SaberCats Add Former All-Arena DB Neal, DB Dowling and WR Willis
Saturday November 10, 2012
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The SaberCats announced today that they have been assigned three players; a pair of defensive backs; former All-Arena selection JC Neal and Jameel Dowling, as well as former San Antonio Talons wide receiver Jason Willis. The Arena Football League’s open free agency period opened on Monday Nov. 5.
"We are very excited about bringing JC and Jason to San Jose and we are also happy to have Jameel back," said Owner/Head Coach Darren Arbet. "They are each proven playmakers who we expect to add depth and experience to our group for 2013.”
Neal (6-0, 200, NC State) started all 18 games in 2012, his second in the league, for the Kansas City Command and led the team in tackles with a total of 116.5 (108 solo). He also added an interception, forced a pair of fumbles and recovered another. The Sumter, S.C. native was named Second Team All-Arena in his rookie season in 2011 as a member of the Tulsa Talons. He made 18 appearances (17 starts) while leading the Talons both in tackles with 109.5 (94 solo) as well as interceptions with nine. Neal was a ball-hawk in Tulsa, forcing five fumbles and recovering four more on the season. He joined the Talons following a brief stint with the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League as an undrafted free agent. Neal spent his collegiate career at North Carolina State from 2005-08 where he saw a lot of action for the Wolfpack.
Dowling (6-3, 205, Hawaii) most recently spent time with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League (UFL). He also spent time with the SaberCats in 2012, where he appeared in two games; making six tackles and recovering one fumble. Prior to joining San Jose, Dowling was a member of the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and had a previous stint with the Locomotives from 2010-11, where he won a championship in 2010. The Tacoma, Wash. native also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL in the preseason of 2009, where he appeared in four games. He finished the remainder of that season with the BC Lions of the CFL. At Hawaii, Dowling played for one season after transferring from Oregon.
Willis (6-1, 200, Oregon) was a member of the San Antonio Talons last season as a favorite target of new SaberCats quarterback Aaron Garcia. Willis caught a team-high 101 passes for 1,179 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2012 for San Antonio. Throughout his five-year AFL career, Willis has posted totals of 474 receptions for 5,379 yards and 100 touchdowns. The Southern California native spent 2011 with the Pittsburgh Power, was teamed up with Garcia in 2010 with the Jacksonville Sharks and again in 2007-08 with the New York Dragons. 2008 was his breakout season, leading the Dragons with 136 catches for 1,555 yards and 30 touchdowns. Prior to his AFL experience, Willis was in the NFL and NFL Europe with the Seattle Seahawks (2003-04), Frankfurt Galaxy (2004), Miami Dolphins (2005-06) and Washington Redskins (2007). He was an undrafted free agent out of Oregon, where he posted career collegiate totals of 93 catches for 1,117 yards and two scores in 47 appearances for the Ducks.
JC Neal
Position: DB
Height: 6-0
Weight: 200 lbs
Born: Jan. 14, 1987 in Sumter, S.C.
Hometown: Sumter, S.C.
Last Team: Kansas City Command (AFL)
College: NC State
AFL Experience: Two Years
Jameel Dowling #21
Position: DB
Height: 6-3
Weight: 205 lbs
Born: Dec. 29, 1984 in Tacoma, Wash.
Hometown: Tacoma, Wash.
Last Team: Las Vegas Locomotives (UFL)
College: Hawaii
AFL Experience: One Year
Jason Willis
Position: WR
Height: 6-1
Weight: 200 lbs
Born: July 26, 1980 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Hometown: Playa Del Ray, Calif.
Last Team: San Antonio Talons (AFL)
College: Oregon
AFL Experience: Five Years
Transaction: SaberCats are assigned DB JC Neal on a two-year deal, as well as DB Jameel Dowling and WR Jason Willis on one-year deals.
ABOUT THE SAN JOSE SABERCATS
The ArenaBowl XVI, XVIII and XXI champion San Jose SaberCats, are approaching their 17th Arena Football League season. Fans can log on to thesanjosesabercats.com, call 408-673-3400 and follow the SaberCats on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@SJSaberCats) for all of the latest news and information on the team. Please contact the front office at the above phone number for information on 2013 Season Ticket Packages.
