***Preds Press Release***
ORLANDO, FL – The Arena Football League and the Orlando Predators have announced that the team has been assigned former University of Central Florida offensive lineman, Theo Goins.
Goins is a graduate of Hightower High School in Houston, Texas where he received all-district honors as a senior when he led his team in sacks (12) and tackles for loss (17) for two-consecutive seasons. Before deciding on UCF, Goins was also recruited by major FBS programs such as Arizona, Houston, Nebraska and Oklahoma State. The decision to come to UCF was not an easy one, but Goins knew that he wanted to get away from home. “I never really traveled outside of the state of Texas so I wanted to see what else was out there.” said Goins. “I took a visit to UCF and really liked it, it just felt right.”
Goins joined UCF in 2008 and was redshirted for his freshman season. During his redshirt freshman season in 2009, the lineman appeared in six games and started five games at right guard. In 2010, Goins switched over to left guard and started in seven games at the position. The guard would go onto to be a key piece that helped guide UCF to its first bowl game victory in its fourth bowl game appearance. That victory came against Southeastern Conference foe Georgia in the liberty Bowl in what was at the time the biggest win in UCF football history. That trend of success would continue into his junior season when he appeared in all 12 of UCF’s games and earned All-C-USA Honorable Mention accolades. During his senior year in 2012, Goins appeared in all 14 games and was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List in the beginning of the season (top interior lineman). The lineman also received his bachelor's degree in interpersonal/organizational communication after the 2012 spring semester.
Following the 2012 season, Goins began to prepare for the NFL. The offensive linemen would go undrafted, but the Atlanta Falcons signed him to a free agent deal after the draft. Goins ended up being released on the last day of cuts, but he did not let that bring him down in the slightest of manors. Goins expressed his desire to be back in Orlando and to get back on the field. “I am thrilled to be back in Orlando, it’s like a second home to me,” said Goins. “Orlando has been great to me over the past five years, and I am ready to bring my physical style of play to the Predators.”
Predators President Todd Boren also chimed in on the signing, and he is expecting big things out of Goins moving forward. “Theo is going to be one of the building blocks for the Predators moving forward, said Boren. “We are thrilled to have such a great local talent on our team, and we are looking forward to having a player that fits the mold of some of the great Predator players of the past.”
ABOUT THE ORLANDO PREDATORS
Orlando's Arena Football franchise since 1991, the Orlando Predators are heading into their 22nd year in the AFL. In that time, the Predators have advanced to the AFL playoffs a league-leading 19 times and advanced to the ArenaBowl seven times- winning the championship in 1998 and 2000.