Sporting News, May 22, 1983
If the NFL was not scared of the upstart USFL after their season kicked off 10 weeks ago, they sure are now. Only one month after the NFL held their Collegiate Draft the strategy of the USFL to offer their league as an alternative to the NFL Draft has paid off in full. Over the past weeks, the USFL has signed no fewer than 20 NFL draftees to league contracts, including six 1st round draft picks. After an NFL Draft which saw 6 teams pick potential franchise quarterbacks in the first round, the league must now face the realization that 3 of those 6 will be playing with the USFL next spring.
The NFL is reeling, watching potential franchise players such as QB’s Jim Kelly, Todd Blackledge and Tony Eason defecting to the rival league. The USFL offered something the NFL would not, choice. While NFL teams drafted these collegiate stars to contracts with specific teams, the USFL, with expansion for 1984 still in the early stages, has signed all the players to league contracts, not team contracts. Players who signed were promised a choice from 3 competing bids from USFL teams, allowing players like Jim Kelly, who openly expressed disappointment when drafted by the Buffalo Bills, the option to sign with the coach and system they prefer, or the city they prefer. For now the players have signed contracts with the league, but it is expected that as soon as the 1984 expansion franchises for the USFL are finalized, teams will be able to make bids for each of the league signings, of course with the league salary cap and 3 exempt roster spots in mind. It is expected that early this summer these draft prospects will have the option to pick which of 3 USFL teams they wish to join almost certainly as a marquee player for that franchise.
For Kelly, the prospect of being able to choose locations like Tampa, LA, or a potential expansion franchise in his hometown of Pittsburgh instead of being allocated to the Buffalo Bills and their Siberian winters, was the main reason he chose to sign with the USFL. For others, like wideout Willie Gault of Tennessee it was the option of choosing a USFL with an offensive coach instead of being sent to Chicago to work under Mike Ditka. Todd Blackledge could stay close to Happy Valley by signing with Philly, but may choose elsewhere so as to get a quicker path to the starting role. A defensive star like Arizona State’s Vernon Maxwell could even keep his current apartment in Tempe if he signs with the Arizona Wranglers.
Not all the players who have made the jump are household names, but there is plenty of star power among these “defectors” to add more excitement about the future of the spring league and to put a good amount of fear into the hearts of NFL owners and GM’s.
Included in the NFL Draft “defection” to the USFL are the following players (with their NFL round & team listed):
QB Todd Blackledge, Penn State (1st round #7 KC)
RB Michael Haddix, Mississippi State (1st round #8 PHI)
WR Terry Kinard, Clemson (1st round #10 NYG)
QB Jim Kelly, Miami (1st round #14 BUF)
QB Tony Eason, Illinois (1st round #15 NE)
WR Wilie Gault, Tennessee (1st round #18 CHI)
LB Vernon Maxwell, Arizona St. (2nd round #29 BAL)
WR Henry Ellard, Fresno St. (2nd round #32 LARm)
DB Keith Bostic, Michigan (2nd round #42 HOU)
RB Johnny Hector, Texas A&M (2nd round #51 NYJ)
RB Richard Williams, Memphis (2nd round #46 WSH)
DB Dave Duerson, Notre Dame (3rd round #64 CHI)
TE Trey Junkin, La Tech (4th round #93 BUF)
DE Greg Townsend, TCU (4h round #110 LARd)
LB Kiki DeAyala, Texas (6th round, #152 CIN)
QB Babe Laufenberg (6th round, #168 WSH)