NFL

Darboh, Amara

Card: Sage 2017 Peak Performance
Acquired: 2017, Box Breaker

Amara Darboh was selected in the 3rd round of the 2017 draft by the Seattle Seahawks.  He really didn’t catch the eye of scouts until his final year at Michigan even though he was putting up reputable numbers by his Sophomore campaign.  Darboh caught 58 passes for 727 yards and 5 TDs in 2015- his Junior year.  In 2016, Amara had 57 receptions for 862 yards and 7 TDs.  His NFL Draft profile compared him to Mohamed Sanu. Darboh’s got a good NFL build and the speed, but needs to work on separating himself from receivers at the line of scrimmage.

Amara life is a unique story.  His family fled war torn Sierra Leone and came to the states when he was just a kid. In 2015, he was made an American citizen.

You can clearly see that Sage is upping their game here with this nice glossy shot and action shot of Amara Darboh, and it’s a welcome change to the market. My only complaint is that the silver and black tend to disappear on the background a bit which contributes to a bit of eyestrain. For the longest time I looked at Darboh’s card and thought it said ‘Darbon’.

NFL

Thomas, Solomon

Card: Sage 2017
Acquired: 2017, Box Breaker

Solomon Thomas played for the Stanford Cardinal and is considered a blue chip prospect in the 2017 NFL Draft. A two year starter at strongside defensive end, he recorded 98 total tackles, 24.5 tackles for losses, 12 sacks, and 4 fumble recoveries. Well conditioned, teams raved about his sideline to sideline impact, and likened him to Justin Smith. The feeling is that the sky is the limit for Solomon as he grows into his full potential in the pros. It was expected that Thomas would not make it out of the top 10 in the 2017 NFL Draft.

The draft opened as expected, but the Bears traded up with the 49ers one slot to grab Mitch Trubisky in a stunner move, and handing SF a few picks in the process.  It is unknown if the ‘9ers coveted Trubisky at all, but they quickly then turned around with the 3rd overall pick and selected Thomas where it is expected that Solomon will contribute early in his career with the team.

Arena, IFL

Thomas, Pete

sage15 pthomasCard: Sage 2015
Acquired: 2016, Hobby Box Breaker

Pete Thomas is an intriguing quarterback prospect with a history reminiscent of former pocket passer- Pitt QB Tom Savage. A rare 2 school transfer, Thomas’ long march originally started with the Colorado State in 2010.  He’d spend two years with the Rams and play in 21 games.  Pete put up a decent statline, going 414/652, for 9117 yards, with 36 TDs to 36 picks.  Sitting out a year, Thomas played in 9 games in 2013 for the NC State Wolfpack.  He’d throw 9 TDs, and complete 149 of 247 attempts.

Thomas again changed gears after the 2013 campaign, and transferred to Louisiana-Monroe.  Pete had a good year with the Warhawks, with 301 completions on 501 attempts, 3181 yards and 14 touchdowns. Going undrafted in 2015, Pete was an early mini-camp arm for the San Diego Chargers and New York Giants, but was unable to stick.

Eventually Pete signed with the Minnesota Havok of the Indoor Football League, but the team folded before it even took the field.  Released from his contract he was assigned by the Arena Football League in 2016 to the LA KISS.  Thomas came in during the first game of the 2016 season and didn’t relinquish the starting job all season, leading the team into the playoffs. Pete for the record completed 166 of 294 attempts for 2094 yards, 42 TDs and 8 INT. As the Arena Football League went through a massive reorganization the LA Kiss bowed out of the league. Thomas had his rookie option exercised  by the Tampa Bay Storm for 2017.

Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.