ELF: Leipzig Kings sign former NFL LB Myke Tavarres

| American Football | 02/03/2022

The Leipzig Kings of the European League of Football continue their flurry of signings adding former NFL linebacker Myke Tavarres.

Kings head coach Fred Armstrong is excited to have the newcomer playing for him this season instead of against him:

“Myke is a tenacious tackler and gifted with the best closing speed in space that I have seen in a long time. The most impressive stat is, he makes so many tackles for loss yards. Myke was in the top three defensive players in our league last year. So, a major pick up for our Kings”

The 6’2,” 230 pound defender is coming off of a fantastic first season in Europe for the ELF’s Barcelona Dragons. The 28-year-old led the Dragons with 99 tackles and 16 tackles for a loss. At the end of the year, Tavarres’s big plays notched him as runner up for the league’s defensive player of the year award.

Before landing in Spain, Tavarres played professionally for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and the Nebraska Danger of the Indoor Football League. Tavarres was signed by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2016 after a stellar collegiate career at University of the Incarnate Word (NCAA D1 FCS). During his senior season, the quick twitch edge defender racked up an impressive 22.5 tackles for a loss, eight and a half sacks, five pass break ups, and 110 total tackles. His breakout senior campaign earned the former junior college transfer AFCA FCS All-America First Team as well as Southland Conference First Team honors.

Before arriving at the University of the Incarnate Word, Tavarres played football, ran track, and wrestled at Lakeridge High School in Oregon. The newest Dragon then played two seasons of junior college football at the College of the Siskiyous in California. After two straight all-conference junior college seasons, the Oregon native signed with the University of Arkansas where he spent one year before transferring to University of the Incarnate Word.

Tavarres joins linebacker AJ Wentland in what should be a talented core of defenders in the middle of the Kings defense. The Kings have also signed German national team tight end Phillip Eichorn recently in hopes to reach post season in their second season.

Watch Tavarres’ NCAA highlights

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