June 27, 2021 – Bradenton, FL –
With the first round of the rookie draft for the 17th season of the Simulated Football League, there was plenty of talent to help boost teams immediately. From obvious picks, to some that came as a surprise, we’ll discuss the biggest winners of the draft and who got the crown jewel.
The consensus number one pick on everyone’s board was clearly the ILB Leon Thunderman and for great reason. Thunderman’s great size, speed, and instincts make him one of the best SFL prospects we have seen in quite some time. After giving up the 3rd most total yards in the league, including giving up the 3rd most rushing yards/game, Leon Thunderman will be the perfect fit for the San Diego Maverick’s quest on shoring up that rocky defense.
The next winner of the first round was the Louisiana Revolution with the pick of quarterback Tommy Utah. Utah was the clear choice for Louisiana after parting ways with Jonny Pichler after Pichler had a TD/INT ratio of 9:26 last season. Coming out of the minor leagues Tommy Utah had a TD/INT ratio of 14:11. This should help Louisiana keep their defense off the field, while giving Louisiana a fresh start with a new leader at the helm.
The wildcard of the draft was definitely the London Knights selecting offensive lineman Perrin Aybara to add stability and strength. During the draft it was clear to see the shock most viewers had due to London not selecting a quarterback. However, I think this is a big win for the Knights as they were dead last in the league in rushing yards/game with a measly 37.3 Rushing yards/game while scoring just 5 touchdowns on the ground. Although selecting an offensive lineman is never flashy in theory, they are often found to be the most important piece of foundation in any winning culture. Plus, you add in the fact that most of the top quarterbacks were off the board, and the Knights quarterback situation is not a horrible one, London definitely gets a win for this selection.
Plenty of teams got their guy in the first round, including Sioux Falls selecting the hard hitter Axel Raven. One also cannot overlook Atlanta’s selection of the sure handed Ryan Roosevelt who was the highest graded receiver in the class. As the first round was seemingly overrun by kickers, the most exciting one had to be Sunny Jay who was selected by Houston, who has the leg strength and accuracy to immediately become a top kicker in the league.
While there were some questionable selections in the first round, the biggest winner in terms of pure value had to be Leon Thunderman and not many would argue. There is little to question about the impact that Thunderman will have on the big stage. In a first round where defense and special teams ruled, Leon was the star of the class. We will not be able to truly see the value of these players until the season starts, but until then, all we have is our speculation.
