The Alliance of American Football's Birmingham franchise has signed eight more players -- six from Alabama colleges, including Auburn's Kick Six hero Chris Davis.
Also among the new players is former Alabama All-American Trent Richardson. The running back's signing was reported by AL.com's Matt Zenitz on Aug. 29.
The other new players from the state announced on Wednesday include Tuskegee wide receiver DeVozea Felton, Jacksonville State quarterback Eli Jenkins, Troy linebacker Jonathan Massaquoi and Troy quarterback Brandon Silvers.
A former fifth-round draft choice by the Atlanta Falcons, Massaquoi has 39 games of NFL experience, but he hasn't played in the league since 2014.
Jenkins prepped at Parker in Birmingham, and Silvers is a former Gulf Shores standout who played in the Reese's Senior Bowl in January.
Davis made one of the most memorable plays in Auburn history when he returned a missed field-goal attempt 109 yards for a touchdown as time ran out in the Tigers' 34-28 victory over Alabama on Nov. 30, 2013.
An All-State player for Woodlawn High School in 2009, Davis entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie, earning a spot with the San Diego Chargers. He played in 19 games for the Chargers and San Francisco 49ers before suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament during an NFL game on Oct. 6, 2016.
The AAF is an eight-team football league that plans to begin play in February. The AAF does not have a player draft, but each team controls players from a set of assigned colleges. Birmingham has the first opportunity to sign players from Alabama schools.
Birmingham's previous signees from the state included wide receiver Chris Black, offensive tackle Dominick Jackson, quarterback Blake Sims and Defensive back Bradley Sylve from Alabama, long snapper Ike Powell from Auburn, running back Marquell Beckwith, a former Lee-Montgomery prep standout who played at Troy and Alabama State, guard Steven Rowzee from Troy and quarterback Max Shortell from Jacksonville State.
Birmingham also has signed linebacker Beniquez Brown, a Florence High School standout who played at Mississippi State.
The allocation process also assigns players based on their most recent NFL or Canadian Football League team. That allowed Birmingham to sign former Ohio State safety Christian Bryant and former Ball State guard Kitt O'Brien on Wednesday. Bryant and O'Brien most recently were on the roster of the Cleveland Browns, one of the NFL teams on Birmingham's feeder list.
Other players on Birmingham's roster include defensive end Nelson Adams, defensive tackle Josh Boyd, offensive tackle Darrell Brown, wide receiver Amir Carlisle, running back Marshaun Coprich, center Aaron Cox, defensive end Allen Edwards, quarterback John Gibbs, defensive back Jacob Hagen, offensive tackle Tyler Howell, running back Ty Isaac, linebacker Shane Johnson, guard Sam Lee, kicker Nick Novak, defensive end Jake Payne, guard Bret Pierkarski, defensive back Max Redfield, defensive end Dante Sawyer, defensive end Nick Seither, defensive back JaCorey Shepherd, linebacker Deontae Skinner, center Cory Tucker, linebacker Matthew Wells and guard Garrison Wright.
AAF players sign non-guaranteed contracts worth $250,000 over three years. They'll have the opportunity to earn more through a variety of bonuses tied to performance, statistics and fan engagement. Players who complete one season in the league will earn an educational stipend.
The Birmingham franchise is led by general manager Joe Pendry and coach Tim Lewis.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.
