Rhein Fire sign former Edmonton Elks/Hamburg Sea Devils DB Marloshawn Franklin Jr

AFI | American Football | 07/03/2024

Graphic: Igor Lazarevic

Former Edmonton Elks defensive back Marloshawn Franklin Jr. has returned to the European League of Football joining the Rhein Fire after two seasons in the Canadian Football League.

The 27-year-old played eight games for the Elks in 2023, making several starts at safety. He recorded 28 defensive tackles and one interception in his time with the team but was released following training camp this year.

Franklin Jr. spent the 2022 season with the Ottawa REDBLACKS in the CFL and the BC Lions in 2019. He did not see any playing time during the regular season with either team. He had been signed by the Montreal Alouettes prior to the cancellation of the 2020 season

The 5’11 190-pound cornerback last played in the ELF in 2021 with the Hamburg Sea Devils making 22 tackles, two interceptions, while forcing and two fumbles, and recording one tackle for loss in only six games.

He made his debut with the Fire in the win over the Madrid Bravos when he recorded three tackles and two pass breakups.

Before his international pro career, Franklin Jr., a native of Detroit, Michigan, played at Mesa Community College (Juco) between 2014 and 2015 prior to moving on to the University of California Berkley (NCAA D1). The junior college transfer made an immediate impact with the Golden Bears starting 22 games, recording 60 tackles, one sack, and eight pass deflections in two seasons. After his college days, Franklin Jr. was invited to NFL minicamps with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers.

Other former CFL players on the Rhein Fire roster include safety Tony Anderson (Ottawa), receiver Kelvin McKnight Jr. (Winnipeg), linebackers Lino Schroeter (Calgary) and Emmanuel Falola (Toronto), and defensive linemen Aaron Donkor (Calgary) and Max Parkinson (Saskatchewan).