Former SEC standouts sign with Alliance Memphis
Memphis’ yet-to-be-named Alliance of American Football team appears to have its first roster members.
Former Kentucky offensive lineman Cole Mosier announced on Twitter Wednesday that he has officially signed with the organization. Listed at 6foot-6, 335 pounds as a senior prior to the 2017 season, Mosier has not played in a game since 2016. He suffered a knee injury during a preseason scrimmage and was lost for the year.
Mosier — who was part of a Wildcats unit (in 2016) that was a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award, which is handed out annually to college football’s best offensive line — told The Commercial Appeal Wednesday he had no reservations becoming a part of a startup venture like the AAF.
"The high school I went to (WaltonVerona) didn't even have a football team when I was coming up," he said. "I was about to try to transfer somewhere else, but they decided to start (a football program) right before my freshman year. I walked on at Kentucky and earned a scholarship after my redshirt freshman year.
"So I'm not nervous at all. More excited for the opportunity to show what I've got."
In addition, former Tennessee defensive lineman Corey Vereen has also signed with Alliance Memphis, according to a tweet posted by Logan Brown Sports on Wednesday. Vereen signed as an undrafted free agent with the New England Patriots after his senior season (2016) with the Vols.
Vereen was listed at 6-2, 249 during his senior season. He collected seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss in 2016.
Alliance Memphis general manager Will Lewis declined to confirm either transaction, directing questions to the league office. The AAF did not respond to a request for confirmation, but it acknowledged Mosier's signing on Twitter.
Memphis was awarded the pro franchise in May and it will be coached by former San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Singletary. The AAF was created by TV and film producer Charlie Ebersol and former NFL executive Bill Polian.
The AAF was announced on March 20 as an eight-team league. Each team will have 50-man rosters with players selected from those who don't make the NFL or are playing in the Arena League or CFL. Teams will also be able to draft players who played in their local market in college.
The opening game will be shown on CBS on Feb. 9, the week after the Super Bowl, and will feature a 10-game regular season schedule. The playoffs will be two rounds culminating with the championship on the weekend of April 26-28.
Each week, a game will be shown on CBS Sports Network. The rest of the games will be available to watch on the league's app, which will also integrate fantasy football rewards on and off the field.