SAVANNAH, Ga. – Former Savannah State defensive tackle
Tony Rountree Jr. will continue his football career in the Hostess City after becoming the first player signed by the Savannah Leprechauns, the city's new Indoor Football League franchise.
Rountree was introduced Thursday at Enmarket Arena during a press conference in which the organization officially unveiled the Savannah Leprechauns name and team identity. The franchise will begin play during the 2027 Indoor Football League season and will play its home games at Enmarket Arena.
The signing gives the expansion franchise an immediate Savannah State connection as it begins building its inaugural roster under head coach Clay Harrell.
Rountree, a 6-foot-3, 330-pound defensive lineman from Augusta, Georgia, wrapped up his collegiate career with the Tigers in 2025 after developing into one of the top interior defensive linemen in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
During his senior season, Rountree played in nine games and registered 32 tackles, including 20 solo stops. He finished with 12 tackles for loss totaling 48 yards and 6.5 sacks for 35 yards while adding a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
His performance earned him Second Team All-SIAC honors. Rountree finished the 2025 season ranked eighth in the conference in sacks and ninth in tackles for loss.
One of his top performances came against Albany State, when he recorded a season-high seven tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He also made an impact against Morehouse, forcing and recovering a fumble.
Following the season, Rountree was selected to participate in the 2026 Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl in New Orleans, an all-star showcase featuring NFL Draft-eligible players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Rountree was also a two-sport student-athlete during his time at Savannah State, competing with the Tigers' track and field program in the shot put. He was later recognized as Savannah State football's Team Most Valuable Player at the university's 2026 student-athlete awards banquet.
A product of T.W. Josey High School in Augusta, Rountree spent five seasons in the Savannah State football program. He appeared on the Tigers' roster from 2021 through 2025 and grew from a 287-pound freshman defensive tackle into a 330-pound presence along the defensive front.
Now, his football career will continue in the same city where he made his name collegiately.
The Leprechauns' name was selected following a community vote and pays tribute to Savannah's nationally recognized St. Patrick's Day tradition. The franchise was announced as an IFL expansion team earlier this year and will be one of 18 teams competing in the league in 2027.
Savannah is scheduled to begin play in March 2027.
Rountree's signing marks the first player transaction in franchise history and gives the Leprechauns a familiar face to Savannah football fans as the organization begins assembling its inaugural roster.
About the Indoor Football League
Founded in 2008, the Indoor Football League is the preeminent professional indoor football league in the United States. The IFL is scheduled to expand from 14 teams in 2026 to 18 franchises for the 2027 season, with Savannah among the new additions. The Leprechauns are the second team from the Peach State that have been added to the league for the upcoming 2027 season as the Athens Crush were announced as an expansion team in May of 2026.
The Leprechauns will be led by first-year head coach Clay Harrell, who previously spent five seasons with the Jacksonville Sharks organization, including service as defensive line coach and defensive coordinator.
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