Former Ole Miss and Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson became the first overall draft pick of the newly formed USFL when the Michigan Panthers selected him to open the draft Tuesday night.
Patterson, who passed for 8,800 yards and 68 touchdowns over four collegiate seasons, last appeared for the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes.
He will take the reins of the Panthers, coached by longtime NFL coach Jeff Fisher, when the new iteration of the USFL kicks off in April.
The league’s eight teams — all of which are brands revived from the 1980s, when the USFL played three seasons — each chose a quarterback in the first round Tuesday:
1. Michigan Panthers: Shea Patterson, Michigan
2. Tampa Bay Bandits: Jordan Ta’amu, Ole Miss
3. Philadelphia Stars: Bryan Scott, Occidental
4. New Jersey Generals: Ben Holmes, Tarleton State
5. Houston Gamblers: Clayton Thorson, Northwestern
6. Birmingham Stallions: Alex McGough, Florida International
7. Pittsburgh Maulers: Kyle Lauletta, Richmond
8. New Orleans Breakers: Kyle Sloter, Northern Colorado
Ta’amu had stints on the practice squads of the Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Football Team and Carolina Panthers following a college career at Ole Miss. Ta’amu also started for the St. Louis BattleHawks of the ill-fated XFL in 2020.
Thorson (fifth round, 2019), McGough (seventh round, 2018) and Lauletta (fourth round, 2018) all were NFL draft picks coming out of college. The only one to ever see regular-season action was Lauletta, who got into two games for the New York Giants as a rookie and went 0-for-5 passing with an interception.
The draft will be 35 rounds, with certain position groups assigned to each rounds. For instance, edge rushers and defensive ends are selected in rounds 2-4, and another round of quarterbacks will go in the 12th.
Twelve rounds will be completed Tuesday night before the draft concludes Wednesday.
–Field Level Media