USFL Draft 2022: First-round pick-by-pick analysis
By Rob Rang
FOX Sports Draft Analyst
With the first round of the inaugural USFL Draft — a round focused entirely on quarterbacks — now in the books, let's break down the eight passers chosen.
1. Michigan Panthers: Shea Patterson, Michigan
Background: A five-star recruit who starred at both Mississippi and Michigan in a storied college career that saw him pass for 8,800 yards and throw 68 touchdowns against just 27 interceptions, Patterson was the first QB off the board in the USFL’s first round.
During his two years at Michigan, Patterson, 25, leaped past both Tom Brady and his former head coach, Jim Harbaugh, on the Wolverines’ all-time passer list, opting to play football despite initially being drafted by MLB’s Texas Rangers.
Following his flashy college career, the 6-foot-1, 212-pound Patterson signed with the Kansas City Chiefs and has since spent time in the CFL with the BC Lions and Montreal Alouettes.
Scouting report: Offers an intriguing, natural skill set, boasting the arm, athleticism and experience playing big-time football to project immediate success at this level. Has a quick, over-the-top release and shows the ability to throw with both power and touch, zipping intermediate passes through tight windows and lofting balls over the top with ease.
Patterson's arm talent is shown with his ability to throw just as accurately on the move, with designed roll-outs a big part of his game. Possesses good agility to buy time in the pocket to escape the rush and isn’t afraid to scramble when he sees the opportunity, rushing for 476 yards and eight touchdowns at the collegiate level.
Keeps his eyes downfield for receivers making late-route adjustments and shows the ability to react quickly, making him difficult for defenders to contain as both a passer and a runner when the play breaks down. Experienced playing out of the shotgun and under center.
2. Tampa Bay Bandits: Jordan Ta’amu, Mississippi
Background: Following two flashy seasons at Ole Miss, in which he completed 64.5% of his passes for 5,600 yards and an impressive 30 touchdowns against just 12 interceptions (with another 507 yards and 10 scores as a rusher), Ta’amu signed with the Houston Texans in 2019. He jumped to the now-defunct XFL a few months later, starring for the St. Louis BattleHawks.
Ta’amu’s flashy play in St. Louis earned him another shot in the NFL, with the Kansas City Chiefs adding him to their roster in April 2020. He has spent time with the Detroit Lions, Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers, showing the skills that helped make him the No. 2 pick by Tampa Bay.
Scouting report: It is easy to see why so many NFL teams have had interest in Ta’amu, as he possesses an intriguing combination of size, athleticism and arm talent.
The 6-foot-3, 221-pound QB has an athletic frame with excellent size and better football speed than his 40-yard dash of 4.77 suggests, getting to top speed quickly with long strides that make him a legitimate dual-threat nightmare for defenders.
As a passer, Ta'amu, 24, displays effortless velocity and good accuracy on a variety of throws, consistently placing the ball away from opponents and leading his receivers to daylight. Can feather the ball over the top and hang it on a line, demonstrating the pure passing talent needed to make every throw in the playbook.
3. Philadelphia Stars: Bryan Scott, Occidental College
Background: Tabbed as the "Aaron Rodgers of Division III," Scott has excelled everywhere he has been given a shot. In high school, he guided Palos Verdes (California) to its first league and section title in nearly 50 years prior to posting eye-popping numbers at Occidental College, where he completed 63.33% of his passes for 9,073 yards and 77 touchdowns against 22 interceptions in 33 games.
While throwing at USC’s Pro Day in 2017, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Scott shocked scouts with a sparkling 62-for-64 performance (including one drop), earning a spot with the CFL's BC Lions. Scott, 26, has had subsequent opportunities with the Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts in between cameos with the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL and the New Jersey Generals of the Spring League.
Scouting report: Looks the part of a professional quarterback with good size and body armor. Savvy field general who reads defenses well and shows both the aggressive mindset and enough arm to make tough throws.
Patient and sneaky as a passer, processing the routes of his receivers and using his eyes to move defenders, often scanning the field to take full advantage of those the most open and farthest downfield. Does not own a howitzer but can snap off quick slants out through tight windows and lofts the ball nicely over the top of defenders.
Creative when the play breaks down, showing enough elusiveness and patience to threaten scrambling and luring defenders toward him, only to feather the ball over them to receivers breaking open late. Highly competitive, playing with the fire to inspire teammates.
4. New Jersey Generals: Ben Holmes, Tarleton State
Background: The 5-foot-10, 200-pound Holmes starred at wide receiver at Orchard Park High in New York before taking over at quarterback his senior year and earning a scholarship at Nassau Community College, where he was named the Freshman of the Year at the position and a Junior College All-American.
Holmes landed with Tarleton State in the football-loving state of Texas and excelled in 2018, guiding the Texans to their first outright Lone Star Conference championship, with 2,659 passing yards and 28 touchdowns, along with another 501 yards and two scores on the ground.
Holmes’ spectacular senior campaign included a seven-game stretch in which he threw for 18 scores without a single interception. He left with a sparkling 23-2 career record as the starting quarterback.
Holmes, 26, continued his playing career in the Indoor Football League, signing with the six-time champion Arizona Rattlers prior to Tuesday’s selection at No. 4 by the Generals.
Scouting report: Savvy decision-maker who distributes the ball quickly and effectively to all levels of the field. Reads defenses well, rarely placing the ball in harm’s way. Possesses just an average arm but maximizes it with a compact delivery and arguably the best anticipation and accuracy of any QB in the draft.
Consistently hits his receivers in stride, showing enough zip to get the ball past linebackers and defensive backs on slants and quick outs, as well as pillow-soft touch down the seam and sideline on longer throws.
5. Houston Gamblers: Clayton Thorson, Northwestern
Background: The Gamblers might have won big with Thorson, perhaps the most prototypical quarterback selected Tuesday.
Prior to earning a fifth-round selection by the then-defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles back in 2019, Thorson threw for 10,731 yards and 61 touchdowns, with 27 more scores on the ground, in his four seasons for a Northwestern squad that finished 36-17 during his time as a starter in the highly competitive Big Ten.
Thorson, 26, also spent with time with the Cowboys and Giants before being selected by the Gamblers at No. 5 on Tuesday.
Scouting report: Possesses prototypical size (6-foot-4, 200 pounds), including broad shoulders and a well put-together frame. Left Northwestern having started a Big Ten-record 53 games in his career, and you see that experience in his ability to decipher defenses and the way he protects the ball in the pocket, carrying it high and with both hands on it until he is ready to throw.
Has a slightly elongated wind-up delivery, but it is over-the-top, making the tall quarterback play even bigger and minimizing the opportunities for defenders to tip it at the line of scrimmage. As his gaudy rushing numbers suggest, Thorson is a good athlete, showing some wiggle and smooth acceleration for the position, especially given his size.
Spins the ball nicely, throwing a catchable ball. Possesses the combination of velocity, touch and accuracy to handle all types of throws, including off of play-action and on rollouts. Showed toughness, resilience and a quick recovery in bouncing back from a torn ACL in the Music City Bowl to cap the 2017 season, returning to start all 14 games in 2018 and leave as Northwestern's all-time passing leader.
6. Birmingham Stallions: Alex McGough, Florida International
Background: Investing their first draft pick on a quarterback since nabbing Russell Wilson in 2012, the Seattle Seahawks liked McGough’s unique combination of size, arm strength and athleticism when they chose him in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Pete Carroll and then-offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer (now in Jacksonville) lauded McGough’s traits, and he flashed in training camp and the preseason.
McGough traveled back south (near his college days at Florida International) to spend time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans before returning to Seattle on a futures contract.
Prior to his time in the NFL, McGough, 26, was a star at Florida International. The Tampa native started all four years of his career and left school as the Panthers’ all-time leader in passing touchdowns (65) and passing yardage (9,091), with another 535 yards and 16 scores on the ground.
As a senior, the 6-foot-3, 214-pound QB guided the Panthers to their first bowl game since 2011, but he suffered a fractured collarbone early in the first quarter (after completing just one pass), and the game-ending injury clearly deflated his teammates. FIU finished the year 8-4 but lost to Temple in the Gasparilla Bowl 27-3.
Scouting report: Sports a lanky, athletic frame with room for additional muscle mass, if needed. Light on his feet, showing good lateral agility and body control to slither his way through the pass rush and present a legitimate scrambling option for defenders to be concerned about.
Even more exciting, McGough has both the arm and attacking mentality to punish opponents in the deep passing game when they make the mistake of leaving receivers too soon, offering the kind of cannon to make scouts drool with his big-play potential.
While possessing the arm to launch bombs 50-plus yards downfield off his back foot, McGough also recognizes how and when to take something off of his throws, delivering soft, easily catchable balls on simple dump-offs, shallow crossers and down the seam, making it easier on teammates to collect and accelerate in one fluid motion. Shows the savviness of a four-year starter with his accuracy, drawing his receivers away from defenders with low and high throws at times to pick apart the holes in zone coverage.
7. Pittsburgh Maulers: Kyle Lauletta, Richmond
Background: The Senior Bowl likes to tout itself as "where the NFL draft starts," and when Lauletta earned its MVP Award following a spectacular, three-touchdown, no-interception showing in 2018, it certainly looked like he was on his way to a long career at that level.
In fact, Lauletta is the earliest NFL draft pick of the USFL’s quarterbacks, generating a fourth-round selection by the New York Giants just a few months after his jaw-dropping performance in Mobile.
Lauletta offers the background, prototypical size and arm talent to generate interest from fans and rival scouts alike, having completed 63.5% of his nearly 1,200 career passes at Richmond for 10,465 yards and 73 touchdowns against 35 interceptions.
Since his time in New York, the 6-foot-3, 222-pound QB spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars prior to Tuesday's selection by Pittsburgh.
Scouting report: Straight out of central casting, with good size, broad shoulders and a well-built frame. Experienced playing in multiple offenses, showing comfort out of shotgun as well as under center.
Possesses the arm to make every throw, showing plenty of zip for short and intermediate routes between defenders, as well as the accuracy and trajectory on deep passes to allow receivers to easily track and run under them, forcing defenders to cover the entire field.
Lauletta is a better athlete than his dense frame suggests, possessing the balance for play-action bootlegs and avoiding rushers. He steps up and around in the pocket very well.
Given his time at the Senior Bowl and with multiple NFL teams since (including with Cleveland this past NFL preseason), Lauletta comes with plenty of experience against top competition.
8. New Orleans Breakers: Kyle Sloter, Northern Colorado
Background: The athletic Sloter’s ability to play multiple positions caused many college teams to view him at positions other than quarterback, so he signed with Southern Miss — one of two programs (along with Tulane) to offer him a scholarship at the position out of high school. Despite the promise to play QB, Sloter was moved to receiver shortly thereafter, prompting his transfer to Northern Colorado, where, again, he saw action at just about every offensive "skill" position except quarterback.
Injuries to teammates over the first two games of his senior year, however, caused the Bears to give the 6-foot-5, 211-pound Sloter a chance at QB, and he excelled. Sloter completed 62% of his passes for 2,656 yards and 29 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions, prompting the Denver Broncos to sign him in 2017.
Despite completing 31 of 43 passes for 413 yards and three scores (with no interceptions) in the preseason, Sloter was released by Denver. The 28-year-old also spent time with the Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears and Las Vegas Raiders prior to the Breakers making him their top pick Tuesday.
Scouting report: Rare size and speed combination for a quarterback, with the acceleration to be a true dual-threat whom defenses must account for. Creative passer who has the ability to throw off-platform, dropping his arm slot and changing up speeds, as he sees necessary.
Can really let it rip when he wants to do so, firing frozen ropes past defenders on slants, deep outs and other routes requiring sharp, sudden cuts by receivers. Throws deep passes with the high trajectory that allows his receivers to easily track and run under them.
Has played for a variety of NFL teams and has proven a consistent preseason standout at virtually every stop. Tough and highly competitive.
One of the most recognized names in the industry, Rob Rang has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 20 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others.
