Former Raiders practice squad QB Kyle Sloter selected in first round of USFL Draft

The USFL is holding its draft. And former Raiders practice squad QB Kyle Sloter was just selected in first round

You may or may not know this, but the USFL is back. Yes, THAT USFL. The one that originally formed in 1985 and lasted just one season before folding is making another run at it 37 years later.

Their inaugural draft is currently being held and is in day two.

Day one began with, as you might expect, quarterbacks. With all eight teams making their selection for who they hope will be their starter.

The number one overall pick by the Michigan Panthers was former Michigan QB Shea Patterson. And the final pick of that first round was recent Raiders practice squad QB Kyle Sloter.

The 6-5 Sloter went undrafted out of Northern Colorado in 2017. Initially he was signed by the Denver Broncos. After being signed to various practice squads over a four-year period, including the Vikings, Cardinals, and Bears, he was signed by the Raiders to a reserve/future contract in January of 2021.

Sloter was released in April, but brought back once the team formed their practice squad in September and remained on the practice squad most of the season until the Vikings signed him to their active roster on December 29 only to waive him five days later.

Now, starting in April, he will have the opportunity to show his skills in actual games to try to prove to NFL clubs that he deserves another shot.

Former Tiger signs with new team

A former Clemson Tiger was drafted by a professional team on Wednesday. The Philadelphia Stars of the new USFL spring football league selected former Clemson wide receiver, Diondre Overton, with the first pick in the 16th round on the second day of …

A former Clemson Tiger was drafted by a professional team on Wednesday.

The Philadelphia Stars of the new USFL spring football league selected former Clemson wide receiver, Diondre Overton, with the first pick in the 16th round on the second day of the inaugural USFL draft.

Overton, 23, played 51 games over four seasons at Clemson from 2016-20, winning national championships with the Tigers in 2016 and 2018.

During his college career, the 6-4, 210-pound native of Greensboro, North Carolina recorded 52 receptions for 777 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.

Overton signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League this past summer but was released by the team shortly after. He was most recently with the Vienna Vikings of the European League of Football.

The USFL is scheduled to kick off on April 16.

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Ex-Broncos DB Orion Stewart was the 3rd safety picked in USFL draft

Orion Stewart, a former Broncos college free agent signee, was the third safety selected in the USFL draft.

Former Denver Broncos defensive back Orion Stewart was selected by the Michigan Panthers in the 18th round of the USFL draft on Wednesday (the first round dedicated to safety selections).

Stewart, 28, was the third safety picked, behind Shalom Luani (New Jersey Generals) and Jack Tocho (Philadelphia Stars). In Michigan, Stewart will reunite with former teammate Paxton Lynch, who was selected by the Panthers as their No. 2 quarterback.

Stewart signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2017 after recording 12 interceptions and earning two first-team All-Big 12 honors in four seasons at Baylor. Stewart failed to make Denver’s 53-man roster as a rookie as Will Parks and Jamal Carter secured the final two safety spots.

After playing in preseason with the Broncos, Stewart went on to spend time with the Buffalo Bills, Washington Football Team, New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He never appeared in a regular season game in the NFL, but he’ll have a strong chance to start in the USFL.

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Son of legendary former Eagles WR Vince Papale selected in the USFL draft by Tampa Bay Bandits

Vinny #Papale, the son of legendary former #Philadelphia #Eagles WR Vince #Papale was selected in the 17th round of the #USFL draft by #TampaBay #Bandits

Philadelphia is the town of blue-collar workers and the rags to riches story of Rocky Balboa, or even a Vince Papale.

During the 1976 season, a then 30-year-old Papale earned a spot on Dick Vermeil’s Eagles roster with no prior NFL experience.

That story turned into a Hollywood movie centered around Papale’s journey, and now decades later, his son is writing his own story.

Vinny Papale played wide receiver at the University of Delaware, and after a solid senior season, the Eagles invited him to their local Pro Day back in 2019.

Now Papale is taking his talents to the USFL, becoming the final pick of the Tampa Bay Bandits in the 17th round on Tuesday.

The clubs which reside in NFL cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Houston, will begin their inaugural 10-game regular season in Birmingham, with the playoffs set for Canton, Ohio.

As a Senior, Papale Jr. had 36 catches, for 618 yards and six touchdowns.

In May 2020, he signed with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL), but his initial season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and he was released in October.

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Ex-Broncos DB De’Vante Bausby was the 3rd CB picked in USFL draft

De’Vante Bausby, who played in 15 games for the Broncos from 2019-2020, was the third cornerback selected in the USFL draft.

Former Denver Broncos cornerback De’Vante Bausby was selected by the New Jersey Generals in the eighth round of the USFL draft on Tuesday evening (the first round dedicated to cornerback selections).

Bausby was the third cornerback to go off the board, behind Channing Stribling (Philadelphia Stars) and Delrick Abrams (Tampa Bay Bandits).

Bausby, 29, has had quite the football journey. After playing college football at Pittsburg State, he joined the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2015. After two years in Chicago, Bausby went on to have brief stints with the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles from 2017-2018.

In 2019, Bausby played for the San Antonio Commanders in the Alliance of American Football. He played so well in the AAF that Bausby caught the eye of the Broncos, who signed him after the AAF shut down.

Originally signed merely as a depth player, Bausby ended up being a key member of Denver’s secondary due to injuries at cornerback. He appeared in 15 games over two seasons in two different stints with the Broncos, breaking up eight passes.

Bausby also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots before landing in the USFL.

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3 ex-Broncos QBs selected in USFL draft

Former Broncos quarterbacks Kyle Sloter, Paxton Lynch and Case Cookus were selected in the USFL draft.

When Paxton Lynch was cut by his CFL team, we thought the quarterback’s football career might be over. That speculation proved to be premature.

After selecting former Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson with the first overall pick of the USFL draft on Tuesday evening, the Michigan Panthers later added Lynch in the 12th round (the second round dedicated to QBs).

Lynch, a former Denver Broncos first-round draft pick, now appears poised to serve as Patterson’s backup in the new league this spring.

Another former Broncos quarterback, preseason fan favorite Kyle Sloter, was picked by the New Orleans Breakers in the first round. Kyle seems to be the early favorite in New Orleans to start over 12th-round pick Zach Smith.

A third ex-Denver QB, Case Cookus, was drafted by the Philadelphia Stars in the 12th round after Philly picked Bryan Scott in the first round. Cookus had a cup of coffee with the Broncos last May.

The USFL will wrap up its inaugural draft on Wednesday.

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Former Tiger headed to Pittsburgh

A former Clemson Tiger was drafted by a professional team on Tuesday. The Pittsburgh Maulers of the new USFL spring football league selected former Clemson offensive lineman Isaiah Battle with the eighth pick in the sixth round of Tuesday’s …

A former Clemson Tiger was drafted by a professional team on Tuesday.

The Pittsburgh Maulers of the new USFL spring football league selected former Clemson offensive lineman Isaiah Battle with the eighth pick in the sixth round of Tuesday’s inaugural USFL Draft.

Following his time at Clemson from 2011-15, Battle was taken in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Supplemental Draft by the Rams. From 2017-19, he was signed to reserve/future contracts by the Chiefs, Seahawks and Panthers, then was picked by the Seattle Dragons in the first round of the 2020 XFL Draft.

The USFL is scheduled to kick off on April 16.

Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.

Order your Nick’s barware and do your part to help.  #SaveNicks

USFL draft: Penn State’s Christian Campbell selected by Tampa Bay

Former Penn State CB Christian Campbell was picked in the USFL draft

After decades on the sidelines, the USLF is back. That is, a revamped version of the USFL brand is back. And on Tuesday evening, the eight-team league began the process of forming rosters with the first day of a player selection draft. Among the players drafted by a USFL team included former Penn State cornerback Christian Campbell.

Campbell was selected with the first pick in the 10th round by the Tampa Bay Bandits. Each round of the draft was designated for various positions, with each team drafting from a pool of players by position group.

Campbell was a sixth-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals in the 2018 NFL draft but was cut by the team prior to the start of the 2018 season. He was later picked up by the New Orleans Saints and spent part of 2019 with the San Francisco 49ers before being waived before the start of the 2019 season.

The USFL draft will conclude on Wednesday.

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Five former Ohio State players who may be selected in the USFL Draft

Five former Ohio State players who may be selected in the USFL draft #GoBucks #USFL

The United States Football League is back and I have never been more excited. If you are not familiar with the greatness that was the USFL, please take a second to dive into the history. The USFL has had some exciting talent in its former glory including Steve Young, Herschel Walker, and Reggie White. They all shined before heading to the NFL, but like most leagues, they could not compete with the financial juggernaut that is the NFL.

If you are curious which former Ohio State players shined in the original version of the league, have no fear that information is here. Now, it is highly unlikely that this league will be as successful as the original based purely on the money available, but hey I have no problem watching any kind of football year-round. The following are five former Buckeyes that could hear their name called during the USFL draft.