RFL Top 100: 60-51
Written By: Noah Underhill
60. John Gibbson CB Steamers One of the best players in the game today, John Gibbson, is one of the fan favorites in Memphis. He had 5 Ints last year, which led the team. He also had 56 tackles and a surprising 8 TFLs. Gibbson is one of the stalwarts of this young defense for years to come.
59. Cason Fine OLB Lancers
Cason Fine was one of the bright spots on the Lancers’ defense. They had a lot of trouble, but teams know not to go to the side that Fine was sitting on. He had 49 Solo Tackles, 10 Sacks, and 27 TFLs. The perennial Pro Bowler got another one for his collection. You could say this was a very fine year for this man.
58. William Milne T Huskies
One of the most rock-solid offensive linemen in the RFL right now, Milne has done a fantastic job of protecting Brady Hutson over the past few years. Another Pro Bowl was added to his prestigious record, and he only gave up 5 sacks on what was an up and down attack last year. As amazing as a lot of the guys on that offense are, Milne is one that would be the hardest to replace, and Toronto should be happy to have him.
57. Addison Lyons FS Bulls The fourth-ranked safety according to this list, Lyons, was a star for Brooklyn last year. The Pro Bowl safety that came into his own with this year’s performance. He had 115 total tackles (69 solo), 9 TFLs, and 2 Ints, which lead the team. Lyons was all over the field and was always making big stops in big spots.
56. Jiren Grey OLB Thunderbirds It feels criminal that Jiren Grey is so low on this list. He has become what was advertised when he was drafted and even more in the Great White North. Grey was the killer on the great Thunderbirds defense that was championship-worthy if it wasn’t for a particular backup QB. His 145 Total tackles was top for the T-Birds to go along with his 8 TFLs, 5 Sacks, and 2 INTs. You will hear this again and again in this article, but very honestly, Jiren Gray is a Superstar, and there is no ceiling for how good he can be.
54. Nacho Cheese TE Voyagers The anomaly that is Nacho Cheese came alive for the Voyagers last year and benefited from the new management. The Cheese Wizard was a check down threat from day one, racking up 95 receptions that became 1133 yards, very near the top for TEs. While he didn’t get a Pro Bowl for his season performance, He receives Noah’s scrapper of the year award. Mr. Cheese will be back and better than ever for the league's next ARC contender.
53. AJ Pestock MLB Conquistadors
AJ Pestock has been a tackle machine over the past few years, and that didn’t change this year. He had 151 total tackles (78 solo), which wasn’t the highest in the league, but it was very good. He also posted 13 TFLs and 2 INTs with his 4 sacks. The LB talent in the league is just so crazy that Peastock gets lost in the shuffle a bit, but he always brings very solid stat lines to the table.
52. Rashard Patrick OLB Black Knights
Another guy that is kind of forgotten because of where he plays, Rashard Patrick, played great for the forgotten London team. He finished out this year with 76 total tackles and 13 TFL, which has been done by a lot of people so far on this list, but his 16 sacks put him on the map a little bit and secured his spot on the list. Patrick was one of the bright spots on this forgettable team.
51. Parker Brockers CB Bisons
Parker Brockers is going to be one of the stars that remains after the mini purge that the Bisons had this offseason. Coach Ethan Long said of him, “[Brockers] is one of the best corners in the league, and the things he can do in man coverage is crazy. We love his presence, and he will be a Bison for a long time”. Brockers’ 4 INTs and 51 tackles probably made the decision that much easier to hang onto Brockers. It sure seems like he will be a big part of their new and improved defense for years to come.
We have reached the midway point in Noah's countdown. What do you think so far? Let us now in the comments!