Philadelphia Soul Open Tryout Recap
Harrison Brown
Thursday February 5, 2015
The Philadelphia Soul had another successful open tryout with over 200 hopefuls to make the team. All the Soul’s coaches and front office staff were in attendance as well as Soul players such as Larico Stevenson, Tyron Hurst, Morkeith Brown, and Ryan McDaniel a former open tryout member who has turned himself into an elite pro.
RANDALL SIGNS BACKThe night before the tryout, the Soul announced they’d signed backup quarterback Bryan Randall to a contract. Randall was Raudabaugh’s only backup quarterback in camp, and all season last year. Randall completed 20 of 33 passing attempts with six touchdowns. He was also the PAT holder after Ryan McDaniel tore his achilles last year. Randall also played for the Pittsburgh Power in 2012 and spent time with the Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2005-2007. The team also signed Keyun Swinney a rookie offensive lineman from Alcorn State. Swinney played for the Colorado Ice last season and is primarily a guard/ tight end.
MCDANIEL TO SIGN BACKRyan McDaniel will return to the team that gave him a professional shot for the 2015 season. “Oh yeah, I’ll definitely be back here in 2015,” he said. McDaniel reeled in 80 receptions with 19 touchdowns and 1,026 yards before tearing his achilles. “I’m about 85, 90 percent right now, I’d say in about a month when camp starts I should be 100 percent or close to it.” McDaniel tore his achilles early in week 14 against the Pittsburgh Power and missed the final six games of the season, including a heart breaking loss in the postseason to the Cleveland Gladiators. “I’m ready to get going and start destroying teams, no more close games.” “When I came in Tiger and Boogie (Larry Brackins) helped me so much so I’ll take these new guys under my wing and teach them what I know.”
OPEN TRYOUT HOPEFUL SHINESThe Soul have been improving their receiving core in recent weeks with the additions of Tyrone Goard, Dominique Curry, and Shaun Kauleinamoku but the team may have found another Ryan McDaniel this weekend with 22 year old Kendrey Thurman, an open tryout hopeful who traveled from Suffolk Virginia. “I rode a bus to get here, anything that’s moving to get me to be where I need to be for something like this.” Thurman said in an interview after the tryout. “I think I came out here and played good, I ran good routes and ran a 4.4 in the forty yard dash, and I feel that I did everything I was supposed to do.” Thurman who attended a private workout this past October where he was injured has been waiting since then to get back out for the Soul to take another look at him. “I played semi pro football, then I went to the Virginia Knights and won special teams MVP, then I signed with the Pennsylvania Steam who later relocated to Savannah Georgia, so I told coach to release me and I went home to the 757 (South Virginia) and started preparing for my next opportunity.” “ I want to continue striving, and if no one else believes in me, I believe in myself.”
SOUL ADD DEVIN BROWN FROM OPEN TRYOUTAfter the Soul’s open tryout and private workouts at the team's practice facility the team has announced they’ve signed rookie fullback Devin Brown from Prairie View A&M. “We are extremely pleased with the turnout in players we saw this weekend,” Soul head coach Clint Dolezel said in the team’s press release. “We have been fortunate to find a few players from these workouts every year. Brown is a guy that we can feel can help us, and we are excited to see what he can do in camp.” Brown rushed 42 times for 178 yards, and eight receptions with 91 yards and two touchdowns in two seasons with Prairie View A&M.