The Homegrown of the Year Nominees
Felix Pahl
The European League of Football will celebrate its best players and coaches of the 2025 season at the ELF Honors, taking place at PALM Beach in Stuttgart on the evening before the ELF Championship Game. On this special night, winners will be announced in thirteen different categories, highlighting the standout performances of the year.
One of those awards is the Homegrown of the Year. This award recognizes the best local player who has grown up in the team’s area. The recipient has shown exceptional talent, dedication, and pride in representing their home region.
Eligibility: Any Homegrown player is eligible to win this award. A Homegrown player is defined as someone who played his first organized American football in the country of the ELF team for at least one full season and continues to play in the ELF.
Here are this year’s nominees:
Lukas Haslwantar, Running Back - Raiders Tirol
Among the many talented running backs of the Raiders Tirol, Lukas Haslwantar stood out this season. Since joining the ELF with the Raiders, he has shown constant improvement year after year. After starting his ELF career in 2022 with 48 carries for 210 yards and 5 touchdowns, Haslwantar exploded in 2025 with 178 carries for 1,042 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has become a vital weapon in the Raiders’ offense, impressing with consistency, reliability, and production.
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Aleksandar Borkovic, Safety - Fehérvár Enthroners
When the homegrown territories were restructured during the offseason, the Fehérvár Enthroners gained access to Serbian football talents and quickly signed safety Aleksandar Borkovic. After already catching attention with the Prague Lions, Borkovic made an immediate impact in Hungary. For much of the season, he led the league in tackles before being passed by AJ Wentland. His final stat line was impressive: 130 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 8 pass deflections. Clearly, Borkovic has established himself as a key defensive leader for the Enthroners.
Lars Heidrich, Quarterback- Stuttgart Surge
As the backup quarterback to Reilly Hennessey, Lars Heidrich didn’t always get the spotlight, but whenever he stepped onto the field, he delivered. The 23-year-old appeared in 11 games, including starts against the Fehérvár Enthroners and Hamburg Sea Devils, and consistently impressed with his performances. Heidrich completed 51 of 82 passes for 856 yards and 8 touchdowns with only 2 interceptions. His quarterback rating of 119.80 places him among the best in the league, showing his potential to become a future star.
Conclusion
Lukas Haslwantar, Aleksandar Borkovic, and Lars Heidrich each embody what the Homegrown of the Year Award is all about: talent, dedication, and pride in representing their region. From running the ball with power, to leading a defense, to stepping up as a young quarterback, these players have all made their mark in 2025. At the ELF Honors in Stuttgart, one of them will be crowned Homegrown of the Year, but all three are shining examples of local talent thriving on the European stage.
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