LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL /Jan 28, 2016 / Marketwired via COMTEX — Major League Football, Inc. (otcqb:MLFB) (“MLFB”, the “League” or the “Company”), a new, professional spring-football league scheduled to kick off in 2016, today announced the conclusion of its first day of the MLFB 2016 Draft by announcing the League’s selection of eight players designated as ‘Franchise Players’ for the League. MLFB’s ‘Franchise Players’ were chosen for their abilities on and off the field, in particular, their commitment to community outreach to develop football talent, support local sporting organizations, and foster fan and local business support in MLFB’s team host city.
“Our original plan called for 800 to 900 potential draftees while the actual amount of applicants has exceeded 2000,” began Wes Chandler, Major League Football’s President. “From this extensive pool of candidates, we have begun our selection process beginning with our Franchise Players. This unique designation and role for these appointments is testament of our mission and goals to work with, and for the city and communities who are hosting us. Our selection process for these players extended beyond the typical stats normally citied at drafts and into soft skill sets, including community service, public relations, organizational management, and business development. We believe the role a player can serve off the field is as beneficial for fan and community support as their performance on the field. During our city review process, city officials were also pleased to know that such a position existed and the list of services and value they will provide far beyond the stadium walls.”
The 2016 MLFB Draft is a scheduled three-day event to conclude on January 29th in the late evening. The second day of the draft, today, January 28th will consolidate territorial draft picks. The third and potentially final day, should complete each team’s roster, which will be announced to the public.
MLFB received thousands of applications to join the league as a player or staff in coaching and team management. The list of MLFB ‘Franchise Players’ selected from this turnout is included below.
MLFB Franchise Players
Joe Adams (WR/KR) Arkansas – An Arkansas native, is a dynamic receiver and return man who spent his college days at the University of Arkansas. By the end of his senior season, Adams had accumulated All-American, All-SEC, Special teams Player of the Year, and Johnny Rodgers Award Winning honors.
Chris Bonner (QB) Colorado State Pueblo – Bonner arrived at Colorado State Pueblo and quickly led them to another pair of RMAC titles, and the school’s first-ever national title. In a 13-0 win over Minnesota State-Mankato in the national title game, Bonner threw for 191 yards and a touchdown.
Taylor Belsterling (WR) Huntingdon College – As a junior in 2013, Belsterling caught 38 passes for 699 yards and six touchdowns in nine games, but ran out of eligibility to play his last season. Since its first year of football in 2003, Huntingdon, an NCAA Division III school, has only had one player sign an NFL contract.
Casey Pachall (QB) TCU – In 2011, he became the star of the show and became a top-10 rated college quarterback. In his 24 games as a starter, Pachall threw for 5,415 yards, 431 completions and 42 touchdowns.
Emmanuel Stephens (DE) Ole Miss – As a Houston native, Stephens’ football journey has taken him all across the southeast. Staying in his home state of Texas for community college, Stephens attended Blinn College in Brenham, Texas where he was selected to the All-American first-team in 2007. With the talent to rush the passer, he went on to play defensive end for Ole Miss in 2008-2009.
Stephen Garcia (QB) South Carolina – A Florida native, Stephen Garcia is best known for his time as the starting quarterback for the University of South Carolina. In 2010, he led the Gamecocks to their first-ever win over a No. 1 ranked opponent defeating Alabama and won the SEC East in that same season. Over the course of four seasons, Garcia threw for over 7,500 yards and 47 touchdowns.
Dan LeFevour (QB) Central Michigan – LeFevour attended Central Michigan University and led his team to three Mid-American Conference championships in his four season there. He currently holds Mid-American Conference records for career completions, attempts, passing yards, passing touchdowns, total touchdowns and total offensive yards. He’s the only player in NCAA history with over 12,000 passing yards and 2,500 rushing yards.
Darron Thomas (QB) Oregon – A Houston native, Thomas’ brightest spotlight in the game of football came when he led the Oregon Ducks to the BCS National Championship game in 2011. He completed his career at Oregon with a 24-3 record, two consecutive Pac-12 titles, and a win in the 2012 Rose Bowl. In two years as the Ducks full-time quarterback, Thomas threw for over 5,000 yards and 63 touchdowns.
About Major League Football
Major League Football Inc. is a publicly traded, professional spring football league. MLFB is dedicated to creating an innovative, accessible, and fan-owned game, which is scheduled to kick off in 2016. MLFB’s strategically placed spring / summer season will fill a critical need for outdoor football at that time of the year when sports content is in high demand. The league’s teams will focus on emerging markets in select US cities in order to grow the overall popularity of the sport.
For additional information on MLFB’s nationally accessible ticket database and our sponsorship opportunities, go to http://mlfb.fanfurnace.com or call 855-MLF-BTIX (855-653-2849) to sign-up for your tickets now.
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Major League Football
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SOURCE: Major League Football, Inc.
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