USFL Collegiate Draft

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The United States Football League had two types of drafts as their main sources for player recruitment: the Collegiate Draft and the Territorial Draft. The Collegiate Draft resembled its NFL counterpart (the NFL Draft), in which teams were given a position in the drafting order, based on their win and loss record for the previous year.

Procedure and rules[]

Objective[]

This process was adopted from the National Football League, so that the USFL teams could have an equal opportunity to sign eligible players from college.

History[]

The draft started in the inaugural season of 1983 with 24 rounds (288 selections) also each team could select 26 players in a territorial draft (312 total) and was held over a two day period at the beginning of January (4 and 5).[1]

In 1984 to accommodate six new expansion franchises, these teams were given an additional selection at the end of some of the rounds. The open draft had 19 rounds. The 1984 draft was held January 4-5.[2]

The draft was reduced to 12 rounds in 1985, which in turn reduced the number of days to one.[3]

For the 1984 and the 1985 seasons, the Collegiate Draft was given the official name: "United States Football League Player Selection Meeting".

In 1986, the USFL moved its draft to May with the plan move to a fall schedule that same year.

Process[]

Teams could select players from a list of college seniors or juniors. The order of selection was determined based on the team's win and loss record from the previous year. After a selection, the franchise had the unilateral right to negotiate a contract with that player or the ability to trade that player to another team. If for any reason, the franchise was unsuccessful in negotiating a contract (for example the player signed with the NFL), the club kept the player's rights, which would make him unavailable to play for any team in the USFL.

First overall pick in college drafts[]

Draft Date Location Player Position College USFL Team
1983 January 4, 1983 Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York Dan Marino QB University of Pittsburgh Los Angeles Express
1984 January 4, 1984 The Roosevelt Hotel, New York Mike Rozier RB University of Nebraska Pittsburgh Maulers
1985 January 3, 1985 Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York Jerry Rice WR Mississippi Valley State University Birmingham Stallions
1986 May 6, 1986 Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York Mike Haight OT University of Iowa Orlando Renegades

References[]

  1. ^ "Marino top pick as USFL clubs draft collegians". Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  2. ^ "USFL To Draft". Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  3. ^ "Can The USFL Cut The Mustard?". Retrieved January 12, 2019.

External links[]

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