Category Archives: NFL

NFL, University of Texas

Reed, Cedric

sage15 reedCard: Sage 2015
Acquired: 2015, Box Break

My collector friends were grabbing up all the boxes they could of Sage 2015. At the bargain price of $19.99 I finally was able to snag a box at a local Walmart, and inside the box was this gem in Longhorn Cedric Reed.

A monster defensive end at 6-5, 272, Cedric Reed started 32 games for the University of Texas. During that time he was a 2 time All-Big 12 selection and named to numerous watch lists.  Over his decorated career at Texas, Reed had 37 tackles for loss, 18 sacks, and 6 forced fumbles.

After not being selected in the 2015 NFL draft, he’d sign with the Buffalo and be placed on their practice squad. At the end of the season, the Bills extended him a futures contract for 2016.

NFL

Manhart, Cole

sage15 manhart

Card: Sage Hit 2015
Acquired: 2015, Box Break

At 6’6″, 310 it appears on the surface that Cole Manhart possesses the size and weight to play at the next level. With decent footwork pulling and sealing blocks, he also plays whistle to whistle, and is a solid technician in pass protection.  The major question that dogs the former tackle, now center, is the level of competition he faced, as Cole played at little known Nebraska-Kearney.  The reviews are quite mixed on Manhart,  leaving the scouts targeting him as a priority free agent in the 2015 draft.  The Eagles signed him but he finished camp with the Saints. Eventually he landed on the Raiders, and earned a futures contract with the Steelers for 2016.

NFL, NFLE

Stouffer, Kelly

flr90 kstouffer pset89 kstouffer pset92 stouffer pset90 stouffer
Cards: Fleer 1990, ProSet 1989, ProSet 1992, ProSet 1990
Acquired: TTM 2015, C/o Home
Sent:  12/30 /15   Received: 1/11/16     (12 days)

Kelly Stouffer had some fine cards for having such a short career in the NFL. He always titillated us as the future of the Seahawks at quarterback, but Seattle always fell in love with another quarterback before his time actually came.

The greatest quarterback in Colorado State history, the St. Louis Cardinals fell in love with the statistically heavy quarterback and drafted him with the 6th overall pick of the 1987 draft. The team envisioned him as the heir apparent to Neil Lomax. The plan made perfect sense except for one thing: The Cardinals could not come to terms with Stouffer the entire year. It was a big blow to St. Louis, so the team opted to trade him to the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle had long been the domain of another savvy aged quarterback, Dave Krieg- and he would not go down without a fight.

Kreig though was injured, and with his backup ineffective, Stouffer was given a chance to step in. He’d post a 3-3 record in relief of Dave, including a game in which Stouffer completed 26 of 47 passes for a then NFL Rookie Record 370 yards and a touchdown in a loss to the New Orleans Saints.  He’d return to the bench with the return of Kreig.  Dave took pole position for the whole 1990 season.

The Seahawks in the meantime became enamored with quarterbacks, drafting Dan McGwire in the first round of the 1991 draft to be the new future of the franchise. As Krieg became more brittle behind the Seahawks porous offensive line, no less than 4 QBs started that season for the team, including Stouffer for a game.

With Kreig signing as a free agent with the Chiefs in 1992, the quarterback competition was wide open.  Stouffer actually won the job in camp, and flashed some signs of former brilliance in 7 starts, but eventually found himself on the bench both yielding to McGwire and Stan Gelbaugh.  After the season the team released Stouffer, as they planned to draft Rick Mirer.  Stouffer briefly popped up again on the radar as a backup for the Dolphins and Carolina Panthers, before he retired in 1996.

Stouffer went into broadcasting, honing his skills as a commentator in the NFLE.  He then moved back to stateside broadcasts, working college broadcasts for the Mountain West Conference. As of 2016 he’s a member of the ESPNU crew as a college football analyst.

G/GS   22/16   ATT  437    COMP 225    YDS  2333    PCT 51.5
TD 7     INT  19    RAT  54.5
RUSH  30        YDS  75       AVG  2.5     TD 0       LG  17