ELF: 2023 Berlin Thunder – A Complete Roster Breakdown
The Berlin Thunder have all but finalized their roster ahead of the 2023 European League of Football season.
The team has a new quarterback this season in 28-year-old American Donovan Isom, who spent the last two seasons across town with the Berlin Rebels of the German Football League. Isom is a massive quarterback at 6’4” and 260 pounds, making him tough for pass rushers to bring down. Last season, he threw for 2,686 yards and 26 touchdowns with just four interceptions in 10 games. He also added 165 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, as his big frame makes him potent in short-yardage situations.
WR Aaron Jackson #4 Photo: Eric Muehle
Isom will have plenty of great options to throw to in his first year with the team. Berlin has an outstanding trio of wide receivers in Aaron Jackson, Max Zimmermann, and Robin Wilzeck, as well as a solid tight end in Nicolai Schumann. Jackson played for the Cologne Crocodiles of the German Football League last season and racked up 1,488 yards and 17 touchdowns in 11 games. Zimmerman also played in the GFL and had 1,315 yards and 14 touchdowns, while Wilzeck averaged nearly 30 yards per catch with the Thunder last year.
Leading the way on defense is Kyle Kitchens. As the man who has been named the Defensive Player of the Year in each of the league’s first two seasons, his resume speaks for itself. He led the league in sacks last year with 16, and the Thunder are looking for him to have another great season this year. Berlin also has a pair of standout linebackers in Ludvig Myren and Paul Siefert who each finished last season in the top 10 in the league in total tackles. In the defensive backfield, the team signed American Alex Spillum, formerly of Coastal Carolina University at the NCAA Division I FBS level, to patrol the secondary.
QB Donovan Isom #§3 Photo: Eric Muehle
Quarterbacks
- Donovan Isom – USA
RB Tim Schulz #24 Photo: Eric Muehle
Running Backs
- Albert Wiesigstrauch – Germany
- Tim Schulz – Germany
- Ahmad Khalifa – Germany
- Bola Moussa – Germany
WR Max Zimmermann #5 Photo: Eric Muehle
Wide Receivers
- Aaron Jackson – USA
- Robin Wilzeck – Germany
- Max Zimmermann – Germany
- Maurice Rothenburg – Germany
- Emil Drossard – Germany
- Bais Kouanda – Germany
- Oliver Schmidt – Germany
Tight Ends
- Nicolai Schumann – Germany
Offensive Line
- Tobias Rodlauer – Austria
- Lawrence Cornwall Baptiste – UK
- Max Locke – Germany
- Daniel Binternagel – Germany
- Felix Lepper – Germany
- Gideon Grabert – Germany
- Marcel Camenz – Germany
- Philip Weltzien – Germany
- Malik Ahmad – Germany
- Cedric Ouattara – Germany
- Jannik Werblow – Germany
DL Kyle Kitchens #45 Photo: Eric Muehle
Defensive Line
- Kyle Kitchens – USA
- Emil Hovde – Sweden
- Christian Berg – Finland
- Ben Baierl – Germany
- Rick Baunacke – Germany
- Aaron Grosse Kleimann – Germany
- Hamsa El-Zein – Germany
- Fabian Tchuda – Germany
Linebackers
- Ludvig Myren – Sweden
- Paul Seifert – Germany
- Moritz Teuchert – Germany
- Simon Sperner – Germany
- Marius Markert – Germany
- Nick Klopsch – Germany
- Giancarlo Boone – Germany
- Ferry Bogard – Germany
DB Alex Spillum #23 Photo: Eric Muehle
Defensive Backs
- Alex Spillum – USA
- Viljo Lempinen – Sweden
- Moritz Thiel – Germany
- Jonas Gacek – Germany
- Felix Mohlberg – Germany
- Arne Gehrt – Germany
- Rico Geyer – Germany
- Want Dill – Germany
Special Teams
- Jonas Schenderlein – Germany
The Berlin Thunder open their 2023 season on June 3 when the host the Fehervar Enthroners from Hungary.
