Tag Archives: tampa bay vipers

AAF, NFL, XFL

Horn, Reece

Card: Topps XFL 2020
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Home
Sent: 5/4 Received: 5/26 (22 days)

Reece Horn played wide receiver at Division I football for the University of Indianapolis from 2012-2015. In both 2014 and 2015, Reece eclipsed the 1000 yard barrier, posting 1046 yards and 12 TDs in 2014, and 1396 yards on 108 catches in 2015. Playing 48 games for the Hounds, he posted 272 catches for 3562 yards and 31 TDs. In addition he spent time returning punts, and had 2 TDs in his senior year- including a 92 yarder.

After going undrafted in 2016, he spent the preseason with the Tennessee Titans, then took his game to the European circuit, playing in both Italy and Austria. In 2019, Reece signed with the Alliance of American Football. He was allocated to the Memphis Express.

The Express had offensive woes that stemmed from the quarterback position. Their #1 QB pick didn’t even make it through camp, and after Brandon Silvers became entrenched as starter, Johnny Manziel was brought in to keep the heat on him. As the season continued on however, Reece established himself as the go to receiver on the Express offense. He never failed to catch less than 4 passes per game, and in back to back games (in Week 6 and 7), Reece went over 100 yards (129 in Week 6 and 113 in Week 7). On the 2019 AAF season, Reece caught 28 passes for 429 yards and a TD. He returned to the NFL seeing some preseason work with the Miami Dolphins.

Reece was selected by the Tampa Bay Vipers of the XFL 2020. I remember hearing the pick and saying to myself, “That’s a good pick. Ugh, I wish the Roughnecks had gotten him.” He finished with 27 catches for 246 yards and a TD. His best game came in the final contest against the Wildcats when he caught 9 passes for 90 yards and a TD in a 34-31 loss.

I went to the Houston Roughnecks / Tampa Bay Vipers scrimmage before the season began with my buddy Lance. I felt that the players I really needed to concentrate on were from the Vipers, so I camped on their side of the field where they put their gear down. I knew Reece was on the Vipers from his days on the Express, but I was pretty surprised he didn’t have any cards of any sort. When he came over, I stopped him out of respect and told him I knew who he was and wanted to shake his hand, and that I knew that he was the machine behind the Express’ improvements over the last few weeks of the AAF season.

In Reece’s letter back to me, he thanked me for being a fan, and told me that the best is yet to come!

NFL, XFL

Tolliver, Jalen

Card: Topps AAF 2020
Acquired: EBay, 2020

Jalen Tolliver played at Arkansas-Monticelo from 2014-2017. In both his junior and senior campaigns he had over 1,000 yards receiving, and cumulatively 30 TDs. Over 4 years with the Boll Weevils Tolliver caught 192 passes for 3,168 yards and 39 touchdowns. Jalen was not selected in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Jalen signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent. He spent time on and off the team’s practice squad and onto the regular season roster. On the season he recorded 3 catches for 37 yards. In 2019, Jalen was in camp for both the Titans and the Chiefs.

He’d later be selected by the Tampa Bay Vipers during the 4th round of the XFL 2020 Draft. Jalen finished 4th in the league with 21 catches for 297 yards and a TD in 5 contests- before the league was cancelled due to COVID concerns.

AAF, XFL

Folston, Tarean

Cards: Topps AAF 2019 Certified, Topps AAF, Sage 2017
Acquired: 2019, Ebay. 2020, Houston Roughnecks/ Tampa Vipers Joint Practice

Tarean Folston was a runningback for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 2014-2017. Over his 4 years he ran for 1,712 yards on 343 carries, scoring 11 TDs. Although seldom called upon, he caught 31 passes for 294 yards and a TD. He was not selected in the 2017 NFL Draft, but stayed in playing shape.

Keeping his dream alive, Folston joined the fledgling Alliance of American Football. He’d be assigned to the Atlanta Legends. The Legends were a snakebitten franchise when it came to their coaching staff, but Folston remained a constant in the backfield for Atlanta. He’d finish as the franchise’s leading rusher with 223 yards on 53 carries, scoring a TD. Tarean also showed some vision and hands catching 26 passes for 163 yards and 2 TDs.

After the league folded, Tarean joined the Tampa Bay Vipers of the new XFL in 2020. I attended the open practice between the two teams, and was fortunate enough to get Folston’s autograph on these 2 cards of his. Folston had switched numbers with another player, but recognizing De’Veon Smith, he called Folston over for me- because they loved the fact I was a true fan of the AAF. Tarean still has his trademark dreds, that he told me took 5 years to grow out to such magnificence.

I was lucky enough to watch most of the last half of the AAF season on their app, before they shuddered it in early 2020. I always had a soft spot for the Legends, and studied the team’s offensive woes, but was shocked to see Tarean back there pounding the rock out with authority for Atlanta like a poor man’s Joseph Addai. He quickly became my favorite player on the team.