Tracking AAF players who signed with NFL teams in 2019
Offensive Line
. OG, Salt Lake Stallions. . Jeremiah Poutasi. . team. 32
This is an interesting signing.
Poutasi spent all of last offseason with the Denver Broncos, who employed Sean Kugler as their interior offensive line coach.
Poutasi reunites with Kugler in Arizona, along with another former Bronco in Max Garcia. Perhaps Kugler saw something in Poutasi last year and believes he can get the best out of the former third-round pick.
Two Salt Lake Stallions, two former Utah Utes get signed to NFL contracts in Jeremiah Poutasi and Salesi Uhatafe.
The Redskins need help on the interior offensive line, and I don’t know how serious they feel about Uhatafe but perhaps he can compete at least for a sixth-man job there.
Uhatafe is all power, very little athletic ability in comparison to other OL. He is best suited as a guard playing in a phone booth.
. Brandon Greene. . team. 87. . OL, Birmingham Iron
The former Alabama tackle and 2017 undrafted free agent is one of the few tackles in the AAF who deserved a look in the NFL.
The Panthers have been one of the most active teams in the NFL in signing AAF players, and for them — a team with a huge need at tackle — to give Greene a shot bears monitoring.
87. . OL, Atlanta Legends. . Parker Collins. . team
Collins was a 2017 undrafted free agent out of Appalachian State and spent time with the Jaguars, Rams, and Steelers last year before getting another shot at pro ball with the Atlanta Legends.
The Panthers must have liked what they saw in a smaller sample size as he was on the injured list for Atlanta when the league folded.
Collins will be a center candidate with the Panthers.
87. . OL, Birmingham Iron. . Kitt O'Brien. . team
The Panthers’ run on AAF offensive linemen continues with Kitt O’Brien, one of the older players in the league at 28.
O’Brien started his professional football career out of Ball State playing in the Arena League, and then got a shot after that with the Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns before signing on with the Birmingham Iron.
O’Brien is a massive 6-foot-5, 324 pound guard who is powerful inside.
C, Birmingham Iron. . JC Hassenauer. . team. 55.
The Birmingham Iron obviously had a pretty good offensive line as three (now four) of their starters were signed by NFL clubs.
Center JC Hassenauer has a great opportunity to back up Maurkice Pouncey in Pittsburgh and also give them some depth at guard.
He played his college ball at Alabama.
59. . Birmingham Iron. . Michael Dunn. . team
The Dolphins have been active signing AAF players and Michael Dunn is the latest.
Dunn is the fourth of the five Birmingham Iron offensive linemen to sign an NFL contract. He plays the guard position and had a solid career at Maryland, playing 48 games before signing in the NFL as an undrafted free agent.
59. . OT, San Antonio Commanders. . Jaryd Jones-Smith. . team
Former Pittsburgh product who played in all eight games for the San Antonio Commanders and didn’t have a ton of experience in college with just 13 career starts.
He was considered a solid mid-round prospect with upside in last year’s draft class, but couldn’t stick with the Houston Texans, who desperately needed help at the tackle position.
Lack of experience and medical issues pushed Jones-Smith out of the Draft. He showed the Dolphins something on his AAF tape to suggest he is worthy of development.