The Alliance of American Football (AAF) kicked off this past weekend and, all things considered, were met with positive reviews across the board.
Although some rules are slightly different than the NFL and are up for debate, the quality on the field was solid after just 30 days of instillation, while the transparency of the officials has already proven to be something the NFL should strive for.
As players gain further experience in the weeks to come, the overall quality of the game itself should improve. Accordingly, NFL teams should be keeping a close eye on the development of each roster because, well. . . that’s the entire point of the AAF.
Here’s a look at three defenders the Giants should be watching this season.
Azeem Victor, LB, Orlando Apollos
Azeem Victor was a sixth-round pick of the Oakland Raiders in the 2018 NFL Draft, but didn’t manage to stick when it came time for final cuts. He later bounced around with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks before landing in the AAF.
At 23 years old, age is still very much on Victor’s side and the AAF should present him a real opportunity to put film together against other NFL-quality talent.
The 6-foot-3, 231-pound Victor was a First-Team All-Pac-12 selection in 2016 and an Associated Press Preseason First-Team All-American in 2017, but had his final season derailed due to a DUI charge. Coupled with a broken tibia in 2016, Victor didn’t receive the sort of field time he may have needed to succeed at the next level.
Always in need of linebackers, both on the outside and inside, the Giants should keep their eye on Victor.
Micah Hannemann, S, Salt Lake Stallions
Micah Hannemann started his first 15 games at cornerback before BYU moved him to safety, where he started the final 22 games of his college career. In total, he recorded 123 tackles, 14 passes defensed and four interceptions before being signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2018.
The 6-foot, 190-pound Hannemann ultimately landed on the Browns’ practice squad, but was eventually waived. Before he could even test free agency, he was scooped up by the Los Angeles Chargers.
Although the 24-year-old Hannemann failed to appear in an NFL game, he may be able to put together some nice film in the AAF and remind all why he was considered a quality player at BYU. And with an obvious need at safety alongside Landon Collins, perhaps Hannemann can do something to catch the Giants’ eye.
Luke Carrezola, LB, Salt Lake Stallions
Another player from the Stallions, Luke Carrezola was a relatively dominant force during his time at Connecticut. He was considered both a solid pass-rusher and run defender who could go sideline-to-sideline with speed.
The 6-foot-2, 257-pound Carrezola recorded 28.5 tackles for a loss and 11 sacks in his college career before going undrafted in 2018 and sitting out the season.
Although he was inactive in Week 1 of the AAF season, Carrezola made some plays during the team’s earlier exhibition game and will undoubtedly get on the field at some point moving forward.
With a need on the edge, the Giants could look for a diamond in the rough like Carrezola — a player capable of playing the run first, but rushing the pass when James Bettcher calls for it.
