The Minnesota Monsters AF1 team reshuffled its roster this week, signing a Division I defensive lineman and releasing a wide receiver.
Minnesota signed Shaki Holines, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive lineman from UMass, on Dec. 3.
Holines played four seasons at UMass, working primarily along the defensive line and producing steadily across his junior and senior years. He is a strong, gap-holding interior defender in the run game with the frame to slide outside as a rusher depending on scheme.
Holines has a reputation as a strong, hand-fighting defender capable of shedding blocks quickly in the compressed space of the arena game. That experience — along with his Division I pedigree — positions Holines as a potentially impactful addition to the Minnesota Monsters’ defensive front as the organization prepares for its move into the AF1 arena league in 2026.
Wide receiver Jahmal Banks, 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds out of Nebraska, was released the same day.
