Former Calvary Quarterback Is Top Overall Pick In USFL Draft

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First of all, yes, the USFL is back. But this version of the United States Football League isn't really connected to the first one in anyway. Not legally, not statistically. But this new USFL will still use some of the old team names (and color schemes) from the original 1980s league.

The league is set to launch this spring, and will have some interesting measures in place. Like the fact that all games, for all teams, will be played at two stadiums in Birmingham, Alabama. Both Protective Stadium and Legion Field will host games in 2022. That same plan may stay in place for 2023 too.

There are 8 teams announced for the new league, Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, New Orleans Breakers, Tampa Bay Bandits, Pittsburgh Maulers, Philadelphia Stars, New Jersey Generals, and the Michigan Panthers.

Those Michigan Panthers just had the first overall pick in the new USFL's first ever draft. The whole first round was designed to take quarterbacks to start each team. The Panthers used their pick to take former Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson.

But Patterson might be better known to Louisiana fans as the former Calvary Baptist Academy star quarterback. In his two seasons at Calvary, Patterson threw for 5,083 yards and 72 touchdowns. He spent his senior season at super-sports school IMG Academy in Florida.

After his high school career, Patterson was a major 5-star recruit in the nation. He ended up heading to Ole Miss to play quarterback. He would spend two years with Ole Miss, playing in a total of 10 games. In his best season, he threw for 2,259 yards and 17 touchdowns in 7 games. But after the 2017 season, he transferred to Michigan.

At Michigan, he played under Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. In his first season, Patterson led Michigan to 10 wins, and a trip to the Peach Bowl. During his senior season, Michigan won 9 games, and earned a trip to the Citrus Bowl.

In both seasons at Michigan, Patterson threw for 5,661 yards (with over 3,000 coming in his senior year alone) and 68 touchdowns. He also rushed for 476 yards in his career, with 8 more touchdowns.

After his college career, Patterson went undrafted in the NFL, and tried to catch on with a couple teams, but never made a roster. He worked his way through the Canadian Football League, and will now get a chance to lead the brand new Michigan Panthers in the USFL.