Top 5 Most Underrated Players in the European League of Football

| American Football | 08/14/2023

The term underrated is often used in sports media, it’s a topic that many find interesting because it goes deeper than the surface level of the eye test, sometimes even the numbers don’t tell the whole story of a player’s impact. Today, we’re highlighting the underrated players in the ELF, those who haven’t had the most attention or praise but have contributed to the team and deserve to have their flowers. Let’s get right into it.

Florian Larose #13 – Paris Musketeers

25 Catches – 323 Yards – 4 Touchdowns
The 24-year-old French receiver has only been accredited to one start in the first seven games. The flashes were present in week one, his length, strong hands and clear athletic ability create a great base as a receiver. In preseason, he was evaluated as one of the best young talents in the league. However, in the first four games, he only totalled 1 touchdown and 60 yards, far from expectation. This led to a decline in the hype around Larose, but he came in strong scoring in three of the final games he played, including a game-winner against rivals Hamburg. His standout performance was a 136-yard, 1-touchdown performance on the Surge which certainly had people talking, but given he missed the game vs the Dragons he isn’t at the forefront of analyst’s minds as the season comes towards an end.

Ali Khalife, #2 – Milano Seamen


298 Rushing Yards – 134 Receiving Yards – 5 Total Touchdowns
The presence of a different young star and an established ELF vet has somewhat overshadowed the production from Khalife. It’s no secret that the Milano Seamen have not been a good team in their debut season, but Khalife has respectable numbers in their rotation of running backs in Italy. He has strong hands out of the backfield with the highest catch percentage of any player in the league with at least 20 targets at 90.91%, he’s only fumbled once which is uncommon for a player of his age taking a big step up in competition and he shows solid footwork in his one-cut ability. Considering he’s outperforming some established league running backs in his rookie season, he deserves a spot on this list, no question about it.

Luke Glenna #8 – Barcelona Dragons

96 Total Tackles – 3 Interceptions – 7 Breakups
This may be controversial as Glenna is featured around the league, but not nearly enough for how good he has been. It’s not a reach to say he’s in line for an All-ELF selection. The Dragons have had a steep fall from last season, but Glenna is the cornerstone of that defense. His production is certainly padded but that’s because he’s simply had to do most of the heavy lifting. He is a fan of defense in Barcelona but it’s certainly time to have him in the best defensive back discussion given his productivity. Five games with over 10 total tackles, one with over 20 and top 5 in the interception leaderboard.

Tobias Bonatti #25 – Raiders Tirol

 

546 Rushing Yards – 191 Receiving Yards – 5 Rushing Touchdowns
Sandro Platzgummer suffering a season-ending injury was undoubtedly a big loss to the Raiders and the league in general, but Bonatti has done an excellent job in filling the gap that was left. With well over 700 total yards, he is among the best dual-threat backs and if it wasn’t for the huge success of other European running backs, he would have more attention. He sits at 4th in yards and tied 6th for rushing touchdowns, which would be great for any player let alone one who wasn’t expected to be getting the majority of the touches at the beginning of the season.

Timi Nuikka #4– Wroclaw Panthers

76 Total Tackles – 2.5 Sacks – 7 TFLs – 1 Interception – 1 Touchdown
Nuikka has been absolutely everywhere for the Panther’s defense and is a large part of why they have been so successful. Some linebackers can only tackle, only rush the pass, or only cover. Nuikka can do all of the above and has been a great addition this season. What’s made the 22-year-old Finn so excellent has been his consistency. He is routinely disruptive and hasn’t ever had a game where he was truly shut out. He is undersized at the position, but he’s utilized his speed and mobility as very few players have at the position. The Panther’s lackluster run defense has helped in boosting his numbers, but this shouldn’t take away how productive he’s been in all areas of the game.

Some more controversial picks as players could be seen as not underrated or being properly rated due to many factors. However, it’s important to recognize those who are putting in low-key performances, especially on the defensive side of the ball as the offense has taken over the ELF it’s become increasingly difficult to be a standout player on defense. With the bye week past, it’s going to be even more important for these players to stand out. Until next time