Card: Topps XFL 2020
Acquired: EBay, 2020

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

• Jalen Saunders played two years at Fresno State from 2010-’11.
• He then transferred to Oklahoma for ’12 and finished out his college career there in ’13.
• His sophomore campaign for Fresno was his best, as he caught 50 catches for 1065 yards and 12 TDs.
• Saunders then had two back to back solid seasons for the Sooners, with 829 yards and 3 TDs and 729 yards and 8 TDs respectably.
• Selected in the 4th round of the 2014 Draft by the New York Jets.
• He’d see action with the Jets before being cut, then bounce on and off the rosters of the Cardinals and Seahawks before finally ending up on the Saints to conclude the season.
• The following year in 2015, the Saints traded Saunders to New England for a conditional draft choice, but he didn’t make the 52.
• Joined the Bears practice squad, but was suspended 10 games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
• Played in the Spring League in 2017.
• Signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats that year and had a breakout season, posting 1,170 yards on 76 receptions.
• He was off to a great start in 2018, until an injury ended his season and then subsequently released in 2019.
• The XFL20 Houston Roughnecks drafted him- but injured in camp, he wouldn’t see the field.
• Returned to CFL and signed with the Redblacks, but never saw the field, retiring in ’21.
• He came out of retirement in 2022 to play for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but was cut after he was accused of sexual assault.

NOTES:

I had a stack of cards of Saunders and thought I’d catch him at a game or at the team meet and greet before the season. Unfortunately that didn’t happen.