ELF: Stuttgart Surge sign LB Zachary Blair

The Stuttgart Surge have bolstered their defense with the signing of linebacker Zachary Blair, the NCAA Div. II career tackles-for-loss record holder.

Blair joined the Surge after helping the Warsaw Mets reach the Polish Football League semifinals.

With Blair playing a key role on defense, the Surge improved their record to 2-2 in the European League of Football on Sunday with a come-from-behind 27-24 victory over the Leipzig Kings and now sit third in the ELF South.

Blair spent part of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season in Finland with the Wasa Royals and in four games recorded 14.5 tackles and 3 tackles for loss.

In the last four games of 2019, also with the Royals, Blair recorded 31.5 tackles including 8.5 tackles for loss. He spent the first part of 2019 playing in Poland for the Bialystok Lowlanders making 58 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and eight sacks. In 2018, his first year with the Lowlanders he had 75 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and four sacks. Blair first arrived in Europe playing for the Ancona Dolphins in Italy’s Division I in 2017 and immediately had an impact with 66.5 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

The 6’2″, 220 lb native of Front Royal, Virginia, enjoyed a stellar career at UVA-WISE (NCAA Div. II) where he set the NCAA career record for tackles for loss with 77.5. He was named  Virginia’s small college Linebacker of the Year in 2016 after amassing 87 tackles in 11 games. He also won the award in 2015.