Tag Archives: cleveland browns

AAF, NFL, XFL

Smith, Derron

Card: Topps AAF Now 2019, Panini Prism 2015, Crown Royale 2015, Sage 2015, Score 2015, Topps XFL 2019,
Acquired: IP 2019, SA Commanders Team Signing Dick’s Sporting Goods at The Rim.
Ebay, 2020
TTM 2020, C/o Home
Sent: 7/13 Received: 7/24 (11 days)
Failure: TTM 2019, C/o The Minnesota Vikings

An all-star at Fresno State, Derron was named first team All WAC three times while playing for the Bulldogs. He pulled down 7 interceptions and 4 sacks in 2013, and 7 pass breakups and 80 tackles in 2014. Derron’s 15 career interceptions tied him for 5th on the school charts. A perfect storm emerged however with a hernia injury, (that caused Derron to miss the Senior Bowl and the combine,) and a bad pro day, which caused his draft day stock to drop. Scouts however, loved his ability to keep his eyes focused on the ball and the action in front of him, as well as his man cover skills.

Derron was selected in the 6th round in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He’d spend the next two seasons there, eventually landing on their practice squad in 2017, where he was signed off the Bengals by the Cleveland Browns. Over that period he got some game time experience posting 16 total tackles, a fumble recovery, and a pass deflection. Cut by the Browns in 2018, Derron kept in football shape, prepping for his next shot.

In late 2018, Derron got his next shot- An invitation to play for the new Alliance of American Football. He’d be traded by the Fleet to the San Antonio Commanders in December for Damontre Moore. The Commanders were already steeped in defensive secondary talent, and looking to add depth at safety alongside guys like Orion Stewart and Kurtis Drummond. Derron would also be coached in the secondary by longtime NFL veteran and ballhawk Bill Bradley.

“He’s quiet in the DB room, but he’s the one guy that the guys look to. He’s kind of the calming factor in a very raucous bunch of defensive backs on our team.”

– Commanders GM Daryl Johnston

Derron made a lot of noise near the end of camp, and actually didn’t even start until Week 3 of the 2019 AAF season against the Iron. From there on however, he was lights out.

Derron in Week 4 earned AAF Defensive Player of the Week Honors, when he single-handedly demolished the Arizona Hotshots. He’d pick off a John Wolford pass and race 66 yards the other direction for a TD to open up the scoring. Then later in the game, he’d pick off Wolford again as the Hotshots tried to claw their way back into the contest. The following week against the Legends, he stepped in front of an errant Aaron Murray pass late in the game, and took that pass 87 yards to paydirt.

On the season Derron finished with 22 solo stops, 11 combined tackles, 8 pass deflections, and 3 interceptions for 153 yards and 2 TDs. Although the league ceased operations after 8 contests, Smith was posthumously named the AAF Defensive Player of the Year by Pro Football Focus for his outstanding play.

“On 309 snaps in coverage, Smith led the league at any position on defense with his 93.2 coverage grade as he intercepted three passes and broke up another five. He stuck his head in on 37 total tackles and missed just three while his eight defensive stops were a top-10 figure among safeties. His prowess in the secondary for the Commanders make him a legitimate candidate to potentially land a spot in the NFL this next season.”

-Pro Football Focus (on naming Smith the AAF Defender of the Year)

Derron was snatched up by the XFL later that year, after spending training camp with the Minnesota Vikings. He’d be the first defender taken off the board by his former GM Daryl Johnston, who was now working with the Dallas Renegades.

In 5 games with Dallas, Derron had 15 tackles, and an interception before the XFL 2020 folded due to COVID concerns.

I had a giant stack of cards of Derron I wanted to get signed and with his amazing game against the Hotshots and Legends, he zoomed near the top of my favorite Commanders defensive players. I got most of these autographs in person at an event at The Rim, before Week 7. Annoyingly the Topps AAF Now card arrived the next week in the mail so I had the stress of firing out this $10.00 card out into the wind and hoping it came back.

So you’re probably wondering, “How’d you track down Derron?” Easy. I cross referenced his bio to Twitter and found where he was at attached to his profile. From there I used Advanced Background Checks- and he popped right up.

Derron replied in about 10 days, signing both his XFL and AAF Now cards and wrote me a nice note, thanking me for being a fan. I was pumped.

AAF, NFL, XFL

Hannemann, Micah

Card: Topps AAF 2019
Acquired: In Person 2019, Houston Roughnecks/ Tampa Bay Vipers Scrimmage

MIcah Hannemann was a 3 year starter at Safety for BYU between 2015 and 2017. He posted 123 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 tackle for loss, 14 pass deflections, 1 forced fumble, and 4 interceptions for 75 yards and a TD.

After being on the off-season rosters of both the Browns and Chargers, Micah signed with the Salt Lake City Stallions of the Alliance of American Football. He played in 7 games, starting 4, recording 22 total tackles, for the Stallions stout defense.

With the demise of the AAF, Hannemann was selected by the Tampa Bay Vipers of the XFL 2020 in the 6th round of phase 4. Over 5 games Micah posted 28 total tackles, before the XFL was cancelled due to COVID.

One of the first players I caught coming off the field on the Vipers’ side of the field was Micah. He was kind enough to sign my card and thanked me for being a fan of the AAF. We talked for a minute about the league and the Stallions before we went our separate ways.

NFL

Dieken, Doug

Cards: Topps 1979, Action Packed Whizzer White Award 1991
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 4/26 Received: 5/1 (6 days)

Playing at Illinois as an under-utilized TE, Doug Dieken had to wait until the 6th round of the 1971 NFL Draft to hear his name called by the Cleveland Browns. The Browns, recognizing his talent as an end sealing blocker, decided that Dieken was a better fit for offensive tackle. After learning the ropes for his rookie season, he moved into the starting lineup fulltime- a position he’d hold down for the next 12 seasons. Over that period Doug started a mammoth 193 consecutive games (while consecutively appearing in 203 games). At 6’5″, Dieken excelled as both a run and pass blocker, towering over opponents he faced on the line.

In 1983 Doug was recognized for his charitable work, earning the Byron Whizzer White Award. After retiring in 1984 Doug moved into the broadcast booth, and is considered one of the iconic players of the Browns franchise.

Doug really didn’t have any cards that stuck out- other than this post-career issued Whizzer White card, which really knocks it out of the park. Action Packed really nailed it on archival images, but unfortunately they only produced a few sets that dabbled in that. I just love the shot and the excess of grime and dirt on Dieken. It screams football.