74°F
weather icon Windy

Las Vegas Outlaws mine expansion draft

Anytime there’s an expansion draft, no matter what sport it is, it’s rare the new team will be handed any golden nuggets.

After all, what existing team in its right mind is going t0 leave a talented player unprotected and receive nothing in return after losing his services?

With that in mind, the Las Vegas Outlaws stood at the Arena Football League stream Monday, pan in hand, sifting through the silt of unprotected players, hoping to find a couple of gems that will give them a competitive roster for the upcoming 2015 season, which kicks off March 30 at the Thomas & Mack Center against San Jose.

First-year coach Aaron Garcia played 19 years in the Arena League so he has a pretty good idea what works and what doesn’t. The former quarterback took less than 20 minutes to select 13 players, seven on defense, six on offense, and not a quarterback in the bunch.

“We’re excited,” Garcia said. “We definitely think there are a few guys who can help us.

“This was a big day for us. We’re a new team building a roster and people are seeing that this is for real. I’ve gotten calls from a lot of guys who are interested in playing for us. So this was a big step.”

Of the 13 picks, the most recognizable name for local football fans was defensive lineman B.J. Bell, who played at UNLV and was a member of the L.A. Kiss this past season, where he was a teammate of Garcia’s. The Outlaws took Bell with their sixth pick.

The first pick was Orlando linebacker Tanner Varner. He was an All-Arena League selection after recording 68 tackles and five interceptions last season with the Predators. The Outlaws used their second pick on San Jose defensive lineman Ernest Owusu, who has been on the practice squad of three NFL teams (Minnesota, Cleveland and Tampa Bay). Las Vegas kept looking for size with its third and fourth picks, taking offensive lineman Abe Markowitz of Portland with the third pick and Philadelphia defensive lineman Julius Williams with the fourth selection. Garcia stayed with defense with the fifth selection, tabbing Arizona defensive back Donovan Henley and then selecting Bell.

“I watched B.J. a lot last year and he had to play nose guard for us in L.A., which may not have been his best position,” Garcia said of Bell. “We think he can be an effective defensive end. He’s got a great motor and a great desire to be good.

“Tanner is the kind of player who can change the outcome of a game. We want to be strong on defense and he fits our needs there. We had a good conversation with him after we took him first and I’m hopeful we can convince him to come to Las Vegas and play for us.”

The Outlaws didn’t draft a skill position player until their seventh selection when they took Jacksonville receiver Maurice Williams. They also grabbed receivers at No. 9 — Orlando’s Gerald Young — and at No. 11 — Jacksonville’s Bert Reed. Young is one of the top kick returners in the AFL and gives Las Vegas a much-needed weapon on the special teams.

The remainder of the selections included San Jose offensive lineman Jeff Nady of UNR, who was the eighth pick, Arizona center Will Wright at No. 10, Cleveland defensive lineman Robert Rose at No. 12 and Portland defensive back Dion Turner with the 13th and final pick.

The Outlaws will have another chance today to add to their roster as the league holds a dispersal draft for Pittsburgh, which has suspended operations for 2015. There’s currently 27 listed on the roster, which has a maximum of 35.

“We should get a pretty good player, hopefully two,” Garcia said as the Outlaws hold the first and 13th picks in the dispersal draft. “We want to put a roster together of players that want to compete and have success and I think we’re on our way.”

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST