[tracy hackler]

The Arena Football League kicks off its 22nd season Friday night with some of the most talented yet unheralded stars imaginable. In honor of them, here are 22 AFL stars to start grabbing now. We'll keep you posted throughout the season for others to add to this list.

Dan Alexander, FB, Chicago Rush
Former Nebraska Cornhusker set a single-season record with 41 rushing touchdowns last season while with the Nashville Kats.

Key Card: 2001 Topps Chrome RC #264 ($20)

Troy Bergeron, WR, Georgia Force
The 2005 AFL Rookie of the Year, Bergeron sat out the 2006 season but returned in 2007 to record career highs in catches (132), receiving yards (1,736) and touchdowns (41).
Key AFL Card: 2006 Upper Deck AFL Arenagraphs #TB ($30)

Sherdrick Bonner, QB, Chicago Rush
One of just four AFL quarterbacks with more than 800 career touchdown passes (he’s second all-time with 829), Bonner enters his first season in Chicago with high expectations.
Key AFL Card: 2005 Upper Deck AFL Gold #3 ($10)

Jerald Brown, DB, Kansas City Brigade
Known for his dreadlocks and his lock-down coverage skills, Brown, the 2006 Defensive Player of the Year, enters his first season in Kansas City with 17 career interceptions.
Key Card: 2006 Upper Deck AFL Gold #110 ($6)

Siaha Burley, WR, Arizona Rattlers
The 2007 Offensive Player of the Year established new single-season league records last season with 166 receptions and 2,129 yards; he also added 49 touchdowns. He returns to Arizona following two seasons with the expansion Utah Blaze.
Key AFL Card: 2005 Upper Deck AFL Arenagraphs Duals #BFA2 ($40)

Clint Dolezel, QB, Dallas Desperados

This AFL legend enters his 13th season with more touchdown passes (865) than any player in the history of professional football, including 212 during the last two seasons.
Key AFL Card: 2008 Dallas Desperados AFL Donruss #D1 ($N/A)

John Dutton, QB, Colorado Crush
A starter for two different ArenaBowl champions (San Jose in 2002 and Colorado in 2005), Dutton is the Crush’s all-time leader in every passing category.
Key AFL Card: 2006 Upper Deck AFL Arenagraphs Duals #HD ($60)

Aaron Garcia, QB, New York Dragons
Another member of the 800 TD Pass fraternity (802), Garcia was the first player in league history to throw 100 touchdown passes in a season.
Key AFL Card: 2008 New York Dragons AFL Donruss #1 ($N/A)

Joe Germaine, QB, Utah Blaze
Former Ohio State Buckeye and St. Louis Ram threw a career-best 107 touchdown passes in 2007.
Key AFL Card: 2006 Upper Deck AFL Arenagraphs #JG ($30)

Tony Graziani, QB, Philadelphia Soul
Former Falcons backup has been one of the top quarterbacks in the league for the last seven seasons and enters 2008 with 400 more touchdown passes than interceptions.
Key AFL Card: 2006 Upper Deck AFL Arenagraphs Duals #GJ ($60)

Chris Greisen, QB, Georgia Force
As a first-time starter last season, Greisen established a new single-season record with 117 touchdown passes (or 67 more than Tom Brady’s NFL record).

Key Card: 1999 Fleer Focus RC #168 ($6)

Mark Grieb, QB, San Jose SaberCats
The MVP of last season’s ArenaBowl XXI, Grieb has led the SaberCats to three league championships in the last six seasons.
Key AFL Card: 2006 Upper Deck AFL Fabrics #FAMG ($20)

Jay Gruden, Head Coach, Orlando Predators
The younger brother of Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden is a legend in the AFL. He’s won titles as a quarterback and also has led the Predators to an appearance in the ArenaBowl.
Key AFL Card: 2006 Upper Deck Arenagraphs Duals #PG ($60)

Damian Harrell, WR, Chicago Rush
One of the greatest receivers in league history, Harrell – the two-time AFL Offensive Player of the Year – holds the league’s single-season touchdown record (61) and its consecutive-games-with-a-touchdown mark (78).

Key AFL Card: 2005 Upper Deck AFL Arenagraphs Duals #EHA2 ($300)

Kevin Ingram, WR/DB, Los Angeles Avengers
Seven-year AFL veteran and one of the top Ironmen in league history has eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving during each of the last three years.
Key AFL Card: 2006 Upper Deck AFL Arenagraphs Duals #KI ($60)

Chris Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Soul
After eight seasons indoors, this 2003 Offensive Player of the Year ranks in the top five all time in every league receiving category.
Key AFL Card: 2005 Upper Deck AFL Arenagraphs #CJA ($25)

Adrian McPherson, QB, Grand Rapids Rampage
The former Florida State star and 2004 AFL Rookie of Year returns for his third season as one of the league’s most dynamic quarterbacks. He’s rushed for 28 touchdowns in two seasons.
Key AFL Card: 2005 Upper Deck AFL Arenagraphs #AMA ($80)

Matt Nagy, QB, Columbus Destroyers
Nagy, who enters his sixth season with 300 career touchdown passes, has directed two different teams (Georgia and Columbus) to ArenaBowl berths in the last three seasons.
Key AFL Card: 2006 Upper Deck AFL Arenagraphs #MN ($30)

Marcus Nash, WR, Dallas Desperados
A former first-round pick of the Denver Broncos, Nash has found a home in the AFL. In five seasons he’s caught 554 passes for 6,803 yards and 159 touchdowns; he was the league’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2004.
Key AFL Card: 2007 Dallas Desperados AFL Donruss #6

Will Pettis, WR/DB, Dallas Desperados
Defending AFL Ironman of the Year is coming off a 2007 season that included more than 2,700 all-purpose yards and 46 touchdowns; largely considered the best all-around player in the league.
Key AFL Card: 2005 Upper Deck AFL Arenagraphs Duals #RPA2 ($40)

Raymond Philyaw, QB, Cleveland Gladiators
Veteran QB takes over the reigns of the expansion Gladiators, transplanted from Las Vegas, with the AFL’s all-time best TD-to-INT ratio (9-to-1)
Key AFL Card: 2006 Upper Deck AFL Arengraphs Duals #PM ($60)

Sedrick Robinson, WR/DB, Tampa Bay Storm
The AFL’s all-time leader in kick-return touchdowns with 28, Robinson is a threat to go the distance every time he fields a kick off the net.
Key AFL Card: 2005 Upper Deck AFL Arenagraphs Duals #RPA2 ($40)