IFL: Milano Seamen sign top GFL WR Markell Castle

| American Football | 12/19/2021

The Milano Seamen of the Italian Football League have signed wide receiver Markell Castle.

With the signing of Castle, the Seamen have locked up one of Europe’s top receivers in 2021 adding speed and versatility to their team.

The 5’10”, 180-pound York, South Carolina native put up impressive numbers in the German Football League with the Cologne Crocodiles pass-happy offense last year ending the season with 77 receptions for 1,287 yards and 16 touchdowns. Castle finished second in the league in receiving touchdowns and catches while finishing third in average yards per game (117). He also added 287 yards as a returner, finishing the season with a team-leading 1,576 all-purpose yards. Team success and personal accolades followed as Cologne made the GFL playoffs and Castle was named a GFL All-Star.

The season prior in 2019, Castle was a standout receiver Kiel Baltic Hurricanes in the German Football League. In his first season abroad, Castle put up 686 yards and nine touchdowns on 47 catches. In Kiel, Castle was also used as a return man adding 292 yards and finishing the season with 1,011 all-purpose yards.

Before taking his career international, the speedster was a standout at Newberry College (NCAA D2) for four seasons. As a receiver and return man for the Wolves, Castle amassed 2,484 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns. Castle was used in many ways in the Wolves‘ offense finishing his career with 125 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to go along with one 34 yard touchdown pass his senior year. He finished his NCAA career with 2,837 all-purpose yards and three first-team all-conference selections.

Castle becomes Milano’s third and final import for the 2022 season as new head coach Stefan Pokorny has brought back long-time quarterback Luke Zahradka and added former Idaho State (NCAA D1 FCS) defensive back Adkin Aguirre.

Watch Castle’s 2021 GFL highlights here:

Alex is a former NCAA and semi-pro American football player who is now located in London, where he works in digital marketing. His goal in writing for AFI is to stay involved with the game that has given him so much. Alex enjoys covering leagues and