Cardenao National Gridiron Team Is Back! Positional Previews For the Blue and Golds!
Quarterbacks:
Leading the Cardenao Blue and Golds out onto the field is none other than BSU Bronco quarterback Bobby Dials. There is much debate if the 21 year old junior will return for his final season with LeBois, but there is zero debate if he should be the starter as the lad is by far the best quarterback in the country, possibly the best overall football player. Bobby can sling it with the best of them and he’s got a sixth-sense for in-pocket pressure, helping him scramble away to throw a ridiculous cross-body pass off the back foot with great accuracy. If he needs to run it up the field, he’s got the legs but Bobby is absolutely a pass first QB. Behind him is Yaw Beatty, the 29 year old is majestic if he has to scramble out of the pocket. The Alameda Redmen’s playcaller is elite in the open field with the ball in his hands, offering a dynamic threat in addition to his accurate medium-range zingers. The third option for the Blue and Golds is Pascual Cremonesi, the 32 year old veteran who turns out for the Rayuela Knights. Pascual has earned a reputation as the most accurate passer in Cardenaoan football thanks to years of maintaining a high completion percentage while barely throwing any interceptions. If only he was 21 so he could have a full career in the Cardenao Football League, nevertheless fans will be treated to a show for however long he has left.
Running Backs:
Another easy starting decision at the running back position as it’s 26 year old DeAndre Vick, the star back for the Gracemeria Eagles who brings a ridiculous amount of power to the field at 5’9, 229lbs. It’s nearly impossible to bring DeAndre down as he is certainly the most elusive player in the league and one of the quickest too. He’s a decent receiver but there’s no need to make things too difficult: just put the ball in Vick’s hands and let the tank go to work. At 6’3, 213lbs Marcial Pritchet of the LeBois Cowboys brings a much different physical profile to the position than DaV but they fundamentally play the position in a similar way: powerful, meaty bowling bowls who are impossible to bring to the ground. Marcial is a more capable receiving option than Vick thanks to his six-inch height advantage and much softer hands, so that will provide a different option when the game plan needs to be adjusted. Jake Watson from the Küsbon Metal Men is a true dual threat, equally confident catching as he is running but he’s not quite as physically gifted as the two players in front of him as he’s not as strong and not as quick. Overall though, Watson is a versatile option who can cause an issue in several ways. Reno Thai comes in from LeBois Santura University with the freshman the Broncos #1 running back thanks to his agility and power once he gets his feet under him, while Ben Archie, the 23 year old from Küsbon, fills out the running back chart as a much more receiving oriented option off the bench.
Tight Ends:
Mitchell Hartsfield is the number-one option at tight end for the Blue and Golds, and the Rayuela Knights star is essentially another receiver on the field thanks to having some of the best catching hands in the game. Mitchell is a capable blocker, but he prefers to get downfield which could open room for Nejc Graciano to steal the starting position. Much like Hartsfield, Graciano is a reception based threat though NG has the advantages of two extra inches and a much better leaping ability. Finally, Xavier Rutherford fills out the TE position and will serve as a more blocking oriented option. At 6’1, 273lbs, Xavier is a relatively short but certainly strapping lad who loves to throw his weight around on the line, but he has enough juice to be a reliable short-pass option.
Wide Receivers:
Nobody does it quite like Alexandria’s Marquis Ingram who, at 6’4 and 221lbs, simply dominates any attempts to mark him out of the game. He’s got good speed for someone of that size, but his main strength is the combination of his route running and catching ability, perhaps the best in the league. Lining up as the WR2 is Bobby Dials’ favorite BSU target, sophomore Saivion Ware. The recent Big 8 Offensive Player of the Year has jet-fuel for blood as he turbos around the field and he’s deceptively powerful for only being 189lbs at 5’11 in height. The Cardenao national gridiron team’s third wide receiver is 23 year old Telesforo Muhammad who suits up for the Alameda Redmen. At 6’3 he presents another large target for Bobby to throw to and he’s got the route running know-how to get exactly where he’s supposed to be. Fourth on the depth chart is Antonio Reddick, another of Bobby Dial’s favorite targets, which perhaps raises a conversation about the quality of receiver compared to their compatibility with the quarterback. The WR5 for the Blue and Golds is the youngest member of the team, 18 year old Deacon St. John from New Cardonia State; the wideout was in fine form as he was a unanimous selection to the Big-8 All-Conference First-Team. The freshman has emerged as generational wide receiver talent after over 1420 yards and 17 touchdowns in his debut collegiate season, and with Bobby Dials feeding him the ball against tired defenses, one can only salivate so much. Rounding out the wide receiver room is T.J. McGill, the 28 year old receiver for Rayuela who brings another professional pair of hands to the field. McGill has a knack for improvising his routes to unveil the best option while being a slippery runner who’s damned hard to take down.
Guards:
Leading the guard position for the Blue and Golds is #69 for New Cardonia, Marty Harris. Marty is perhaps the strongest player in the league as he throws around his 6’5, 347lbs frame to great effect. Marty is an elite pass blocker, one of the best in the league, and he’s certainly a serviceable run protector, which makes him perfect for the varied approach of the Cardenaoan offense. Starting opposite of him is another of Bobby Dials’ teammates, this time it’s Cortez Del Rio who has built a collegiate career out of keeping Bobby on his feet. That is certainly a skill that will be in high demand during the World Bowl.
Tackles:
Another position, another BSU player, now it’s Gabriel Santos Dos Liminas de Varacruz Manuel y Miguel filling in at tackle. The 24 year old senior is a dedicated pass protector who knows how to use every inch of his 6’4 frame and every pound of his 284 mass to keep Bobby Dials on two feet. Next to him is Alexandria’s #59, John Jones brings a lot of power to the line to overcome any defensive pressure as he is a premier two-way blocker for both passing and running plays. Sure, he’s under 6’ tall but he’s damn good at what he does and that’s all that matters. If a bigger body is needed, 6’6 Jonah Early is there to step up and Early might perhaps be the best run blocker on the team. At the end of the bench is Pierre Martinez, the 29 year old pass protector from Alameda, who brings a big body with power and agile feet to the front line.
Centers:
Lining up at center is Tony Barone of the LeBois Cowboys. The 27 year old is pure power at 6’3, 323lbs and love to blow up any rushing attempts. The first name off the bench will be another familiar one to Bobby Dials as it’s his current college center Rejhan Tatum who would be lining up. The third and final option off the bench is Milt Neal, the 28 year old powerhouse from Alameda. The 6’2, 341lbs man is an absolute boulder on the line, which is helpful to keep Bobby vertical and to open lanes for DeAndre Vick to burst through.
Defense:
Tackles:
Holding down the defensive tackle position is Elton El-Amin, the 6’8 311lbs monster loves bashing on the line of scrimmage and he’s got a variety of moves to match his natural strength and speed to get around (or through) whoever is in front of him. Only 25, he’s got a lot of justice in him to bang, which pairs well with 27 year old Chase Dworaczyk who will be lining up next to him. The Alameda tackle knows how to deal with most challengers put up against him, leverage every inch and pound of his 6’7 326lbs body to blow through said challengers. Despite his natural size, he’s got great hands and has a variety of moves he uses to attack the offensive line at the point of contact. Coming off the bench is 21 year old Giovanni McCollum, with Alexandria tackle presenting a much different player profile compared to the other members of the DT room. Gio Macko is talllll as hell, 6’9 to be precise, but lean with a wiry sort of strength at 282lbs that gives him a great advantage in terms of his speed, height, and reach to overwhelm his opponent. The final option off the bench for the Blue and Golds is Dustin Cummins, the 23 year old loves to get his hands up high on his target before using every ounce of his 322lbs body to bring his mark to the ground. If that fails, Dustin has a surprising vertical for someone of his stocky 6’5 build and has proven very capable at disrupting the pass game.
Ends:
Another position, another BSU Bronco, this time it’s freshman end Mack King who’s starting for the national team. The 18 year old is ridiculously fast for the position, if slightly undersized but that doesn’t matter as he works his way past all types of offensive linemen. Lining up on the other side is Sean Samples, the 299lbs, 6’4 destroyer for Alexandria. He’s quick and has a helluva row move to get past his defender making him a great compliment to Mack King. The first player off the bench will be the LeBois Cowboys speed man Gerellium Proctor, the 26 year old has great height and length at 6’7 but is still very agile and quick at only 286lbs. While this does help him whip around the OL, it does mean he faces issues getting past a sure footed power man on the offense. If a more powerful edge is needed, then Jhet Murrow will get the call. The 21 year old packs a serious punch with a 6’4, 301lbs frame that Jhet loves smashing into the other team with precision.
Middle Linebackers:
Holding down the middle linebacker position for the Blue and Golds is Khalil Preston. The 22 year old ace for the Gracemeria Eagles is like having another coach on the field as he reads the attacking lineup and orders the defensive unit around. At 6’4, 235 pounds, he’s got an ideal blend of size, strength, and speed, and will be relied on heavily in defensive scheming. Lining up behind him is LeBois Cowboy big backer Jefferey Cheek, with the 29 year old bringing a lot of mass to the position with his 6’5 263lbs frame. He’s much more geared to stopping the run game compared to Khalil, and that will be something Steve Valentine keeps in mind as he prepares for the various gameplans the national team will face. The final option off the bench is 30 year old Chip Foster, who brings an element of speed and elite agility to the middle linebacker role to act as the team's best speed rusher. Between the three middle linebackers, there is a diversity of skills that will let the team react to whatever offense is ahead of them.
Outside Linebackers:
The premier outside linebacker for the national team and indeed in Cardenaoan gridiron is Alabaster Red, the BSU Bronco standout. At 6’3, 235lbs, he’s got the perfect blend of strength and speed to cover the passing game, to plug the hole and deny a runner, but what he loves the most is busting down the seam and slipping through the line to bring the quarterback to the ground. The next OLB is Tobias Jezem, the 25 year old pass coverage back for Alameda. At 6’6, he presents a much different physical profile, one best suited to clamping down on the passing game, something he does with excellence. The next option is Ayinde Cardinal, with the 27 year old a natural at disrupting catches but damn it would be great if he could intercept the ball every once in a while instead of volleyball spiking the pass away. The final player for Team Cardenao is Jake Trah, a quite unique player for the Blue and Golds at this position. At 6 foot flat, he’s perhaps a tad undersized for the outerlinebacker role, but his 243 pounds and top-tier speed and agility means he can blow downfield and react very quickly to what’s going on, making him ideal to stuff the run game.
Cornerbacks:
The question of who would fill the starting cornerback roles was quite an easy one for Steve Valentine as it was Ferran Ávilla and Brian Hicks clearing the competition. At 5’9, Ávilla is short for a CB, but he’s extremely powerful 220lbs build means he can keep pace with the quickest receivers, he can outjump the tallest, he can take down the hardest, Ferran can do it all for the team, just like he does for Alegria. Brian Hicks, the 29 year old outside back for New Cardonia, he brings the length, the hands, the disruption ability that you want from your top cornerback. Jessie Fluellen charges off the bench as he brings an incredible vertical to the field. He might not be the quickest, but he’s fast enough, he might not be the strongest, but he’s powerful enough, but he for damn sure has one of, if not the best pure jumping abilities on the field at any given point. Last but not least, there’s the veteran Zeb Sims, who’s one of the older players on the team in the first place. All that age brings experience and a great read of the game, as Zeb knows how to play it cool, to take a breath and see how things develop before springing into action to be at the perfect place for the situation.
Safeties:
While he’s one of the few players over the age of 30 on this Cardenaoan national gridiron team, Mick Carlson is safely the best safety in the country. Blessed with an incredible mind that seems to remember everything it sees, no offensive gameplan is too shrewd to get past Mick Carlson’s analysis, something he uses to organize the defense to shred the opposition. Next up is one of two Beargarde safeties to make the team, it’s Eli Fletcher. The 27 year old is definitely short for the position but he brings an incredible heart, hustle, and determination to outcompete whoever he’s lined up against. That alone has led Fletcher to making a career of incredible highlight plays as he simply outwills his opponent to get the ball. The first option off the bench is Ben Alston, the second of the Beargarde safety options. Ben is taller than the starters at 61 and his 226lbs build packs a bigger punch than the other options on the bench, making him the team’s premier run stopping option. The final option off the bench is the rookie John Finnerty, who turns out for Alegria. At 6’2, he’s the tallest member of this backfield but he’s wiry built with a slim 201lbs frame. No matter though, it seems like John has robotic arms that can extend indefinitely, something he uses to great effect to disrupt the pass game.[/pre][/spoiler]
Special Teams:
Kicker: Badrick Cedella: 18, 6’1 188lbs-Power-Academia Cardonia High School
The only member of the team still in high school, 18 year old Badrick Cedella brings a powerful and accurate leg to Academia Cardonia High School, breaking every kicking related high school record during his time there. Do you need a leg-bursting long range field goal? Easy. Need something precise from the right-most edge of the field? No problem. Need to go perfect on PATs for four years? Badrick has done it in high school. A very intriguing option for the Blue and Golds but a lot of pressure on his shoulders.
Punter: Andy Moody: 26, 6, 210lbs-Sophomore, Accuracy-LeBois Cowboys
Andy Moody is a surprisingly strongly punter with the most accurate leg in all of Cardenao. He’s got the distance, he’s got the hangtime, he can put it down in the 20, in the 10, he can spin it so sweetly that the ball will land on the 2 or three yard line, Andy knows what he’s doing.
Long snapper: Glenn Kelly: 24, 6’, 300lbs-Santa Mirren
Glenn is incredible at snapping the ball over longer distances, I mean holy shit look at him snap that ball.
