[MIJB#19]

Merchantmen select top graded OT Humphrey
Top prospect Howard Humphrey has a new home. The big right tackle was taken 9th overall in the 2085 draft by the Maassluis Merchantmen. The Iowa State graduate received a 7.0 grade by the league scouting staff after the 24 year old shined in the rookie combine with a stellar 4.86 40-yard dash. The Merchantmen see Humphrey as the future replacement of veteran Oscar Meadows, currently out of contract. The Merchantmen will probably try to resign Meadows for a 15th season, to compete for the starting job, or at the very least to mentor Humphrey. This continues the Merchantmen's rebuild of the offensive line, as Humphrey joins second-year guard Michael Scott and third-year left tackle Nathan Hadinger, both high second round picks.


Merchantmen grab Andrews as their quarterback of the future
With their second round pick of the 2085 draft, the Maassluis Merchantmen have acquired the rights to the fourth highest rated quarterback of the class: Virginia Tech's Ernest Andrews. The 21-year old impressed the Merchantmen coaching staff after he had already impressed all league scouts with solid Solecismic Test and agility test scores. With Ellis McAlister entering his 12th season, it was a good opportunity to look at the future. McAlister looks likely to start for another season or two, but as he knows from first hand experience, the Merchantmen sometimes are willing to be patient and give a promising prospect plenty of time to grow into a starting caliber quarterback. Twice before did the Merchantmen select a quarterback in the second round, Josh Webb hung around for just two seasons, Everett "Going" South hung around for 11 seasons as the second stringer and briefly returned for a 12th season during an injuries plagued season. But Andrews looks eager to jump into the opportunity to become an IHOF quarterback.


Merchantmen grab punter Guynes in third round
The name of Doug Guynes was called earlier than league pundits expected, but the Maassluis Merchantmen haven't been strangers to drafting kickers or punters on the first or second day of the selection procedure. Previously highly drafted punters spent more than 10 seasons with the Merchantmen, which bodes well for the 22-year old from Michigan. It probably means the exit of Tito Hornsby, a former undrafted rookie signing by the Merchantmen, who turned into a stellar punter after all, entering his 15th season in the IHOF as a top10 caliber punter. Hornsby is currently unsigned.