(Phoenix, AZ) The Arizona Rattlers have brought back a pair of All-IFL First Team defensive backs in Dillion Winfrey and Davontae Merriweather.
Dillion Winfrey enters his sixth season with the Arizona Rattlers and the Indoor Football League in 2023.
The 2021 IFL Defensive Player of the Year, Winfrey finished tied for 1st in the IFL with 11 interceptions. He also tallied 17 pass breakups and 66 tackles on the season.
The Bryant, Arkansas native helped lead a defense that allowed the fewest points per game in 2022 at 31.4.
In 2019, Winfrey was named to the All-Arena/All-IFL Second Team as a defensive back, a season that saw him record five interceptions and eight pass breakups – second and third on the team respectively – in addition to 36 solo tackles and five tackles for loss.
Winfrey played college football at the University of Central Arkansas, where he was an All-Southland Conference Honorable Mention in 2012. In 30 career games with the Bears, Winfrey recorded 82 solo tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 14 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
At Bryant High School in Arkansas, Winfrey was twice named All-State in track and football, twice named Nike All-Arkansas, and was a 2011 Landers Award Finalist.
Davontae Merriweather will return to the Arizona Rattlers for his fifth season for the Arizona Rattlers and the Indoor Football League in 2023.
The Rattlers veteran was honored as the 2019 IFL Defensive Player of the Year and had the honors of making the All-IFL First Team last season as he finished near the top of the league in total tackles with 91.5.
Merriweather finished with 91.5 tackles, 4 pass breakups, and scored two defensive touchdowns to go with one interception this season for the Rattlers.
Following a rash of injuries to the secondary, Merriweather re-joined the Rattlers in 2021 in early August after spending time with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Prior to playing in the IFL, Merriweather played collegiately at West Texas A&M University.
At Saddleback College he earned first-team all-conference honors with 55 tackles, three forced fumbles, seven interceptions, and one touchdown.
Merriweather played high school football at Highland High School (Palmdale, CA) where he earned first-team all-conference as a defensive back. He also competed in track and was all-conference in the shot put.
Press Release courtesy of the Arizona Rattlers – Brandon Dueñas
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