February Newsletter
Dear Gridiron Imports Family and Community,
Welcome to the 29th Edition of our newsletter. After a bit of a hiatus to focus on gearing up for 2024 we are back with the 1st newsletter of the year as well as a podcast episode featuring Dartmouth commit Gergely Hudak.
In this edition we look at the transitions our family members are embarking on. Some will be attending our showcases in March hoping that will give them a foot in the door at the our partner schools, others join Moritz Schmoranzer as they prepare for their freshman year in college and in the end, they might do like Leander Strathmann and sign a pro contract in the ELF or elsewhere.
Speaking of showcases, we are incredibly excited for this year's showcases, that will show two NFL superstars what four of Europe's best football nations have to offer, as we bring Justin Fields and Christian Wilkins to Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, and Austria in search of the best players the continent has to offer.
However, they are not the only ones that will be with us on our journey. We will also bring along top HS coaches from our partner schools and some of our new partners, including Forelle and Good Ball. Good Ball will sell Gridiron Imports merch at all camps, were every lineman participating will receive a practice jersey from Forelle.
If you wish to join our list of partners, send us a message.
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Signing Day
A big day for any high school athlete is the day they get to put pen to paper and sign their letters of intent and formalle commit to their dream school. Signing Day is not only a symbolic gesture, in order to better grasp the magnitude consider it as signing a lease on a new apartment, accepting a new job, and joining an exclusive fraternity that only a select few get to join - as well as the beginning of the end of everything you've known the last few years.
For a lot of players it's also moving out from the familiar confines of mom and dad and for some even their home countries, while others - especially among the international athletes - are experienced in living alone and abroad already. For both though, it's a monumental moment in their young lives.
For that exact reason we want to celebrate all of the Gridiron Imports Family Members who committed to play at schools across the United States.
Gergely Hudak - Kenston Forest to Dartmouth
Vito Moriana Sigel - Trinity Valley CC to Mississippi Valley
Mattis Karrasch - Chesire Academy to Northern Arizona
Cedric Jungmann - Blue Ridge School to Dickinson
Huseyn Simsir - Rabun Gap to Murray State
Malte Feil - Linsly School to Mercyhurst
Moritz Mittendorfer - North Cross School to Dickinson
Linus Lindberg - College of the Canyons to Temple
Adam Wolkowski - The Kiski School to Gettysburg
Andreas Paaske - Eastern Michigan to Arkansas
Sixten Motivala - Salisbury School to Dickinson
Felix Doege - Rabun Gap to Appalachian State
Moritz Schmoranzer - North Cross School to Pitt
Jules Ney - Rabun Gap to Georgia State
Clemens Richter - Dresden Monarchs to Connecticut
Anthony Ndika - Loomis Chaffee School to Dartmouth
New Beginings
Probably most noteworthy was the trio of young German playmakers who amped up their careers by joining the Stuttgart Surge in the ELF after having graduated with college degress. Neville Krueger and Leander Strathmann will do what they do best and nulify offensive linemen while Noah Nnabuo will shock oppossing defenders.
However, Surge wasn't getting all the action. Tim Steins finished his career at Minot State and will look to light it up for the Rhein Fire. Tim will be joined by former Seattle Seahawk and Gridiron Imports Family Member Aaron Donkor, as the reigning champions are looking to pull the first repeat in ELF history. The Fire also extended their contract with Tight End Tim Saulerland.
Peter Lundström joins a young Prague Lions team to help shore up their defensive backfield after having been a dominant force in his home country, Finland, and this year in the GFL as part of the Potsdam Royals. Peter joined us on our 2022 Camp Tour.
Showcase SZN
Our annual Showcase Tour is one of the main events on the Gridiron Imports calendar and this year is no exception. This might even be the best and biggest Showcase Tour we have had to date. It's rare that NFL Pro Bowlers get on a field in Europe outside of the NFL games. But we are incredibly proud to have Justin Fields and Christian Wilkins attend the camps and help instruct the players with tricks and tips to improve their game.
Looking for players to improve their rosters will be coaches from some of our partner schools in the United States including Top 50 High School Head Coach Derek White from Rabun Gap Nacoochee as well as other great coaches.
The players will be coached by the above mentioned coaches as well as top players and coaches from Europe including Devin Burrell, who was a nightmare as a return specialist in the ELF last year. Coaches will be at some or all showcases.
Showcases are an excellent opportunity for players to prove themselves, and every year we see multiple guys earn spots on High Schools directly at these events from impressing and dominating.
We will also have partners present at every stop ranging from teams to football equipment sellers to professional scouts from All22.