Denver signs 4 from NFL Europa

Mike Shanahan has announced that the Broncos have signed four NFL Europa players who just completed their season last month. The new Broncos include G Emmanuel Akah (Frankfurt Galaxy), CB Bill Alford (Frankfurt Galaxy), CB Kevin House (Cologne Centurions) and T Cliff Washburn (Hamburg Sea Devils).

Denverbroncos.com has posted the following info on each of the new players…

G Emmanuel Akah (6-foot-3, 330 pounds) is a first-year player who started all 11 games at left guard for Frankfurt in 2007, helping the Galaxy lead NFL Europa in scoring (25.4 ppg.) and advance to World Bowl XV. A native of London, Akah began his professional career in NFL Europa in 2006 and saw time with Rhein and Frankfurt that season. He signed with Miami on June 2, 2006, and competed in the Dolphins’ training camp before he was waived on Aug. 29. Akah played three seasons at Winston-Salem State University following one year of junior college football at State University of New York-Canton. A graduate of Tottenville High School in Staten Island, N.Y., Akah was born on Feb. 8, 1979, in London.

CB Bill Alford (5-foot-9, 183 pounds) is a first-year player who saw time in 10 games (6 starts) at cornerback for Frankfurt in 2007. He also competed for the Galaxy during its 2006 season, starting all 11 games for the club to help it win World Bowl XIV. Alford competed in Atlanta’s training camp during the 2006 season and was in Baltimore’s camp as a rookie in 2005 but spent both regular seasons out of the NFL. He played two years at Vanderbilt University, including a senior season in which he started 10 games, after transferring from Middle Georgia College. An all-state selection as a senior at Brunswick High School in Brunswick, Ga., Alford was born on Oct. 30, 1981.

CB Kevin House (6-foot-0, 185 pounds) is a fourth-year cornerback who earned All-NFL Europa honors as a 10-game starter for Cologne in 2007, helping the Centurions lead the league in scoring defense (17.2 ppg.). House, who spent the 2006 season out of the NFL, was on Seattle’s reserve/non-football injury list for the entire 2005 campaign after playing for Cologne in NFL Europa that spring. He saw time in 16 games (0 starts) for San Diego from 2002-03 and competed in the Chargers’ training camp in 2004 but was waived by the club on Aug. 31 of that year. House entered the NFL with New Orleans as a rookie free agent in 2002 after playing four seasons at the University of South Carolina, where he posted 135 career tackles. A graduate of Chamberlain High School in Tampa, Fla., House was born on Jan. 9, 1979, in St. Louis.

T Cliff Washburn (6-foot-5, 305 pounds) is a first-year tackle who played 11 games (1 start) for Hamburg in 2007, helping the Sea Devils to a victory in World Bowl XV. Washburn, who also played for the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europa in 2004 and ’05, saw time on the rosters of Dallas and Minnesota in the offseason leading up to the 2006 campaign but spent that regular season out of the NFL. He competed on Chicago’s practice squad during the 2003 and ’04 seasons after entering the NFL with the New York Giants as a college free agent on May 2, 2003. Washburn earned second-team All-Southern Conference honors in his only season of football at The Citadel after playing four years on its basketball team. A graduate of Shelby High School in Shelby, N.C., Washburn was born on Jan. 25, 1980.

While the signing of two cornerbacks may hint at the possibility of Foxworth playing again at Safety this year, the real surprise would have to be the size of O-linemen Washburn and Akah. At 305 and 330 (respectively), they are both larger men than the standard Denver model. It isn’t a huge issue, as all four will likely be working to win practice squad spots (if they can stick it out through camp).

We’ll see when camp starts in a couple of weeks! :)

Article in the Tennessean on Bill Alford in NFL Europa: FULL STORY

Article on WTOC Channel 11 on Bill Alford in NFL Europa: FULL STORY

2005 Article on Kevin House in NFL Europa: FULL STORY

2005 Article on Cliff Washburn in NFL Europa: FULL STORY

Brief Article on Emmanuel Akah’s signing to the Dolphins: FULL STORY