(Tucson, AZ) The Tucson Sugar Skulls have signed Kent Shelby, one of the leading receivers from the 2019 IFL champion Sioux Falls Storm.
Shelby, 6’2, 210 pounds, caught 43 passes for 518 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Storm who finished with an overall record of 14-3 including three playoff victories and the United Bowl championship. He caught three passes for 38 yards in a first-round playoff victory over the Sugar Skulls. In the United Bowl victory over the Arizona Rattlers, Shelby caught three passes for 19 yards and two touchdowns.
The signing gives the Sugar Skulls two of the top receivers in the IFL. Tucson previously signed Ryan Balentine, the Most Valuable Player of the 2018 United Bowl, and the leader in most receiving categories in the 2019 season while playing for the Iowa Barnstormers. The duo will be on the receiving end of passes from the 2019 IFL MVP, quarterback Daquan Neal who signed with the Sugar Skulls earlier this month.
Shelby played college football at McNeese State where he had 80 career receptions and 1,285 receiving yards. He signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2018 and participated in the Chargers rookie mini-camp.
The Sugar Skulls now have 16 players signed for the 2020 season. Training camp begins in late February or early March depending on the season schedule which will be released later this month.
The 16 signees are:
Name Pos Ht Wt College
Ryan Balentine WR 6’1 180 Southern Mississippi
Adolphus Barnes OL 6’4 285 Eastern Illinois
Kordell Brewster OL 6’2 270 UL-Lafayette
Cory Butler DB/WR 5’9 180 Utah
Cam Gaddis DB 6‘1 195 Pima Community College
Jajuan Harley DB 6’2 215 Middle Tennessee State
Jeremiah Harris WR 5’8 155 Webber International
Mike Jones RB 5’11 210 Bethune-Cookman
Lawrence Keys OL 6’2 300 UNC-Pembroke
TreQuan King RB 5’11 190 Texas Tech
Johnny McCrary QB 6’4 210 Vanderbilt
Robert Metz DL 6’4 240 Dixie State
Michael Minter Jr. DB 6,0 175 Middle Tennessee State
Daquan Neal QB 6’2 215 Elizabeth City State
Koree Reed WR 6’0 185 Hartwick College
Kent Shelby WR 6’2 210 McNeese State
The Sugar Skulls will play seven regular-season home games at the Tucson Arena beginning in March with the regular season running through June. The IFL playoffs will begin in early July.
Press release from the Tucson Sugar Skulls