Alex Barrett played DL for San Diego State from 2013-’16.
He appeared in 44 contests, posting 165 total tackles, 39 TFL, 18.0 sacks, and 2 interceptions.
Signed as an UDFA by the Detroit Lions following the 2017 NFL Draft.
Spent a good portion of 2017/’18 on and off the practice squad.
Opted to sign with the San Diego Fleet of the AAF during the tail end of 2018.
In 8 contests, he had 15 tackles and 2.0 sacks.
Quickly signed with the Raiders following the end of the AAF in 2019.
Released with an injury settlement in September of that year.
Joined the 49ers in November of 2019.
Has spent time on and off the team’s practice squad and active roster through 2024.
NOTES:
I tracked down Barrett and was lucky enough to get his autograph on his AAF card, but because of the date it must have gotten lost in the shuffle of the new year. Although not an action shot of Barrett, it’s still a really nice card, and the color really stands out on it, showcasing his lanky frame.
Malachi Jones played for 2012-’15 at WR for Appalachian State.
An UDFA of the Atlanta Falcons in 2016, he’d be cut after mini camp.
Malachi took his game to the NAL to the High Country Grizzlies in 2017.
In 10 contests, he caught 66 passes for 685 yards and 16 TDs.
After a short stint in the American Arena League’s Atlanta Havoc, he signed with the Albany Empire in 2018.
He had a solid debut, catching 77 passes for 1156 yards and 29 TDs.
After being signed and cut by the Bears, Malachi signed with the Atlanta Legends of the AAF in late 2018.
Despite the team’s QB woes, he caught 22 passes for 312 yards and 2 TDs over 8 contests.
After the league folded abruptly, Malachi resigned with the Albany Empire in 2019.
He had a spectacular return to the Arena Football League with 96 catches for 1,440 yards and 25 touchdown catches.
Malachi helped the team win the Arena Bowl XXXII after the season.
Although he was selected by the Seattle Dragons of the relaunched XFL, Jones opted to sign with the Montreal Alouettes.
In 2021, he returned to the Albany Empire, but the league quickly fell apart.
This led Malachi to play for the Carolina Cobras in 2022.
ACCOLADES:
NAL Offensive Rookie of the Year 2017
Arena Football Offensive Rookie of the Year 2018
Arena Football Wide Receiver of the Year 2018
NOTES:
I hadn’t had any luck with Malachi, when a friend of mine on Facebook who knew him, reached out and said he could get him for me.
He also collected World League stuff like I did. I helped him out on a few addresses, and he helped me. Then like that, overnight, he disabled his Facebook and I never saw him again.
Later Malachi had a good laugh when I sent him a Tweet of me in my Atlanta Legends Malachi Jones jersey sneaking in to represent the AAF during an XFL 2020 broadcast in H-Town.
Eric Pinkins was a hybrid DB/LB at San Diego State from 2009-’13.
He finished with 172 total tackles, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 5 pass deflections, and 3 interceptions for 70 yards and a TD over 4 years with the Aztecs.
6th round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 2014.
After 2 seasons with the Seahawks, he joined the Giants for 2016.
Waived by the Giants in mid-2017, Eric signed with the Cowboys in 2018, but did not make the squad.
He started 6 of 8 contests, posting 29 total tackles and .5 sacks.
After the AAF ended, Pinkins was selected by the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL in 2020.
He’d finish the season on the roster of ‘Team 9’ before the COVID abbreviated season ended.
NOTES:
After the AAF collapsed, I rushed out a few cards to players that I could readily find through the mail. Eric was in that first batch, and then proceeded to get lost in the shuffle of all my returns that year. There is no discoloration in the Topps AAF base card he autographed. It looks like he started in purple and realized it wouldn’t take as well as blue. I really appreciate his effort there though.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
