line we had done enough that I felt it was time to build out the soon to be infamous annual Shady Sports Network All Star Team.
Mixing free agents, and players from nearly every league across America this team is unlike any other before it.
Quarterback
At the quarterback position we have a mixture of unbelievable rookies, grizzled veterans known for their calm under pressure, and a QB that has tremendous upside but is just getting started in his career. Here we opt to choose to sit Tre Ford and let him learn the offense playing in trick play packages.
Our starter here is Justin Arth. Noted for his accuracy and knowledge of the game we bank on his mixture of upside, and experience over the veteran Chris Barrett who assumes the number 2 role. Arth offers a bit more mobility than Barrett and is younger at this stage of his career. Arth is a highly efficient QB who saw over 70% completion rate in the arena game. In the outdoor game we believe we have the next Drew Brees.
Chris Barrett is a guy who we know we can count on if we have to turn to him. He assumed the backup duties here, with grace. Barrett and Arth work together to help diagnose defenses, putting their offense in a best case scenario on a play in play out basis. We value Barrett’s unique experience learning many offenses and feel comfortable when he is called on to start. His experience in a tight field of the FCF will only aid him outdoors.
Tre Ford has tremendous upside, but there are questions about his ability to start right away. We are confident in our rookie, but not yet ready to hand over the duties, and believe using him in multiple roles, is the best way to use him in the short term. Giving him a year or two to develop is likely best case scenario currently.
Running Back
In the running game we have a multitude of options starting with former Green Bay Packer Dexter Williams. At 5’11 215 lbs he offers the biggest frame on our roster. He is a dual threat back that can help in the passing game and the run game. We like his ability to pass block as well. He is a bell cow back, but won’t be expected to carry the entire load with “Alleyne Cuisine” behind him. Williams’ performance in the USFL Championship game earned him first duties off the bench but Alleyne’s abilities allow him to get on the field in many ways.
At the number 2 spot we have Brycen Alleyne. Alleyne entered college as a slot receiver before being moved to running back a position he prefers because it gives him the ability to get the ball as often as possible. We intend to manufacture touches for this home run threat in anyway possible. He will see touches as a running back every game, as well as snaps as a slot receiver, and at times help in the return game. All we know as a team is every time he touches the ball good things happen.
We choose to carry four backs because we simply have too much talent. With that being said Christian Boogie Caviness is another “wide back” who can play wide receiver, running back or in the return game. He will be our primary punt returner due to his ability in the open field with the ball in his hands. We expect to use him as a wide receiver at times as well.
Our fourth back is Marco Garcia a 31 year old back from the back to back champion Tri-City Rush. Wherever Garcia is winning seems to follow, and we see value in the mentality and leadership he brings to our team. He may be the fourth back on the roster but he will see his time on the field on offense, as well as special teams. He will be a captain as well.
At Fullback we have our only two way player. Rashad Payne. Payne is also listed as a defensive end where he has more experience. But fullback is a role that we like him due to his ability to block, catch, and run as well. He is a true triple threat and in my mind “Derrick Henry 2.0” might not be the home run threat Henry is, but he is a versatile playmaker that will see time in all three phases of the game.
Tight End
As our starting tight end well traveled former NFL, AAF, XFL, and current USFL player Brandon Barnes. Barnes is s true tight end who can block or catch and he will allow our offense to be multiple without tipping our hand by swapping in a blocking specialist. Barnes is the most experienced and well rounded tight end we have and we are thrilled that he is there to start.
Behind him we expect two men to see time as secondary options at full back, tight end, and big slot receivers in goal line situations. Both men hail from the FCF.
First up is Tommy Auger. The man I call Touchdown Tommy because all he does is score touchdowns. Something that was once said about the great Chris Carter is a sentiment echoed about Auger. We expect him to move around and create mismatch nightmares for the defenses we face.
Next up is Chris Robb a former wide receiver that slowly transitioned into tight end he is a guy who brings above average athleticism to the position, but is a little smaller than your normal tight end. No matter here, we want him for a very specific role and that is as a hybrid WR/TE. He will split out wide in run situations, line up in-line, and in the slot during passing situations. We even have a jumbo set where we get all four tight ends on the field at once with Barnes inline, and Auger, Robb, and Roring split out as wide receivers.
The final tight end and our developmental prospect is Steele Roring we were able to talk the young man out of going to another Division II school after losing his eligibility for D1. He joins us straight out of college and we are excited about his potential long term. He is a big, fast, strong, height/weight/speed candidates that we like to stash on our roster and see how they develop.
Offensive Line:
We started from the center position and decided to build outward but as of yet our only lineman is Jordan McCray a man who has been at the professional level for 9 seasons now. He has played at nearly every level:
NFL
IFL
AFL
XFL
AAF
USFL
We are excited about his versatility which will allow us to attack free agency in any direction. McCray has played every position across the line at some point but we like him as our center/long snapper currently.
Defense
Defensive End
We started out with pass rusher Kyle Kitchens, who was the 2021 ELF Defensive Player of the Year. He is an extremely explosive athlete as a pass rusher and his first step is deadly at this level. Kitchens for MVP is a chant that should be heard throughout our stadium at home games.
Rashad Payne is our starter opposite of Kitchens. I’ve already talked about Payne from an offensive perspective but now let’s talk about him as a pass rusher. Payne has a solid mixture of strength and Speed to dominate at this level. His ability to convert speed to power is unrivaled.
Justice Bishop is a designated pas rusher and a guy we expect to move around a lot. He will play almost a joker role as a defensive end, and sometimes a stand up linebacker. His ability to play all three linebacker spots, and both defensive end spots is incredibly valuable and he also can help on special teams too.
Malik Hamner we love versatility here so we bring in Hamner. Hamner has the size, strength, and bag of tricks to play a crucial spot on our defense. He will play defensive end in run situations kicking inside to pair with Williams at defensive tackle to create a scary pairing at defensive tackle.
Defensive Tackle
Sha’haun Williams is a nightmare for opposing offenses at defensive tackle. He may be slightly undersized but luckily for us we have one of the best two gap nose tackles in the league next to him in Domenique Davis. Williams is asked to penetrate on an every play basis, and we expect to see him and Kitchens meeting in the backfield at the quarterback often. We expect our Defensive line to dominate opposing teams.
Sam Deron, after just one season in the CJFL with the Quinte Skyhawks we bring in San Deron as a rotational defensive tackle. Given his unbelievable size, and his relative youth having been out of high school for just over a calendar year, we are thrilled to bring him in. He can play either tackle spot and will serve as our third tackle off the bench playing early and often to keep our line fresh. Other teams envy our second line on the defensive front four.
Domenique Davis is the nose tackle here with Deron being his primary backup. Davis is a 6’3 315 lb tackle known for his strength but is no slouch as a pass rusher. He draws comparisons to some of the greatest to ever play the game and we are thrilled to have him man the middle of our defense. His ability to eat up blocks is key to our scheme.but not to be discounted is his versatility to play 3-4, or 4-3 fronts.
Moving on to Linebacker
We like our linebackers to run sideline to sideline so we went and grabbed a trio of fast flowing backers that run well. Starting with the weak side:
Brooklyn Hardiman
We call up our guy Brooklyn to come dispense justice on opposing tight ends and running backs. His background as a former safety fits what we want in our linebackers perfectly. We even feel comfortable running a base defense against three receiver sets because of his ability to drop back and play a zone as almost a true strong safety. This gives us the ability to drop free safety Damian Francis into a man coverage on slot receivers with Hardiman occupying his zone. This allows our defense to attack offenses in many different ways.
If Hardiman is the prototype at WILL, then Donald Payne Jr. is the best possible MIKE for our system. In our scheme we want every linebacker to have the ability to cover any of the opposing tight ends and running backs as well. He is a ball hawk at linebacker and following his selection as an All USFL linebacker during a season that saw him collect several turnovers and scored two touchdowns. Payne is named a captain right away as well.
On the strong side we have FCF and former NFL linebacker Max Davis. Davis assumes the strong side linebacker position out of necessity but his ability to play all three positions comes in handy here. When we shift to a 3-4 defense Davis stays outside while Bishop comes in as the WLB. Hardiman shifts inside to weak side inside linebacker staying next to Payne. Davis offers the ability to do it all as a linebacker and we believe he will be right at home rushing the passer at OLB in a 3-4 at times.
Free Safety
Damian Francis a versatile defensive back who played primarily cornerback in college has the size and strength to play safety, but the recovery speed, and press man abilities to man up on slot receivers when needed. Francis is really the key to our defense, his ability to play the deep center field, man up on a receiver or play in the box is why we brought him in. If called upon he is also our backup WILL if needed.
Strong Safety
Cody Brown, known for crumpling wide receivers to the turf via jaw dropping hits, Brown is another versatile safety who can cover when needed as well. He is slightly smaller than Francis but can play in the box when needed as well. With Francis and Brown at safety our defense is scary good on the backend.
Third Safety/Cornerback
Kevin Estime
A workout warrior that tested off the charts in weight lifting and other combine work outs. Estime is simply too good, and too versatile to keep off the field which is why he is listed at three different positions in the secondary. We believe in his ability to do a bit of everything s as he brought him in to do just that.
SS Ethan Graubard
This man plays the game like he is possessed. Mild mannered off the field you would never expect him to be the monster he is on the field. Versatile enough to play CB but nasty enough to play strong safety we give him snaps at both.
Cornerback
CB1 Qwantez Stiggers is the type of ballhawk at cornerback that only comes around so often. He is extremely young at just 21 years old after spending his rookie year with the FCF. In just 7 games Stiggers collected 5 interceptions, 121 yards and 1 touchdown on defense. He also tallied 30 tackles and 4 for a loss. He is a lock down cornerback.
CB2:Famus Hasty
Hasty played the 2022 season for the Sioux Falls Storm of the IFL, however it wasn’t that long ago that he was signed to a CFL contract. Hasty is a number 1 cornerback on most rosters but with Stiggers manning that role we are given a luxury with two true shut down cornerbacks. Hasty in 18 games so far this season has 72 tackles, 3 for a loss, 1 fumble recovery, 2 interceptions, and 16 pass break ups. He is ALWAYS near the ball.
CB4: Logan Husk
Logan Husk may be listed as the 4th cornerback but the truth is all of our defensive backs will see snaps. Husk will be called upon as the CB3 anytime Estime is called on to play safety which could be often given our Belicheckian ways in defense. Husk is a guy who has dealt with injuries that surgery can’t repair but is the type of team first player that makes a roster. He will play special teams, and have a large role on defense as well.
Kicker
Craig “The Leg” Peterson is called upon as our kicker. He has played many seasons of Arena Football and we believe this is an asset given the wider goal posts in the outdoor game. Accuracy isn’t an issue here, nor is power despite his age. He may be on the back side of 30, but his career could last into his 40’s.
Punter
Matt Mengel is a true triple threat specialist at the professional level and can serve as a kicker if needed. However we bring him in primarily for the same duties he serves with the Elks. He will focus on field position in the punt game and as our kickoff specialist. With a leg that can absolutely boom punts length and hang time will be of no issue for Mengel who was able to play in two leagues in 2022.
Closing Words
All in all our roster is stacked this year, and looking forward to the players we have set up for future interviews our “roster” of former guests only grows stronger by the week. Stay tuned to Shady Sports Network for all the football content you can handle.
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