Some teams have their signal caller already penciled in for 2020. But there are a few teams that may be a solid QB away from turning the corner in a league where it may be harder to do so than in any other form of professional football. Today we’ll predict who will start under center for each of the IFL’s 13 teams, as well as breakdown who will back them up, or come gunning for their spot once the season gets underway.
ARIZONA RATTLERS: DREW POWELL
Drew Powell and DaQuan Neal will go back and forth all season to decide not only who is the league’s best signal-caller but most likely who will win the league’s 2020 MVP. With an injury-free year, Powell will most likely already build a resume to get him into the hall of fame in just 3 and a half seasons. The question becomes, where does Verlon Reed fit into all this? He played receiver at Ohio State so we know he’s capable. We should also keep an eye out for Jaylen Lowe who dominated under center while at Langston University but will get some wideout looks during his rookie year.
BISMARCK BUCKS: DOMONIQUE HARRIS
The Bucks never could figure it out in 2019. Once they would build some form of momentum things quickly fell apart. There are plenty of new faces in Bismarck for their second IFL season, one of which is the imposing presence of 6’5″ 250 lb. QB Domonique Harris. Harris very well could be one of the most important free agent signings for any team this offseason. He poses the same threat Drew Powell does with how big and strong he is. It’s a skillset we aren’t used to seeing in the IFL. The other QB on the roster is Taz Wilson, who played well for the team in the final few games of the regular season but if Bismarck is here to compete for a playoff spot, it’s worth seeing what Harris can bring to the table.
CEDAR RAPIDS RIVER KINGS: DERRICK BERNARD
Even though he didn’t win a single start in 2019, he was must-see TV when taking the field for the San Diego Strike Force. He has a rocket arm and is one of the best improvisation artists the league has to offer. He brings a wealth of experience to an extremely young River King squad in 2020, the issue will be turnovers. His interception total was the reason he lost his job in San Diego before finishing 2019 in the CIF. If that does happen, Javin Kilgo will be next in line. Kilgo offers a similar skill set to Bernard, but only attempted 9 passes last season for Duke City in the CIF.
DUKE CITY GLADIATORS: NATE DAVIS
He’s the only IFL Quarterback in 2020 to have thrown an NFL pass. Although that pass came in a preseason game, Davis is a well-traveled veteran, entering 2020 at the age of 32. Davis played for three different NFL teams, spent some time in the AFL, and now will be tasked with trying to make Duke City the surprise of the IFL. The job is Davis’ and will be unless injury bites the former Ball State Cardinal.
FRISCO FIGHTERS: DEVANTE KINCADE
When we predict our end of season awards Devante Kincade will most likely appear as our pick for rookie of the year. This kid is the real deal. Began his career at Ole Miss before injuries sent him to Grambling where he nearly led the Tigers to an HBCU national championship. He’s got the tools to play outdoors but we’re not complaining about getting to see him indoors. The disadvantage Kincade has during training camp is his competition is Jonathan Bane. Bane played QB for the Tampa Bay Storm before leading the Jacksonville Sharks to a 2019 NAL title. The QB room is loaded in Frisco, with that being said, Kincade is the man. The skill-set is too special to sit on the bench.
GREEN BAY BLIZZARD: LENORRIS FOOTMAN
Footman kept us holding our breath all offseason long, but finally confirmed he will suit up for the team in 2020. Footman was electric in 2019 but could establish himself as one of the league’s top 3 quarterbacks if he continues to grow. However far Footman goes, will be how far Green Bay goes in 2020. The team also found some depth in Eystin Salum who is the most prolific QB in Colorado Mesa history.
IOWA BARNSTORMERS: KURT PALANDECH
Marquel Wade and Palandech were the two bright spots on a pitiful 2019 Cedar Rapids ballclub and unfortunately, Palandech was unable to complete the 2019 regular season. Fortunately, he’ll return in 2020 to quarterback the Iowa Barnstormers. Ameer Ismail will bring a new look to the Barnstormer offense in 2020, much different than the read-option look Dixie Wooten ran in Des Moines over the last few seasons. Caleb Holbrook and Vincent Espinoza will fight for the backup role, and you’d have to give the edge to Holbrook given his many years of indoor experience. However, Espinoza does bring a dual-threat skill-set to the table. With that being said, Palandech should be expected to be near the top of the league’s passing yardage list if he remains healthy and is given the starting role as we expect he will.
OAKLAND PANTHERS: BRYAN HICKS
When we originally published this article JuJuan Lawson ws our pick to lead the Panthers. We were just informed he is no longer with the team which makes this a two-man battle between arena veterans Bryan Hicks and Diondre Borel. The advantage goes to Hicks because he has arena experience at QB. Borel played QB at Utah State but has primarily been a Wide Receiver throughout his professional career, which includes a United Bowl title in 2017. Only recently has Borel returned to the QB position and I am unsure if he’ll be used as a QB at all in 2020. Hicks gives the Panthers a much-needed veteran presence on a talented, yet vastly inexperienced squad in Oaktown.
QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS: EJ HILLIARD
EJ Hilliard is THE dark horse for MVP this season. If the ‘Wheelers can find their way to a top-3 seed in the 2020 playoffs Hilliard will have as good a chance as anyone to win the award. He throws one of, if not the best deep balls in the league and has the ability to run if the play breaks down. Expect a big year out of EJ. QC will have one of the better QB rooms in the league this year as Hilliard’s backup is former LSU Tiger Caleb Lewis. Lewis has had some looks at the NFL level and provides a great football mind behind Hilliard.
SAN DIEGO STRIKE FORCE: RUDY JOHNSON
Johnson is electric. If you haven’t seen his indoor highlights yet you need to check them out. Johnson has the upper hand in the competition because of his indoor experience alone. The other quarterbacks on the roster include Montana Tech’s Quinn McQueary who has to be next in line to Johnson and may perform well enough in training camp to earn a starting role as he does have some indoor experience at the highest level with the Albany Empire, and with the AAF’s Arizona Hotshots but didn’t attempt a pass for either team. Michael Carrillo rounds out the quarterback room but is extremely raw.
SIOUX FALLS STORM: LORENZO BROWN
This is the competition we’re all looking forward to. 2019 IFL Rookie of the Year Tommy Armstrong has entered the conversation after signing with the team following the folding of the Nebraska Danger. It appears Armstrong will now take over as the next franchise quarterback in Sioux Falls, but as long as the future IFL Hall of Famer Lorenzo Brown is on the roster, I don’t see how he won’t be the starter out of respect alone. A third QB has been signed if the Storm decide to roll with three in 2020. Damian Williams was highly recruited out of high school in New Orleans but failed to live up to the hype in college. If given a chance he has the arm talent to resurrect his career. In the end, Armstrong will a good amount of snaps but if we’re deciding who the starter will be, we’ll put our money on Brown.
SPOKANE SHOCK: CHARLES MCCULLUM
He’s one of the best to ever do it, Of course he’s the starter. The question is, who will back him up? The answer will come down to two former SEC Quarterbacks in Alabama’s Blake Sims former Heisman Trophy candidate Jeremy Johnson. Johnson could rack up big rushing touchdown numbers as a big body in goal-line situations. He also has previous indoor experience in the NAL. As for Sims, he’s still trying to find his niche at the professional level and the IFL may be the perfect place to do it. He’s bounced around at QB in the CFL, RB in the NFL, and did a little bit of everything in the AAF. Sims has a great skill-set for indoor football and will be a factor at whatever position he lines up at. We’ll give the backup nod to Sims for now.
TUCSON SUGAR SKULLS: DAQUAN NEAL
Can Daquan Neal replicate his magical 2019? Hopefully. It doesn’t matter now though. He’ll be the starter in Tucson. Two other quarterbacks are on the roster in former Vanderbilt signal-caller Johnny McCrary and Tulane QB Jonathan Banks. Banks has been trying to find himself a roster spot in the XFL but that has yet to happen. McCrary was an early free-agent signing and at one point looked like he had the potential to dominate the SEC as a freshman. The ceiling is higher for McCrary but when Banks is on, he’s on. We’ll give the backup nod to McCrary but it’s a toss-up.
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