PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY January 4, 1995
The USFL has reached the midpoint of its offseason marathon. The Expansion Draft proved enlightening as each of the 4 new franchises helped to define themselves with their selections, and now they, and 20 returning clubs, look towards the Collegiate Draft and the NFL-USFL transfer window to fill out the rosters, sign potential playmakers to replace lost stars, or add depth to depleted positions. Before we look ahead to the 1995 USFL Draft, let’s first review what happened at the USFL Expansion Draft and take a look at what Atlanta, LA, Ohio, and Seattle have done to build their rosters.
ATLANTA FIRE
Pre-Draft Moves: Atlanta’s big pre-draft moves were trades to add instant leadership to their defense. They acquired LB Mo Lewis from Jacksonville and DE Mark Mraz from Tampa Bay. In Free Agency they also signed potential contributors in LB Juan Long and DT Mark Pearce. Their only noteworthy offensive additions were NFL Vagabond WR Sanjay Beach, former Panther wideout Chris Calloway, and former KC Chief backup QB Matt Blundin. So, when the draft began, the expectation was that offense would be the focal point, with some quality defenders also added to the mix.
Top 5 USFL Vets Drafted:
#5—LB John Roper: Atlanta’s first pick was the Denver backer, again building their defense up seems a clear priority for Coach Reeves.
#4—HBs Bernie Parmalee and Fred McAfee: The duo, picked in the 5th and 10th rounds, will almost certainly work as a duo, with final round pick Tony Vinson playing more special teams than offensive snaps. Neither is a gamebreaker, but both Parmalee and McAfee can grind out tough yards when called upon.
#3—TE Frank Wychek: We love the former Oakland TE as a mid-round pickup. He is versatile, a tough blocker and a more than capable receiver. He should provide the Atlanta QB with a solid outlet option.
#2—DT Chester McGlockton: Lined up with Mraz, his teammate from Tampa Bay, McGlockton will have a chance to help Atlanta build a solid run defense and possibly even contribute to the pass rush.
#1—QB Cliff Stoudt: Unlike Seattle and Ohio, the Fire did not trade for a QB. They bided their time and that patience paid off with a proven starter in the league falling to them in the 4th round. Stoudt may have only a couple of years left in him at this point, but you could not ask for a better veteran presence and mentor to a young QB (Georgia senior Eric Zeier anyone?).
Strongest Roster Group: It’s between the LB corps and the DT group, both of which seem stacked to limit the run. With Mo Lewis, John Roper, Danny Lockett and Juan Long, the LB corps may have a slight edge. But a line with Tony Siragusa, Chester McGlockton, Mike Mraz and Dale Rogers is nothing to sneeze at. For an expansion team, this kind of front 7 is a luxury.
Area of Concern: The WR group has a lot of quickness, with Terrance Mathis, Chris Calloway, and Ernie Jones, but it does not have a true #1. How Sanjay Beach and Glenn Koslowski will fit in is also a bit of a mystery. Expect the emphasis on quickness over speed to mean a short passing game for the Fire.
Potential Breakout Player: We love Siragusa as a block-absorbing sponge, which means he won’t get on the stat line too often, but it will free up McGlockton, Mraz and Rogers to pursue the QB or the outside run. Siragusa is just the type of undervalued big body in the middle that could really boost this defense.
Other Notable Picks: DEN C Chuck Lanza, BLT CB Brian Mitchell, DEN K Jason Elam, former CFL T Keith Ballard, HOU SS Robert Blackmon, and Texas T Eugene Chung.
LOS ANGELES EXPRESS
Pre-Draft Moves: LA had the splashiest trade of the offseason, acquiring former USC Trojan Marcus Allen from Michigan after only 1 year with the Panthers. It cost them three top picks over the next 2 years, but Allen will be the face of the franchise. Other acquisistions pre-draft include former Blitz LB Bryce Paup, Stallion wideout Tyree Davis, and a couple of players who had cups of coffee with the NFL: DT LaMark Shackerford and H Ricky Blake.
Top 5 USFL Vets Drafted:
#5—WR Mike Pritchard: The former Denver speedster adds instant nitrous to the LA passing game.
#4—DT Greg Meisner: The Renegade run stuffer was often overwhelmed in Orlando, but may have a better line around him in LA,thanks to two early DE picks.
#3—QB Competitors: LA has 4 QB’s any one of whom could emerge as a solid starter. Our money is on former Florida signalcaller, New Orleans’s Brent Pease, but both Rodney Peete (USC), and former Express/Knight backup Frank Seurer have solid experience. The wild card in the group is former San Jose State signalcaller Jeff Garcia, who was signed from the CFL after only 1 season on the bench in Calgary.
#2—CB Aaron Glenn: Glenn was on the fast track to being an ALL-USFL player for the Stallions. Now he will have a chance to continue that trajectory in LA, where his flamboyant style will translate well to Hollywood.
#1—DE Santana Dotson: Reggie White’s linemate may be just as talented a passrusher, though more speedy than powerful. In L.A. he will be the undisputed focus of every offensive line that faces the Express, but Dotson has the guile and the moves to be successful despite double teams.
Strongest Roster Group: While we are not sure who will be throwing the ball, LA does have a nice group of young speedy receivers in former Blitz WR Patrick Rowe, Wrangler Darnay Scott, Pittsburgh’s Mike Pritchard, and free agents Tyree Davis and Curtis Mayfield. Adding Memphis’s #1 TE, Tony McGee makes this a very solid starting group for whomever takes the reins at QB.
Area of Concern: The secondary has one bonafied starter in CB Aaron Glenn from Birmingham, but he is the only CB the Express drafted. They have Irvin Smith from the CFL, but will need to draft some young DB’s to build a secondary. A bad secondary in the USFL can be a brutal weakness.
Potential Breakout Player: While he struggled to get targets in Arizona, we still think WR Darnay Scott could be a big hit with the right offensive scheme. Having Pritchard and Rowe on the field with him should open up single coverage for the hot rod wideout.
Other Notable Picks: BAL TE Deems May, HOU T Harris Barton, NJ HB Lars Tate, WSH LB Curtis Taliferro, and young kicker Doug Brien from Florida State.
OHIO GLORY
Pre-Draft Moves: Ohio was one of two teams, along with Seattle, that opted to secure their starting QB before the draft, trading 2 picks to the Maulers to acquire Jeff Hostetler. They also added a local hero in HB Vince Workman of Ohio State. Their free agent signings were not big names (not that there were many available), but adding SS Brock Marion, DT Pio Sagapolutele, and tackle Reggie Redding was a pretty good first step towards adding depth. We are also intrigued by former Minnesota Gopher QB Rickey Foggie as a young athletic backup to Hostetler.
Top 5 USFL Vets Drafted:
#5—Tampa TE Chris Kelley: We are still surprised that Tampa did not protect Troy Aikman’s favorite safety valve, but TE is an undervalued position so Ohio got a steal in the 2nd round with this pick.
#4—SS Kyle Kramer was an up and coming player in Pittsburgh’s secondary. He now has the chance to be a major factor just a few hundred miles away in Columbus.
#3—Lined up next to Kramer will be former Arizona CB Vince Buck. Buck has good cover skills and even better hand skills, which Ohio hopes will translate into takeaways.
#2—New Jersey LB John Offerdahl. The 31-year old still has a lot to offer and will be a solid veteran presence on what looks to be a very young defense.
#1—O Line. Not flashy, but Ohio made several strong O-line picks, including #1 pick, Birmingham guard Eric Moore, followed by T Joe Valerio from Portland, Tampa’s Ed Miller at center, and another guard in Philly’s Lester Holmes.
Strongest Roster Group: It has to be that O-line, as it is the only group where the clear starters are known.
Area of Concern: While the WR Corps is a possible weakness, the LB Corps seems the obvious choice here. Other than Offerdahl there is not much to be excited about here. Former Gold LB Aubrey Beavers has speed, but has not proven to be a very savvy player. Former CFL backer Malco Goodwin and NFL camp player Dean Lytle are the only other backers on the squad. Perhaps some Big 10 rookies are on the way to strengthen the group?
Potential Breakout Player: Ohio picked 5 safeties, and while we expect Pat Terrell and Kyle Kramer to be the week 1 starters, we like the athleticism of Free Agent Brock Marion to help him find a role on defense, possibly even in nickel coverage as the Ohio corners are not a deep group.
Other Notable Picks: WR Robb Thomas (JAX), HB Reggie Brooks (BAL), QB Dave Brown (NJ), P John Jett (WSH), FS John Booty (MEM)
SEATTLE DRAGONS
Pre-Draft Moves: Seattle signed their QB in trade from Denver, as former Seahawk Dave Krieg will return to the Pacific Northwest. They backed him up with another free agent, former Houston backup David Klingler. Other free agents likely to end up starting for the Dragons include LB Jim Schwantz, WR Derek Hill, C Ian Sinclair, and punter Josh Miller.
Top 5 USFL Vets Drafted:
#5—DE Jim Reynosa has led the Panthers in Sacks for the past 3 years. He may have lost a step, but he can still outmaneuver many tackles to get to the QB.
#4—HB Roosevelt Potts was stuck behind Reggie Cobb in Texas, but when he got the chance he proved to be a very effective power runner for the Outlaws. Can he carry the load in Seattle or will they run a platoon with scat back Derrick Loville and NFL reject T.C. Wright?
#3—Tackle Mark Shively from the Blitz was a solid RT in Baltimore. Will Seattle keep him there or move him to the left side?
#2—DT Tim Johnson never got the limelight lined up alongside Jerome Brown in Washington, but he is a high motor guy who will make plays for Seattle’s D.
#1—We love the TE combo that Seattle signed, both for blocking and receiving. Texas TE Theo Young and Houston TE Keith McKeller were both very successful in their USFL careers, and the pairing could lead to some interesting options for a 2TE lineup being both a running or passing formation.
Strongest Roster Group: The TE group is strong, as cited above, but we like the QB group as a really solid, if unspectacular group. Dave Krieg had his issues in Denver, but has proven to be a reliable option. David Klingler can run a very similar offense to Krieg, which may be needed as O-line issues may lead to him getting a shot. Finally, former Idaho QB, and Saints draft pick Doug Nussmeier, has a strong arm and could be a solid developmental project.
Area of Concern: The offensive line is a concern. Only Shively and G Haynes Hayward (formerly of Denver) were solid starters in the USFL, and we don’t see a lot of depth here either.
Potential Breakout Player: Potts will have a chance to carry the Seattle run game, but we also like the possibility of former Penn State and Philly Star wideout O.J. McDuffie getting a chance to start for the Dragons, and he could emerge as their #1 in short order.
Other Notable Picks: SS Alton Montgomery (ORL), LB Eddie Robinson (BIR), K Mike Hollis (ORL), FS Terry Hoague (TBY), CB Derrick Massey (CHI)
COLLEGE DRAFT PREVIEW
With almost every team in the USFL now shorthanded as players moved around the league to the new expansion teams, this draft has to be a winner for every club or they may see significant backslides this year. While some clubs, like Oakland, St. Louis, and Jacksonville saw minimal player losses, others, like New Jersey, Portland, Pittsburgh and Denver, took some severe hits to their rosters. Every team will have holes to fill, but for these clubs, along with the 4 expansion teams, drafting well this February 2 will be essential to rebuilding (or just building) a roster. Here is what we see as the key needs of each team after retirements, free agency, and the expansion draft:
ARZ: QB—After trading away Scott Mitchell, a QB makes sense, but Arizona also lost Trumaine Johnson and Darnay Scott, so they need to hit on at least one immediate contributor at wideout.
ATL: We expect Atlanta to make a serious play for local star Eric Zeier of UGA, but they should also try to invest in a quality receiver like Auburn’s Frank Sanders or even UCLA’s J.J. Stokes to help add speed to the receiving corps.
BAL: The Blitz got hit hard this offseason, losing WR Mervyn Fernandez and LB Sam Norris to retirement and then getting hit for 6 players in the expansion draft. They too need to hit on a wideout after losing both Patrick Rowe and Fernandez. But are they happy with Chris Miller after so many mediocre seasons? Could they take a shot at Penn Stater Kerry Collins or Michigan’s Todd Collins?
BIR: Losing Stoudt is a blow, but with Brett Favre solidly ensconced as the starter, not an urgent need. They need to figure out how to replace the losses of two key defenders in LB Eddie Robinson and CB Aaron Glenn. We like the idea of going after FSU’s Derrick Brooks or Ohio State’s Lorenzo Styles at backer.
CHI: Bernie Kosar’s injury-triggered retirement was not unexpected, and with solid play from Scott Zolak taking Chicago all the way to the Summer Bowl, we don’t see them making a play for a top QB. More likely they will try to find a replacement for the 3 CBs they lost in the expansion draft. Ty Law of Michigan or Sun Devil Craig Newsome could be a start for the Machine.
DEN: Another team hit hard by the expansion draft, and after trading away Dave Krieg, a team relying on the continued development of Mark Brunell. Denver lost 6 players in expansion, including two linebackers. Expect them to try to sign local talent like Buffs LB Ted Johnson, but will they also go for one of the offensive stars of the Buffs, Rashan Salaam, Michael Westbrook, or even QB Kordell Stewart?
HOU: The Gamblers will likely look for a small slot receiver to replace Clarence Verdin in the mid rounds of the draft, in the early rounds, look for a solid TE to replace the departed Keith McKeller. Kyle Brady of Penn State and Mark Breuner of Washington look like good candidates for a 1st or 2nd round pick.
JAX: Tony Eason is gone. Does Jacksonville feel comfortable with either Glen Foley or Mike Shula as the starter? Unlikely. So, we expect the Bulls to take a shot at Alcorn State’s Steve McNair, and, failing there, they may look at Kordell Stewart.
LA: Coach Neuheisel seems content with his QB room (already at 4) and with Marcus Allen the HB spot is settled, so what does LA need? A lot of depth, and with no 1st or 3rd round pick due to the Allen trade, they need to maximize the mid rounds. The secondary was our area of concern, so expect a lot of CB and S picks from the Express.
MEM: Losing Santana Dotson opens a huge hole for Memphis on the D-line. They need someone to take pressure off of Reggie White. The best option there, if the Showboats are willing to shell out the money for him, would be Kevin Carter of Florida. A cheaper option, but one that may be just as appealing, would be Louisiana-Monroe’s Sean King.
MGN: We are still trying to figure out why Coach Holtz would trade away Allen after the year he had for them, but having 2 first round picks can help put balm on that wound. One of those picks is almost 100% guaranteed to be Michigan halfback Tyrone Wheatley. Signing the Wolverine back will immediately quiet the boo birds after Marcus Allen trade.
NJ: The expansion draft was not kind to the Generals. Not only did they lose their MLB Offerdahl, but also three guards from an O-line that is key to their offensive production. Guard will be the target early and often, with Indiana’s Andrew Greene a likely target for the Generals.
NOR: Marcus DuPree is gone, but the Breakers like young Eric Pegram, so they may not go for a back early. They should look at CB, having lost 2 in the expansion draft, but they also lost backup QB Brent Pease, so don’t be shocked if they go after a mid-round QB like USC’s Rob Johnson or K-State’s Chad May.
OAK: The Invaders had the fewest players chosen in the expansion draft (only 3), so they have a lot to play with as they look at the potential rookie class. If they want to take advantage of the salary cap discount for California schools, they could take a shot at USC tackle Tony Boselli or Trojan LB Brian Williams.
OHIO: The Glory still have some big holes on their roster. Wideout is a noted weakness and local superstar Joey Galloway is there for the taking. Look also for them to try to add depth to the O-line and D-line in the draft.
ORL: The Renegades were not a good team before the offseason. They then lose both Reggie Collier and John Jefferson to retirement, and, as if that were not enough, they get hit for 5 players, including 3 defenders, in the expansion draft. DT is a concern, as is wideout. They traded for Scott Mitchell to compete for the QB spot with Craig Erickson, so we don’t see that as a priority.
PHI: The league champions lost Kelvin Bryant to retirement, but with Charlie Garner groomed to take over, the bigger concern may be the loss of two guards and two wideouts to the expansion draft. Pitt’s Rueben Brown would be a coup for Philly since he would provide them with an instant starter and one at a salary cap discount as well.
PIT: The Maulers were afraid Rozier, the league’s leading rusher, would call it a career, but he has resigned, so now they will just try to replace some of the 7 players lost to expansion (the most in the league). Wideout is a big area of need after losing both Mike Pritchard and Robert Claiborne, two promising young flankers. They still have Brown and Lipps, so maybe they don’t go after Michael Westbrook or J.J. Stokes early, but what about TCU’s Jimmy Oliver for quicks or FSU’s Tamarick Vanover for pure speed?
POR: New coach, new scheme, and with QB, HB, and WR looking good, the time is ripe for Portland to go heavy on defense. Adding a dynamic edge rusher like Gator Kevin Carter, Seminole Derrick Alexander, or even BC Eagle Mike Mamula would be a slam dunk to get their defense on the right track.
SEA: The lines (offensive and defensive) as well as linebacker are obvious areas of concern, and having local talent like WSU Cougar LB Mark Fields or DT Don Sasa may be great ways to kill two birds with one stone. If they want an even bigger splash, signing HB Napoleon Kaufmann from the Huskies is about as big as a Seattle team can get this year.
STL: Rebuilding is key for the Knights. They let David Archer go into the expansion draft and no one wanted him, which has to tell you something. The Knights may not want to go QB, but the fans are calling for it. IF they go defense early and then try to slip in a Stoney Case or Steve Stenstrom in the mid rounds, they may really find themselves facing the music with the growingly unhappy St. Louis fanbase.
TBY: Tampa lost a lot of quality in McGlockton, Kelley, and Terry Hoague. If they want to keep Troy Aikman happy, signing a Kyle Brady at TE would go a long way. But the defense also needs to patch some holes, and there is such great in-state talent, from Kevin Carter to Derrick Alexander, or even the outspoken big man, Miami’s Warren Sapp.
TEX: A big tackle to replace Eugene Chung seems key, but so too would be replacing TE Theo Young. We expect tackle will be the pick, at least early, and they could look long and hard at Boselli or at in state stud, Houston Cougar Billy Millner.
WSH: Washington lost three good defensive players in Taliferro, Johnson, and DE Anthony Edwards. They could take a shot at a DE in the first round, or they could throw us a curveball and pick an heir apparent to the oft-injured Don Majkowski. Could you picture Kordell Stewart in DC? What about Kerry Collins?
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