Cincinnati Swarm - 2003 Roster

2003 Roster

• Chris Knipper OL/DL – Attended Beckman High School in Dyersville, Iowa and later played college football at the University of Iowa. Red-shirted for the 1994 season at Iowa, Knipper went on to play for the Hawkeyes in 1995 through 1998. After college Knipper was on the San Diego Chargers practice squad for two seasons 1999 through 2000.

• Chris Archie WR/LB – Attended Renaissance High School in Detroit and later played college football at the University of Cincinnati and later at Eastern Michigan University. Archie returned to Cincinnati and spent the 2002 preseason with the Cincinnati Bengals before joining the Cincinnati Swarm.

• John Adleta OL/DL – Attended Loveland High School and later North Carolina State University. Adleta spent time on the practice teams of the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons in the early 1990s and later played with the AFL St. Louis Stampede in 1995.

• Ryan Russell WR/DB – Attended San Bernardino (California) High School and later West Liberty College. Russell was a rookie with the Cincinnati Swarm in 2003.

• Kurt Murphy OL/DL – Attended De Sales High School in Columbus, Ohio and later Ohio State University. Since leaving college Murphy has spent time in camp with the Arizona Cardinals in 2000 and played a season in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2001.

• Aaron Smith FB/LB, OL/DL - Attended the University of Cincinnati from 1995 - 1998.

• Ramon Davenport WR/DB – A Cincinnati native who attend Muskingum College. Davenport played pro ball with the AF2's Roanoke Steam for two seasons 2001-02 before joining the Cincinnati Swarm for the 2003 season.

• Victor Vrabel OL/DL - Attended Campbell Memorial High School in Campbell, Ohio and later played college football at Kent State University. Vrabel was a rookie with the Cincinnati Swarm in 2003.

• Miguel Merritt FB/LB - Attended high school in Hopkinsville, Kentucky and later played college football at San Francisco Junior College from 1996–1997 and at the University of Alabama from 1998-1999. After college Merritt spent time in training camp with the San Francisco 49ers in 2000. After playing a season in the CFL with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2001 Merritt took his football career indoors and spent the 2002 season in the AF2 with the Louisville Fire before joining the Cincinnati Swarm for the 2003 season.

• Nick Rice FB/LB - Attended Newport High School in Newport, Kentucky and later played college football at Thomas More College. Rice was a rookie when he joined the Cincinnati Swarm for the 2003 season.

• Mathias Hauck OL/DL - Played college football at Dartmouth College.

• Derrick Shepard OL/DL - Attended Meadowdale High School in Dayton, Ohio and later played college football at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Shepard was a five year vet of pro football before joining up with the Cincinnati Swarm for the 2003 season. Shepard begin his pro career in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins in 1998. After a season with the Dolphins Shepard played a season with the New England Patriots in 1999 before going indoors and playing in the Arena Football League with the Arizona Rattlers in 2000. In 2001 he returned to the Arizona Rattlers but ended the 2001 AFL season in Detroit with the Fury. In 2002 Shepard played for the AF2's Tennessee Valley Vipers. After a season with the Cincinnati Swarm in 2003 Shepard joined the Af2's Louisville Fire were he played his last three years of his career 2004-2006. Shepard remained active in football and in 2008 he became offensive and defensive line coach with the Continental Indoor Football League's Miami Valley Silverbacks and has since been promoted to head coach for the 2009 season.

• Danny Smith QB – Attended Miami University in 1994 and later Southern Illinois University from 1995-1997. Smith played two seasons with the Indoor Football League's Dayton Skyhawks 1999-2000.

• Tony Briggs DS/DB – Attended Aiken High School and later played college football at Quarter Tech.1990-2001 played semi pro football joined the swarm in 2003 He had two interceptions for touchdowns and three kick returns for touchdowns in the 2003 season. at age 38 was the oldest on the roster but ran an impressive 4.4 forty where he earned the name cover 1 around the league.

• James Scott WR/LB - Played college football at the University of Cincinnati. Scott later played pro football in the Indoor Football League with the Dayton Skyhawks in 1999 and with the AF2's Carolina Rhinos in 2000-2001.

• Mike Leeks WR/LB – Played college football at Graceland University. Leeks was a four-year veteran of indoor football when he joined the Cincinnati Swarm for the 2003 season. Leeks began his pro indoor football career in the Indoor Football League with the Lincoln Lighting in 1999 and remained with them through 2000. In 2001 Leeks joined the AFL's Indiana Firebirds for a full season. In 2002 Leeks returned to the Indiana Firebirds but also played that season with the AF2's Louisville Fire.