Burl Toler, III
Encyclopedia
Burl Toler, III is an Arena football
Wide Receiver
for the San Jose SaberCats
of the Arena Football League and is currently a free agent in the National Football League
. He was originally signed by the Oakland Raiders
as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football
at Cal
.
. He helped his team win the league championship in his sophomore
and junior
years and won the NCS Championship during his sophomore season. He earned First-team All-League on offense and defense as a senior
. He also lettered
in track
all four years and attended the League of Champions meet in his final three years. Drafted by LJ Cangiano in a fantasy football 2011 auction draft.
for 795 yards (13.0 avg.) and three touchdown
s.
. Later, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Oakland Raiders
on May 10, 2006. He spent all of training camp and the preseason with the Raiders. He was signed to their practice squad on September 4, 2006. However, the team released him on September 12, 2006.
of the Arena Football League. However, he never played for them as he played for the Cologne Centurions
of NFL Europe.
and spent training camp and the preseason with the team before being released on September 1, 2007. Two days later, he signed to the teams practice squad. However, he was released again on September 11, only to be re-signed on November 13. He was released again, a week later. He was then re-signed to the Redskins practice squad on November 28, and spent the rest of the season there.
On September 22, 2008, Toler was activated by the SaberCats.
On April 8, 2009, Toler signed a short term deal with the Bologna Doves of the Italian Football League.
in the mid-1970s. His grandfather, Burl Toler
, was an All-American at the University of San Francisco
in 1951 and later became the National Football League
’s first African-American official. After being released by the Washington Redskins, Toler III was a substitute teacher.
Arena football
Arena football is a variety of gridiron football played by the Arena Football League . It is a proprietary game, the rights to which are owned by Gridiron Enterprises, and is played indoors on a smaller field than American or Canadian outdoor football, resulting in a faster and higher-scoring game....
Wide Receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for the San Jose SaberCats
San Jose SaberCats
The San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the...
of the Arena Football League and is currently a free agent in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was originally signed by the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Cal
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
.
Early years
Toler attended Bishop O'Dowd High SchoolBishop O'Dowd High School
Bishop O'Dowd High School is a Catholic, co-educational, college preparatory school in Oakland, California, administered by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland and named for the late auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, James T. O'Dowd . About 44% of students are non-Catholic...
. He helped his team win the league championship in his sophomore
Tenth grade
In majority of the world,Tenth grade is the tenth year of school post-kindergarten. The variants of "10th grade" in various nations is described below.-Australia:...
and junior
Eleventh grade
Eleventh Grade is the eleventh, and for some countries final, grade of secondary schools. Students are typically 16 or 17 years of age, depending on the country and the students' birthdays.-Brazil:...
years and won the NCS Championship during his sophomore season. He earned First-team All-League on offense and defense as a senior
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
. He also lettered
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
in track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
all four years and attended the League of Champions meet in his final three years. Drafted by LJ Cangiano in a fantasy football 2011 auction draft.
College career
Toler, like his father was a walk-on at Cal. As a senior, he was the teams leading receiver with 61 receptionsReception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
for 795 yards (13.0 avg.) and three touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s.
National Football League (2006)
Toler went unselected in the 2006 NFL Draft2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
. Later, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on May 10, 2006. He spent all of training camp and the preseason with the Raiders. He was signed to their practice squad on September 4, 2006. However, the team released him on September 12, 2006.
Arena Football League (2007)
In late 2006, Toler signed with the San Jose SaberCatsSan Jose SaberCats
The San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the...
of the Arena Football League. However, he never played for them as he played for the Cologne Centurions
Cologne Centurions
The Cologne Centurions were an American football team that played in NFL Europe. The Centurions began competing in the league in the 2004 season, having replaced the defunct Barcelona Dragons. They played their home games at RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne....
of NFL Europe.
National Football League (2007)
In 2007, Toler signed with the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
and spent training camp and the preseason with the team before being released on September 1, 2007. Two days later, he signed to the teams practice squad. However, he was released again on September 11, only to be re-signed on November 13. He was released again, a week later. He was then re-signed to the Redskins practice squad on November 28, and spent the rest of the season there.
Arena Football League (2008 - present)
Toler then re-joined the SaberCats, however he did not play for them in 2008, as he re-signed with the Redskins on January 9, 2008, and spent the AFL season at the Redskins training camp. He was released by the Redskins again on August 20, 2008.On September 22, 2008, Toler was activated by the SaberCats.
On April 8, 2009, Toler signed a short term deal with the Bologna Doves of the Italian Football League.
Personal
Toler's father, Burl Jr., was also a walk-on at Cal and a two-year starter at linebackerLinebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
in the mid-1970s. His grandfather, Burl Toler
Burl Toler
Burl Abron Toler, Sr. was an American football official in the National Football League for 24 seasons from 1965 to 1989. He served as a field judge and head linesman throughout his career and is most notable for being the first African-American official in the NFL...
, was an All-American at the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
in 1951 and later became the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
’s first African-American official. After being released by the Washington Redskins, Toler III was a substitute teacher.