Coaching Staff

James Fuller

Head Coach

Recently served as the offensive coordinator of the Carolina Cobras last season where he was awarded the NAL's 2022 Assistant Coach of the Year Award. Previous to that he was the head coach of the Jacksonville Sharks during the 2021 season after an award winning season as the Assistant Coach & Defensive Coordinator of the 2019 NAL Champion Jacksonville Sharks following his successful season with the NAL's Maine Mammoths where he served as the head coach.

Prior to the NAL Coach Fuller has 23 years of coaching experience between the AFL, TSL, and PIFL.

As a player James Fuller played in the NFL as a defensive back for the Philadelphia Eagles and San Diego Chargers. He spent his college career at Portland State.

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Carmelo Velazquez

Assistant Coach

Spent the 2022 season as the assistant coach of the Cobras and served previously as the wide receivers coach of the Cobras in previous seasons.

Coach Velazquez served on the coaching staff for Concordia College football and also has served as a coach for youth football leagues including the American Football Events USA All-Stars and the Brookfield Indoor Youth Football League.

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Lee Johnson

Defensive Coordinator

Prior to the Cobras, Johnson served as the assistant coach and lineman coach for the Jacksonville Sharks in 2021. Coach Johnson has 20 years of coaching experience between the Canadian Football League and multiple arena leagues. Under Coach Johnson’s watch the Sharks built offensive and defensive lines that allowed a 2021 Jacksonville team to finish first in total points scored (805) during the regular season averaging 57.5 points a game. Even more impressive was the specific stats in the trenches as Coach Johnson’s offensive linemen allowed only 11 sacks all year, the fewest in the NAL, while his defensive line amassed 40 sacks which was the most in the league. The return of Coach Fuller and Coach Johnson gives the Sharks a favorable stance moving into the 2021 season as the league’s front runners for another title. As a player, Coach Johnson played in the NFL with the Washington Redskins as well as a number of teams in the CFL and AFL.

Brandon Negron

Offensive Coordinator

Coach Negron has served multiple coaching positions with the Cobras since their inception in 2018. Including assistant coach. During his coaching career he has 17 years of coaching experience between arena football, high school, middle school and youth football leagues. He has also served in executive roles including director of the Southwest Guilford Jets, serving as president of pop warner programs in both North Carolina and Virginia. Coach Negron was key member to the formation of the Carolina Cobras CYAFL in Greensboro, NC.