By Nathan Boudreaux -- Free agency has changed the nature of sports.

It’s the one common thread among all the major sports leagues which has evened the playing field. In the Arena Football League, it has created a parity which has seen eight different champions over the last 10 years. San Jose is the only team to win multiple championships (3) in the last decade.

The addition of a key player or two can transform a team from a cellar dweller to a champion overnight. Just look at Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays. They went from worst to first in less than a year.

In the AFL last season, Philadelphia used the free agent additions of QB Matt D’Orazio (from Chicago) and WR Chris Jackson (from Georgia) to improve their record from 8-8 to 13-3, and won their first-ever ArenaBowl Championship.

Here’s a look at my top 10 available free agents:

Name/Former Team

1) QB Matt D’Orazio (Philadelphia) -- Came off the bench to replace injured Tony Graziani was 8-3 as a starter and guided the Soul to their first ArenaBowl championship...Was the League’s top rated passer with 72 TDs against just four INT...Will listen to other offers but likely to re-sign with the Soul.

2) QB Joe Germaine (Utah) -- Ranked second in passing yards (4,859) and TDs (97) last season....Has emerged as one of the AFL’s top quarterbacks...Rumored to be joining former head coach Danny White (now the offensive coordinator) with the Arizona Rattlers.

3) QB Mark Grieb (San Jose) -- Led the AFL with 100 TD passes last season but also threw a League-high 18 INTs...Completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 4,613 yards and helped San Jose to their second straight ArenaBowl appearance...Notorious for signing one-year deals in San Jose and will be back in a SaberCats uniform in ’09.

4) QB Tony Graziani (Philadelphia) -- Has battled injuries the past few seasons but when healthy has put up solid numbers...Threw for 1,138 yards and 30 TDs with four INTs in five games before being injured last season...A veteran QB who knows the Arena game.

5) DL Michael Landry (Columbus) -- Had a career season for the Destroyers last season with 29.5 tackles, including 8.5 for loss and 5.0 sacks in 12 games...Is the top pass rusher on the free agent market.

6) QB Shane Stafford (Orlando) -- Completed a career-high 66.9 percent of his passes for the Predators last season with 81 TDs...Played the last two years in Orlando after spending the first five seasons of his AFL career in Tampa Bay...Don’t be surprised to see him end up in L.A. with his former quarterback coach with the Storm Pat O’Hara.

7) WR J.J. McKelvey (Utah) -- Had a career year with the Blaze in ’08 with 121 catches for 1,534 yards and 38 TDs...Finished fifth in the AFL in scoring with 228 points...At 6-4, 225 is a nice red zone threat...Rumored to be headed to Arizona with his former quarterback (Joe Germaine) and head coach (Danny White).

8) FB/LB Duke Pettijohn (Dallas) -- Arguably the top FB/LB in the League...Didn’t see much action on offense for Dallas last year but finished third on the club with 60.5 tackles, including 5.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks...A former defensive end in college is the best passing rushing LB in the AFL and has a knack for making plays on special teams (2^nd in the AFL with 20.5 special teams tackles).

9) DB Eddie Moten (Philadelphia) -- Led the Soul with 93.5 tackles and six INTs...Tied with Rashad Floyd (Colorado) with a League-high 23 pass break ups...Is one of the better cover corners in the AFL.

10) DB Rashad Floyd (Colorado) -- Consistently among the AFL league leaders in tackles...Led the Crush with 117.5 stops, 23 pass break ups and nine INTs...Has developed into one of the League’s top overall defensive players.

Top Free Agents By Position/Former Team

Quarterbacks

1- Matt D’Orazio (Philadelphia) -- Hottest QB in the League playing with confidence

2- Mark Grieb (San Jose) -- One of the most consistent QBs in AFL history

3- Tony Graziani (Philadelphia) -- Eager to prove skeptics he can still play at a high level

4- Shane Stafford (Orlando) -- Change of scenery could help him become an elite AFL QB

5- Steve Bellisari (New Orleans) -- Sleeper of the group was injured most of last season

Wide Receivers

1- Cleannord Saintil (San Jose) -- Burst onto the scene with 35 TD receptions last year

2- Kevin Swayne (New York) -- Solid WR when healthy

3- Charles Frederick (Kansas City) -- Provides running ability in the red zone

4- James Jordan (New Orleans) -- Sleeper who led VooDoo with 33 scoring plays last season

5- Willie Quinnie (Colorado) -- Solid No. 2 WR -- caught 30 TDs last season.

Defensive Backs

1- Eddie Moten (Philadelphia) -- Top cover man in the game

2- Rashad Floyd (Colorado) -- Savvy veteran brings experience to the secondary

3- Hamin Milligan (Georgia) -- When healthy one of the best middle safeties in the League

4- Jeremy Unertl (Chicago) -- Underrated cover corner with experience

5- Eddie Canonico (Utah) -- AFL journeymen could be a sleeper next season

Wide Receiver/Defensive Back/Linebackers (Two-Way Players)

1- J.J. McKelvey (Utah) -- Big red zone target can also play jack LB

2- Kevin Nickerson (Orlando) -- Solid two-way player with experience

3- LaShaun Ward (Los Angeles) -- Caught 27 TDs for over 1,200 yards for the Avengers last season

4- Ron Johnson (Cleveland) -- Caught over 100 passes with Orlando before joining Cleveland midseason

5- Bobby Perry (Dallas) -- Solid football player can contribute on both sides of the ball

Fullback/Linebackers

1- Duke Pettijohn (Dallas) -- Best pass rushing LB in the AFL

2- Marlon Moye-Moore (Orlando) -- Solid two-way player

3- Umar Muhammad (New Orleans) -- Better on the defensive side of the ball

4- Marlion Jackson (Cleveland) -- Top running FB in the League (356 yards and 23 TDs last year)

5- Rodney Filer (Utah) -- Can get after the quarterback

Offensive/Defensive Line

1- Michael Landry (Columbus) -- Poised for a breakout season

2- Kevin Carberry (Philadelphia) -- Made a name for himself with ArenaBowl performance

3- Dwayne Missouri (Utah) -- Consistent pass rusher

4- Jermaine Smith (Georgia) -- Getting older but solid football player

5- Chris Watton (Colorado) -- Underrated offensive lineman with good hands as TE

Nathan Boudreaux has been working for arenafootball.com since 2002. He has been associated with the AFL since 1999 and has worked as media relations director for both the AFL's Florida Bobcats (1999) and Carolina Cobras (2000-02). He also spent four years (2002-05) in the media relations department of the NFL's Cleveland Browns before moving to his current post as manager of marketing and business development for USA Football (usafootball.com) -- the national governing body for America’s favorite sport leading the development of youth, high school, and international amateur football.