USFL College Draft: First round recap, picks, and background

On3 imageby:Dan Morrison•02/21/23•

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The second annual USFL Draft kicked off at 1:00 P.M. EST on Tuesday. The draft will see 80 players taken in total through 10 rounds, giving each of the eight teams 10 selections to make.

The first selection is going to be made by the Michigan Panthers. They have the pick despite finishing 2022 with a better record than the Pittsburgh Maulers, who have the second pick. That’s because at 1-8 each, the two played a Week 10 game that Michigan won, earning the top pick for their performance.

Also of note, the New Jersey Generals first round pick was moved to the final pick of the USFL Draft. This is due to a violation of offseason management rules. So, there will only be seven first round selections made.

First round USFL Draft picks

Here are the picks for the first round of the USFL Draft:

  1. Michigan Panthers,
  2. Pittsburgh Maulers
  3. Houston Gamblers
  4. Memphis Showboats
  5. New Orleans Breakers
  6. Philadelphia Stars
  7. Birmingham Stallions

There is a challenge when you draft in the USFL Draft. Are players going to stick with you or try for the NFL? Because of this, several of these players will likely have a shot to play in the NFL before they consider the USFL. However, having their rights is important to these teams.

Several teams also like to draft local players to try and drive up fan interest. The Michigan Panthers were loud about this being their strategy and they proved it here. Birmingham also went for a local player.

Everyone drafted was on the offensive side of the ball. Chase Brice, who also played for Clemson and Duke is probably the best known player due to his long career. Meanwhile, Cincinnati wide receiver Tyler Scott is seen as a potential NFL wide receiver.