ELF: 2023 Hamburg Sea Devils – A Complete Roster Breakdown

By Michael Voitek

The Hamburg Sea Devils dominated the ELF regular season last year, going 11-1 before losing in the championship. However, with some key players leaving, it’ll be interesting to see if they can repeat their success. Their 2023 European League of Football roster is set, so now it’s time to see if it’s good enough.

The roster features a total of 61 players consisting of: 4 American imports, 5 European Imports, and national players. This means the Sea Devils can add a European import at any time.

They are using an A-import on Preston Haire to be their new starter at quarterback. Haire played D-II (Oklahoma Baptist) ball and was a dominant player for his college. They had fine QB play last year but want to try someone new under center this year after their two QB’s split snaps last year. At running back, heartbreak comes into play for the Sea Devil faithful with the departure of Glen Toonga. The Brit dominated every aspect of rushing last year and was one of the main reasons the Sea Devils made it as far they did. He rushed for 1,400 yards and a whopping 21 touchdowns averaging 122 yards/game. A loss like that will not be easy to replace. It appears like Danish running back, Jakob Michaelsen, may be the new guy in their backfield. Michaelsen is a young guy who can help in the pass game, but certainly not the type of player Toonga was. He will have offensive linemen David Weinstock and Gerrit Brandt to run behind which should open up some holes.

The Sea Devils lost another key piece in Jean Constant (ELF all-time leading receiver) to the Milano Seamen, but they found an excellent replacement in Malik Stanley. Stanley played D-I ball at Louisiana Tech and dominated in the ELF last year with the Wroclaw Panthers. An explosive receiver with 1,000 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns, Stanley looks to be the focal point of the new look Sea Devils in 2023. Look for veteran Benjamin Mau to add some stability to this receiving group.

Defense: This team was number one in rush, pass and total defense last year, but with key losses it may be a struggle to maintain that dominance. This is becoming a major trend for the Sea Devils 2023 roster: another huge loss. Tim Hanni was first team all-defense and wreaked havoc on opposing teams last year for the Devils. He is gone, as is a lot of that great team from last year. Hiswil Awuah will have to step up in their place.

He was the Rookie of the Year in 2021 on defense and had a sub-par second season, but he will have to answer the call. The team also signed stud defensive end, Robert Lachmann, who was the D-II defensive player of the year in 2022, and Moritz Hiendleder, a German-born player who counts as an import after playing in Australia. These two should lead this defensive line. Evans Yeboah is another guy to look out for. In 2021, he had 6.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss.

Maurice Wright Jr., a former American college player at Northwestern Oklahoma State will look to take over top-tackling duties. He was all-state in both football and basketball in high school and will look to use that athleticism to help this team. Ambroise Mark should be a true leader with this unit as he was their defensive MVP last year. They made a splash signing in the secondary with Deion Harris.

Harris was a D-I FCS recruit at North Dakota University and was a potential draft prospect before a devastating injury. He made a few preseason camps in the NFL and played in the XFL, but he will now join the European talent to see if he can make an impact. Kevin Fortes, a French player who had three interceptions last year, should add good depth to this backfield. A major storyline for this team is the signing of former QB Salieu Ceesay to play in the defensive backfield. Can he make the switch to the other side of the ball?

Quarterbacks

• Preston Haire – American – (D-II Oklahoma Baptist)
• Moritz Maack – National

Running backs

• Jakob Michaelson – European – (Alborg 89ers, Arhus Tigers)
• Simon Homadi – National
• Lucas Harting Candido – National
• Kevin Abrokwa – National
• Johann Hummel – National

Wide Receivers

• Malik Stanley – American – (D-I Louisiana Tech, Wrocław Panthers)
• Benjamin Mau – National
• Tim Albrecht – National
• Finn Appelt – National
• Johann Heuck – National
• Diego Arboleda Sanchez – National
• Keanu Morgan – National

Tight Ends

•  Jean Claude Madin Cerezo – National
• Niklas Kahrau – National
• Malcolm Abimbola – National
• Finn Jaster – National
• Lukas Rehder – National

Offensive Line

• Gian de Guzman – National
• Robin Fensch – National
• RonMac Spiegel – National
• David Weinstock – National
• Shalom Baafi – National
• Niklas Wiem – National
• Dennis Kenzler – National
• Marvin Panienka – National
• Daniel Claus – National
• Gerrit Brandt – National

 

Defensive Line

• Robert Lachmann – European – (D-II, Clarion/Albany University)
• Evans Yeboah – Ghana – Import
• Moritz Heindleder – Australia – Import
• Jan Phillip Bombak – National
• Jan Niklas Makoben – National
• Manuel Raskopp – National
• Joshua Keinlein – National
• Berend Grube – National
• Eric de Souza – National
• Hiswill Awuah – National
• Nelson Imasuen – National

Linebackers

• Maurice Wright Jr – American – (D-II, Northwestern Oklahoma State)
• Matthias Spiegel – National
• Emmanuel Kwakye – National
• Mattis Dolling – National
• Jeremy Sarfo – National
• Kubindia Bushale – National
• Ambroise Mati – National
• Thiago Lessow – National
• Brian Tom Lohse – National

Defensive Backfield

• Kevin Fortes – European – France
• Deion Harris – American – (D-I North Dakota, Washington Redskins, XFL’s DC Defenders, CFL’s Toronto Argonauts)
•  Salieu Ceesay – National
• Victor Omorodion – National
• Gian Luca Poerschke – National
• Karim Garcia Heermann – National
• Aleksandr Astahin – National
• Ruben Fabian – National
• Barry Maruschke – National
• Bjarne Sauer – National
• Jamal Okeke – National

The Hamburg Sea Devils open their 2023 European League of Football schedule with a road game against the Wroclaw Panthers on June 3^rd at Stadion Olimpijski in Poland.