FIRST OVERALL 🙌🐾
— Michigan Panthers (@USFLPanthers) February 23, 2022
The Panthers select QB @SheaPatterson_1 with the No. 1 pick in the #USFLDraft pic.twitter.com/7Rm8W7BDWc
The new version of the USFL kicked off its draft on Tuesday night, and the first pick was none other than former Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson. Altogether, the draft was full of names that you either didn't know or were a blip for a bit on the college scene before disappearing, such as former Maryland cornerback/returner Will Likely, Ohio State WR Johnnie Dixon, and Memphis QB Paxton Lynch (who was a high draft pick by the Denver Broncos once upon a time).
The USFL did something unique with their draft: they used alternating orders each round, and each round was for one position only. So the first round was only quarterbacks, the second round was only defensive ends, etc. I think that's a good way to start off the league, so every team gets at least a chance to grab the best player at one position. But because of that, the round in which a player was picked was irrelevant to an extent; for example, defensive tackles couldn't even be drafted until the 24th round.
Below are the players picked from the Wolverines:
Round 1, #1 overall: QB Shea Patterson (Michigan Panthers)
Round 2, #10 overall: DE Carlo Kemp (Pittsburgh Maulers)
Round 7: OT Juwann Bushell-Beatty (Tampa Bay Bandits)
Round 8: CB Channing Stribling (Philadelphia Stars)
Round 28: RB De'Veon Smith (Pittsburgh Maulers)
Former Michigan commit Mike Weber, who played his college football at Ohio State, was a 27th round pick by the New Jersey Generals.
I was excited for the USFL rebirth. I was young the last time around, but already a sports fan
ReplyDeleteThen I found out all games were played in Birmingham ... that's not my Michigan Panthers. And then I saw the draft ... uh, we've got a big difference from Anthony Carter, Doug Flutie, Reggie White & Steve Young
I might tune in, but only to look for former wolverines, and only as background noise
Was Herschel Walker in that?
DeleteYes he was! He was a jersey general
DeleteFantastic player. Maybe the best I ever saw. The USFL robbed America of watching him in the NFL for years.
DeleteI agree for the most part. If I'm around the house, I might turn on a game, but I won't make a point to watch it. Perhaps if the league gets started and some players start to earn some hype, I might want to check it out. I'm hoping it can last for more than one season, because I don't think any league will really gain traction until you can develop a hierarchy, establish a few stars, etc.
DeleteUh oh another league failing to properly utilize Ty Isaac? More fools. What a shame.
ReplyDeleteJust kidding. Glad to see my guy Deveon and the others get a shot.
Or ... Hear me out now:
DeletePro scouts prefer deveon? But that would mean RBs matter, and coaches at every level and various leagues confirm as much
Yes on the first part, pro coaches at the NFL and now several other leagues reached the same conclusion that college coaches reached. Kiffin, Orgeron, Helton, Hoke, Harbaugh all figured out - Isaac was not a starting caliber RB. But too his credit he was a solid college RB. Good player! He always earned some opportunities even with all kinds of different coaches around him. Maybe that helped him get more chances.
DeleteOn the second part - nope. You're conflating two different things. RBs don't matter is not the same thing as all RBs are the same. I can hand you note on a yellow piece of paper or a white piece of paper. They are different. But it doesn't matter what color the paper is. What matters is that you're holding a big ol "L" in your hand.
No idea what this is supposed to mean
DeleteBut for those who have played and/or coached, who you have playing matters; who touches & carries the ball matters even more
Guess some will never grasp that
One thing will never, ever change: And that's the fact that Ty Isaac averaged 1.6 more yards per carry than De'Veon Smith at Michigan.
Delete@JE
DeleteYou're so close to putting it together.
You have "No idea what this is supposed to mean" and "will never grasp it".
@Thunder
DeleteThree other things that won't change: 2500 yards vs 1500 yards, 23 TDs vs 10 TDs, 26 starts vs 4 starts.
One thing that COULD change is understanding how little YPC matters, when you have all this other info. Keep holding on to it though, don't let 5 pro leagues saying otherwise change your mind.
Of course we know the YPC stat isn't an honest argument. Not when you've argued it doesn't matter for Mike Cox, Donovan Edwards, or Fitz Toussaint.
You're right about that Lank. Football players/coaches simply cannot comprehend the blind confidence of those who have not and could not ever compete
DeleteCheers
Says JE the Walmart checker.
Delete