As we start the 2032 season, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the 2030 ACI draft class and see how they have progressed.


Edwin Stoner
OLB – Washington – 5’ 10”, 237 lbs.
1st round. Pick #1-2. #2 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 7.20
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 6.90
2030 Rating: 62/82
2032 Rating: 85/85

2030 Comments: ACI had numerous needs entering the draft and we could have gone in many directions with the #2 overall pick. RB Junior Wolfe, WR Emmitt Upshaw and QB Isaac Burgess would all have been great selections and appear to have All Pro abilities. Passing on Burgess and Wolfe could come back to haunt the team in the future. In the end, OLB was just too great of a need and Stoner appears to be a future All Pro himself. Hopefully an anemic Atlantic City offense will be helped by a top 10 defense (which is the team goal for 2030).

2032 Comments: Wolfe (88/88), was selected #1 overall and was the rookie of the year. Upshaw (63/63) still has a bright future ahead of him but has been injured in each of his first two seasons. Burgess (69/78) has battled a few injuries but really progressed in 2031 with 3,600+ yards passing and a 21/12 TD/INT ratio. Stoner has had a few minor injuries himself but was the defensive rookie of the year in 2031 and a 1st team all-league selection in 2031.

Grade: A+++


Zack Koethe
ILB – Washington St. – 6’ 2”, 248 lbs.
2nd Round. Pick #2-2, #33 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 5.80
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 5.60
2030 Rating: 34/66
2032 Rating: 44/44

2030 Comments: Koethe, who most experts expected to be off the board in the 20’s, adds more talent to the improving Phantoms defense. With current ILB Lyon approaching the end of his career, a replacement was needed and Koethe is a very good option.
2032 Comments: It is tough being in the shadow of Stoner, but Koethe has progressed nicely, all not to his inflated early numbers. Due to the presence of Lyon, Koethe has only started 4 games in his career. For 2032, Lyon has moved on so Koethe will step into the starting MLB spot.

Grade - B


Todd Nelson
QB – SE Oklahoma St. – 6’4 - 2227
3rd Round. Pick #3-1, #65 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 5.00
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 5.70
2030 Rating: 14/56
2032 Rating: 24/43

2030 Comments: The third round was the point that ACI finally made an attempt to address their quarterback issue. Dillon was resigned as a free agent to be the starter for a year or two more while 2nd year player Rico Firth is on the roster. Nelson, who appears to fit the west coast offense mold with high bars at screen, short and timing, will be added to the mix.

2032 Comments: Nelson battled an anxiety disorder for most of 2031 so he has not progressed quite as well as the Phantoms had hoped. Dillon was indeed the starter for two years but was not resigned for 2032. If a veteran is not acquired in pre-season, Nelson will be battling Firth and 2031 draftee Claude Ripple for the starting spot.

Grade - C


Bryant Corbett
WR – Iowa – 6’ 11” – 177 lbs.
3rd Round. Pick #3-2. #66 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 4.50
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 4.70
2030 Rating: 19/50
2032 Rating: 33/33

2030 Comments: With only two wide receivers currently on the roster, and one of those a return specialist only, many will question why it took until the 3rd round to get a receiver. Like Nelson, Corbett fits the west coast offense with high bars in getting downfield and avoid drops. Add in excellent bars in route running, big play receiving, adjust to ball and endurance and the hope is that we got a 3rd round steal.

2032 Comments: ACI has done all they can to allow Corbett to developed (including sending him to the Summer League) and he has become a nice 3rd or 4th receiver. However, he is not the “steal” that the team hoped for. The getting downfield numbers never really panned out and 12 catches in two years is not good.

Grade: C-


Graham Philip
TE – Michigan – 6’5 – 261 lbs.
4th Round. Pick #4-1. #97 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 5.50
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 4.80
2030 Rating: 39/50
2032 Rating: 48/48

2030 Comments: For the third pick in a row, Atlantic City drafted an offensive player. Tight end was another of the numerous holes on the roster. Philip was another player targeted for his west coast offense skills. These include excellent bars in getting downfield, avoid drops, blocking strength and route running.

2032 Comments: Philip has developed into a very nice tight end and is very close to his projected numbers. He has steadily progressed every year with 25 catches in 2031 and 28 in 2031. Philip also plays a key role on special teams as one of the key gunners.

Grade – B+


Curtis Babinchak
G – Pennsylvania – 6’6 – 323 lbs.
5th Round. Pick #5-2. #130 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 5.20
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 4.90
2030 Rating: 36/63
2032 Rating: 65/65

2030 Comments: The help for the offense keeps coming with the drafting of Babinchak. The former Pennsylvania guard has great bars for run blocking, pass blocking and blocking strength. Endurance may be an issue but in a guard rotation, he appears to be a definite asset.

2032 Comments: If it wasn’t for Stoner, Babinchak would be the prize of the draft. When you take into account his draft slot, he is easily the best value. Incredibly, his actuals are almost exactly the same as the predicted numbers. Babinchak has started all but one game in two years and is a key piece of the Phantoms offensive line for years to come.

Grade: A


Chuck Hanson
RB – Brigham Young – 5’ 11” – 227 lbs.
6th Round. Pick #6-1. #161 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 4.80
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 5.10
2030 Rating: 28/36
2032 Rating: 30/30

2030 Comments: The Phantoms are very happy with the development of running back Mario Hall, last year’s 3rd round pick, but needed a 3rd down back to give him some rest. Based on his bars, Hanson appears to fit that spot perfectly. He has bars in the 90s for third down running, blitz pickup, avoid drops, getting downfield and route running.

2032: Hanson spent one season on the roster and then was released.

Grade - D

Everett Shepherd
DE – Georgia – 6’ 1” – 258 lbs.
7th Round. Pick #7-1. #194 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 3.90
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 4.30
2030 Rating: 19/60
2032 Rating: unknown

2030 Comments: The plan going into the draft was to select at least one defensive lineman. It took until the 7th round but it finally happened with the selection of Shepherd. Shepherd has very good bars in all areas and hopefully he can fit in a defensive line rotation

2032 Comments: Based on the crazy potential predictions, ACI was hoping for a 7th round get. Those numbers never materialized and Shepherd was released in 2031.

Grade - D

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