Antonio Alfano
{{Short description|American football player (born 2000)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox Canadian Football League biography
| name = Antonio Alfano
| team =
| image = 2024, 99, Antonio Alfano.jpg
| caption = Alfano with the Edmonton Elks in 2024
| status =
| import = no
| position1 = DL
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|11|10}}
| birth_place = Livingston, New Jersey, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| number =
| college = Lackawanna College
| high_school =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lbs = 285
| CFLDraftedYear = 2024
| CFLDraftedRound = 8
| CFLDraftedPick = Supplemental
| CFLDraftedTeam = Edmonton Elks
| playing_years1 = {{CFL Year|2024}}
| playing_team1 = Edmonton Elks
| career_highlights =
| CFL =
}}
Antonio Alfano (born November 10, 2000) is an American-Canadian professional football defensive tackle.
Early life
Alfano was born on November 10, 2000, in Livingston, New Jersey. Raised in Rahway, New Jersey, Alfano attended the local public schools through eighth grade before enrolling at Bergen Catholic High School.Tufaro, Greg. [https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2017/08/11/top-national-football-recruit-transfers-rahway-bergen-catholic/558844001/ "Top national football recruit transfers to Rahway from Belic"], Courier News, August 11, 2017. Accessed November 13, 2019. "Alfano attended Rahway public schools for nine years before enrolling at Bergen Catholic as a high school freshman." He transferred to Rahway High School in his hometown, before moving from Rahway to the Avenel section of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, and transferring to Colonia High School in New Jersey.Hunt, Todderick. [https://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/2018/02/njs_top_defender_antonio_alfano_to_transfer_from_r.html "Breaking: N.J.'s top defender Antonio Alfano transferring from Rahway to Colonia for senior year"], NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, February 23, 2018. Accessed November 13, 2019. "Top defensive end Antonio Alfano will transfer once again after moving to Rahway from Bergen Catholic last fall. This time, he'll go to Colonia (N.J.) following a change of residence from Rahway to Avenel -- a move that gains him no athletic advantage."{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/28012299/ex-alabama-d-lineman-antonio-alfano-going-colorado|title=Ex-Alabama D-lineman Antonio Alfano going to Colorado|first=Tom|last=VanHaaren|date=2019-11-05|work=ESPN.com|access-date=2019-11-12|language=en}} As a senior, Alfano was a 5-star recruit and the fifth-ranked overall player in the class of 2019, and was named to the All-American team by MaxPreps.{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/2019/09/alabamas-antonio-alfano-5-star-recruit-from-nj-enters-transfer-portal.html|title=Alabama’s Antonio Alfano, 5-star recruit from N.J., enters transfer portal|website=NJ.com|first=James|last=Kratch|date=13 September 2019}} He received scholarship offers from Alabama, Notre Dame, Florida State, Florida, LSU, USC, Miami, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers and others.{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/2018/02/njs_top_defender_antonio_alfano_to_transfer_from_r.html|title=BREAKING: N.J.'s top defender Antonio Alfano transferring from Rahway to Colonia for senior year|website=NJ.com|first=Todderick|last=Hunt|date=23 February 2018}}
College career
As a freshman at Alabama, Alfano was absent from class and practices in September for unspecified reasons, though his father tweeted that his son's absence may have stemmed from Alfano's grandmother, who had been in ill health at the time.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/antonio-alfano-the-top-ranked-player-in-alabamas-2019-recruiting-class-enters-the-transfer-portal|title=Antonio Alfano, the top-ranked player in Alabama's 2019 recruiting class, enters the transfer portal|website=CBS Sports|first=Barrett|last=Sallee|date=13 September 2019}} Alfano entered the NCAA transfer portal on September 13, 2019, and Colorado Buffaloes head coach (and former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive backs coach) Mel Tucker announced that Alfano transferred to Colorado on November 4, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/ex-alabama-five-star-defensive-lineman-antonio-alfano-transfers-to-colorado|title=Ex-Alabama five-star defensive lineman Antonio Alfano transfers to Colorado|website=CBS Sports|first=Barrett|last=Sallee|date=4 November 2019}} Alabama head coach Nick Saban addressed the player's time with the team by saying he "basically quit."{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/27862369/antonio-alfano-alabama-crimson-tide-now-officially-transfer-portal-source-says|title=Source: Alabama's Antonio Alfano in transfer portal month after dad's tweets|website=ESPN|first=Tom|last=VanHaaren|date=16 October 2019}} He saw no playing time with the Crimson Tide.{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/after-5-game-skid-colorado-needs-to-win-out-for-bowl-berth/2019/11/08/68cb1c4e-0269-11ea-8341-cc3dce52e7de_story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109131550/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/after-5-game-skid-colorado-needs-to-win-out-for-bowl-berth/2019/11/08/68cb1c4e-0269-11ea-8341-cc3dce52e7de_story.html|title=After 5-game skid, Colorado needs to win out for bowl berth|first=Pat|last=Graham|website=Washington Post|date=8 November 2019|archive-date=November 9, 2019}}
Buffaloes head coach Mel Tucker had previously recruited Alfano to Georgia, where Tucker was the defensive coordinator at the time.{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/college/colorado/football/antonio-alfano-chooses-colorado-red-flag|title=Antoni Alfano Is a Big Get, But There Is a Red Flag|website=Sports Illustrated|first=Tully|last=Corcoran|date=5 November 2019}} One month after Alfano officially enrolled at Colorado, Tucker left to be the head coach at Michigan State University, while Alfano's position coach at Colorado, Jimmy Brumbaugh, also left the same week to take a coaching job at the University of Tennessee.{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/colorado/Article/Colorado-football-new-Buffaloes-defensive-lineman-Antonio-Alfano-makes-statement-on-Instagram-following-Mel-Tucker-departure-to-Michigan-State-143767671/|title=CU defensive lineman Antonio Alfano makes statement on Instagram|website=247sports.com|first=Adam|last=Munsterteiger|date=February 13, 2020}} On May 29, 2020, it was reported that Alfano left both Colorado and its football team.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/colorado-dl-antonio-alfano-former-five-star-alabama-prospect-no-longer-with-buffaloes-program/|title=Colorado DL Antonio Alfano, former five-star Alabama prospect, no longer with Buffaloes program|website=CBS Sports|first=Barrett|last=Sallee|date=29 May 2020}} On August 19, 2020, Alfano was reinstated to the team.{{cite web|url=https://www.ralphiereport.com/2020/8/20/21376705/colorado-buffaloes-football-antonio-alfano-reinstated-from-suspension|title=Colorado Buffaloes Football: Antonio Alfano reinstated from suspension|website=The Ralphie Report|first=Jeff|last=Hauser|date=20 August 2020}}{{Cite web|date=2020-08-19|title=CU Buffs' Antonio Alfano reinstated from suspension|url=https://www.buffzone.com/cu-buffs-antonio-alfano-reinstated-from-suspension|access-date=2020-08-19|first=Brian|last=Howell|website=BuffZone|language=en-US}}
Without playing a game at Colorado, Alfano transferred to Independence Community College, but never saw game action there, either. After a year out of football, he joined Lackawanna College in Pennsylvania, playing in five games with 14 tackles (eight for loss), four sacks, one pass knockdown and one forced fumble.{{cite web|url=https://3downnation.com/2024/05/21/edmonton-elks-select-dl-antonio-alfano-in-cfl-supplemental-draft/ |title=Edmonton Elks select DL Antonio Alfano in CFL supplemental draft |publisher=3Down Nation |date=May 21, 2024 |accessdate=May 22, 2024}}
Professional career
The Edmonton Elks drafted Alfano in the 2024 CFL supplemental draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.goelks.com/2024/05/21/draft-elks-select-antonio-alfano-in-the-supplemental-draft/ |title=Elks select Antonio Alfano (DL) in the Supplemental Draft |publisher=Edmonton Elks |date=May 21, 2024 |accessdate=May 22, 2024}} He obtained Canadian citizenship via his mother who is from Toronto but was not able to formally acquire it in time to be eligible for the 2024 CFL draft.{{cite news|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10516850/edmonton-elks-cfl-antonio-alfano/|publisher=Global News|title=Elks select defensive lineman Antonio Alfano in CFL supplemental draft|date=May 22, 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.goelks.com/players/antonio-alfano-2/168927/ Edmonton Elks bio]
- [https://cubuffs.com/sports/football/roster/antonio-alfano/14822 Colorado Buffaloes bio]
- [https://247sports.com/Player/Antonio-Alfano-81734/ 247sports.com bio]
- {{Twitter|Antonioalfano99}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alfano, Antonio}}
Category:Colonia High School alumni
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:Alabama Crimson Tide football players
Category:Colorado Buffaloes football players
Category:Bergen Catholic High School alumni
Category:Sportspeople from Rahway, New Jersey
Category:Players of American football from Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Category:Rahway High School alumni
Category:Players of American football from Union County, New Jersey
Category:Canadian football defensive linemen
Category:Players of Canadian football from New Jersey