The Alaska Wild have added three defensive players, signing defensive lineman Tory Collins, defensive end Mika Kane and linebacker Wesley Holmes.
The 6-2, 294-pound Collins played for Northwest State and attended the Chicago Bears rookie minicamp in 2007 as an undrafted free agent. The Bears signed Collins to their roster following the minicamp, but he didn't make the regular season cut.
Collins has experienced his share of tragedy. He grew up in New Orleans and his family home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. On Memorial Day in 2007 his friend Marquise Hill, a New England Patriots defense back, died in a jet ski accident. While he was in college Collins' 30-year-old brother, Mark, died unexpectedly from diabetes-related complications.
Kane, a 6-2, 311-pound end, played four years for the University of California. He totaled 50 tackles in his junior and senior seasons.
Holmes, a 6-2, 255-pound linebacker, played at the University of Tennesee before transferring to Tennessee State. He had 86 tackles and 3.5 sacks his senior season. He played three games last year for the Odessa Roughnecks, recording 14 tackles.