GLENDALE, Arizona - (October 15, 2025) – The Arizona Rattlers bolstered their defensive line with the signings of two players with Power 4 college experience. The signings bring the number of defensive linemen on the roster to five.

Christopher Hardie 
Hardie, 6-2, 260 pounds, played in eight games at defensive end for the Ole Miss Rebels of the SEC in 2024, recording six total tackles, four of those solo. He also had 3.5 tackles for loss. His time at Ole Miss came after he played 48 games at Jacksonville State. There is started 32 games and was named to the All-Conference USA First Team Defense. One of his career highlights was a 58-yard interception return for a touchdown in 2023.

Reginald Pearson 
Pearson, 6-2, 300 pounds, played 24 games over two seasons at Northwestern of the Big Ten Conference after transferring as a graduate student from Bethune-Cookman University. He appeared in 12 games at Northwestern in 2024 starting 10. He recorded 21 tackles, four for losses and one sack. He was named to the Big Ten All-Academic Team. That followed a season in which he also played in 12 games including the Wildcats' Las Vegas Bowl victory over Utah.

Jaylon Bass
Bass, 6-3, 319 pounds, made an impression in his four games with the Rattlers in his rookie season in 2025 with six tackles in four games including an assist on a tackle for loss and a pass breakup. He started 12 games at defensive tackle for the University of Buffalo in 2023 where he had 14 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Bass is originally from Ashland, Ala. He graduated from Clay Central High School where he was a first-team All-State selection and helped lead the Volunteers to a state championship.

Victor Obi
Obi, 6-4, 240 pounds, will be in his rookie season in the IFL coming from Baylor University and most recently Texas State where he played defensive end, linebacker and on special teams. His college career included appearances in the Sugar Bowl for Baylor following the 2021 season, and in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl for Texas State his senior year. He is originally from Houston where he played at Alief Taylor High School.

Carson Taylor
Taylor, 6-4, 260 pounds, spent some time on the Chicago Bears roster in 2022 and with the Philadelphia Stars of the UFL and Houston Roughnecks of the USFL. He's a local product from Glendale and played five years on the defensive line at Northern Arizona University where he played in 47 games and recorded 161 total tackles. He is a graduate of Apollo High School in Glendale.