Leipzig Kings continue to build a deadly offense with addition of WR Alpha Jalloh

AFI | American Football | 05/21/2021

Graphic: Igor Lazarevic

The Leipzig Kings of the European League of Football have added to an already impressive offensive lineup with the signing of versatile wide receiver Alpha Jalloh.

The Kings have already signed quarterback Michael Birdsong, MVP of the Japanese X League as well as All-Japan receiver Yoshihito Omi.

Jalloh, who was named to the AFI All-Pandemic Team in 2020, played the final two regular season games and the playoffs with the Stockholm Mean Machines of Sweden’s Superserien. He still managed to cause problems for opposing teams. In the final two regular season games, he caught 13 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns and in the semifinal and championship game he had a combined 321 all purpose yards, by far tops among all the teams.

Before arriving in Sweden, Jalloh had just finished playing in Finland’s Maple League for the Wasa Royals, helping the Royals to a semifinal finish.

During the shortened season in Finland, he had a huge impact for the Royals. He led all receivers in the league in yardage with 22 catches for 457 yards and five touchdowns, rushed 25 times for 228 yards (9.1 yds/carry) and was also the leading kick returner with seven returns for 209 yards and he returned five punts for 119 yards and a touchdown. And he played defense. He had a team high 187 yards rushing against the Kuopio Steelers and 213 yards receiving against the Helsinki Wolverines.

Kings head coach Fred Armstrong has coached Jalloh before and is well aware of his potential:

“Alpha will have an impact on the game on offense, defense, and special teams. I have not seen a better player in Europe that can do this for his team”

In 2019 under Armstrong who was offensive coordinator for Stockholm, Jalloh helped the Mean Machines win their second straight Swedish title and 12th overall and then finished the year with Finland’s Wasa Royals. With the Royals, in six games he caught 29 passes for 747 yards and nine touchdowns and led the league in yards per game with 124.5.

Needless to say, Jalloh is looking forward to the season with Leipzig:

“I’m excited to play in this professional league in Germany, the ELF. I met my teammates and I think we have a really good vibe here already and I think this energy is going to carry over to the field and carry us to the playoffs and then help us win the championship. And I’m excited to be playing for coach Armstrong again.”

The 6’2″. 205 lb native of Annapolis, Maryland had an outstanding season with the Mean Machines with 284 yards receiving while returning kicks and playing defensive back. He spent the 2018 season with the Göteborg Marvels in the Swedish Superserien where he finished as the fourth leading receiver in Sweden with 550 yards receiving, despite not having a true starting quarterback all season. He had originally signed with the Thonon Black Panthers in France but left after a contract dispute with the club. He spent the 2017 season playing with the Swedish champion Carlstad Crusaders where he helped the team win its eighth consecutive Swedish championship, scoring two touchdowns in the title game. As a two-year starter at Liberty (NCAA Div. I, FCS) he earned All Big South honors in 2016. Over the course of his three seasons he recorded 100 tackles and in his first year, 2014, he had over 400 yards in kick off returns.