The Jacksonville Sharks are gearing up for their tenth season of local arena football and their third in the National Arena League.
The franchise enters a new era as it heads into 2019, with majority owner Jeffrey Bouchy departing the Sharks team earlier this month.
The team has made several key signings over the offseason, including QB Jonathan Bane, WR Chad Walcott, FB/LB Zack Brown, and DB Fred Shaw.
Bane played with the Maine Mammoths last year, totaling 2,689 passing yards and 59 passing TDs. He set multiple school records at Dakota Wesleyan University. He enters his fifth season of arena football action as the Sharks’ presumptive starter at QB.
Walcott comes to the Sharks after an All-Star season in the rival American Arena League last year. He was also the offensive MVP of the short-lived Supreme Indoor Football league in 2016.
Brown was also an AAF All-Star Game selection last season as a linebacker, but he can line up as fullback as well.
Shaw joins the Sharks after taking a break from action; he last played in 2015. Prior to that, Shaw was a decorated arena football veteran whose career dates back to 2007. He enters his ninth arena season looking to make a comeback with the Sharks.
Other notable signings include OL/DL Mike Williams who played one year at Jacksonville University, Jax-native OL D’Angelo McCray, and WR Durron Neal who earned Second Team All-NAL honors last season.
The offseason signings were rounded out by quarterback Liam Nadler, wide receivers Ja’Juan Story and Daryl Boggan, offensive linemen Jabari Buckley and Justin Wells, defensive linemen Jonathan Taylor, Marquis Smith, and Nick Woodman, and defensive backs Chris Pickett, Leon Mackey, Sr., Justin Sullivan, and Paul Robinson.
The team also recently held open tryouts in Julington Creek looking to fill out its final roster.
The Sharks begin their season on Saturday, April 13 against the New York Streets at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.
