Sporting News, January 15, 1984
The USFL continues to emphasize youth and big-name signings just 1 month after their 1984 Collegiate and Territorial Drafts. Just as they did following the 1983 NFL Draft, the USFL has opted to seek out big names and potential early round NFL talent to fill their rosters. Among those signed this past month include anticipated early round NFL picks such as QBs Walter Lewis of Alabama and Rick Neuheisel of UCLA, RBs Kevin Mack of Clemson and Mel Gray of Purdue, and WRs Gary Clark of James Madison and Danny Knight of Miss. State, but the three biggest are all players expected to be Top 10 Draft Picks in the NFL, including the anticipated #1 pick, QB Steve Young of BYU.
The Los Angeles Express announced this week that they have signed Young to a multi-year contract worth over $40,000,000, a contract that will operate as an annuity, allowing the Express to pay out over 20 years. The Express, who struggled to attract fans in their first season, went big on name recognition, signing the mobile BYU quarterback to a deal that reconfigures the entire QB market in both the USFL and the NFL. Having signed three of the six NFL quarterbacks from the 1983 draft (Blackledge, Kelly and Eason), the USFL continues to put a high value on big name NCAA quarterbacks with the signing of Young.
For the second year in a row the USFL has also targeted a Heisman winning running back, with the expansion Pittsburgh Maulers announcing the signing of Nebraska’s Mike Rozier. Rozier will join Herschel Walker as Heisman winners who passed up the chance to play in the NFL, though, unlike Walker who was a sophomore at the time, Rozier was fully eligible to be drafted by the NFL.
And, on the defensive side, the Memphis Showboats have signed Tennessee’s game-disrupting DE, Reggie White. White, able to stay in the state of Tennessee, will join the USFL expansion franchise, where he will get to chase after longtime nemesis Alabama QB Walter Lewis in practice instead of in game action.
While these three signings will certainly garner a lot of attention over the course of the upcoming USFL season, they are hardly alone. Below are just a few of the well-known collegiate stars who have opted to play in the spring with the upstart league:
Arizona Wranglers: QB Rick Neuheisel, WR Louis Lipps
Birmingham Stallions: WR Joey Jones, LB Milton Fields
Boston Breakers: RB Buford Jordan, DE Leroy Howell
Chicago Blitz: LB Mike Russell, RB Mel Gray
Denver Gold: WR Brian Brennan, DT Mike Taliferro
Houston Gamblers: RB/TE Todd Fowler, WR Gerald McNeil, WR Clarence Verdin
Jacksonville Bulls: WR Gary Clark, WR Perry Kemp, LB Vaughan Johnson
Los Angeles Express: QB Steve Young, G Gary Zimmerman, K Tony Zendejas
Memphis Showboats: DE Reggie White, QB Walter Lewis, LB Eddie Simmons
Michigan Panthers: LB Rick Naylor, DE Steve Hamilton
New Jersey Generals: WR Clarence Collins, WR Danny Knight, TE Jeff Spek
Oakland Invaders: DT Clyde Glover, LB Ron Rivera, LB Niko Noga
Philadelphia Stars: DB Ron Porter, DE William Fuller
Pittsburgh Maulers: RB Mike Rozier,QB Jeff Hostetler, TE Mike Shaw, T Dwayne Massey
Tampa Bay Bandits: RB Speedy Neal, DT Alphonso Carreker
Washington Federals: WR Duane Gunn, RB Kevin Mack (Traded to LA)
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