How does the USFL Draft work? Exploring the USFL Draft pool for 2023

No spring professional football league has done what the USFL has been doing this season for a very long time. The USFL will return for a second straight season and more than 3,000 candidates are in the draft pool, with 80 set to be chosen during the 10-round draft.

In the USFL draft held last season, 280 players were chosen with the primary goal of constructing squads for the 2022 campaign from a pool of experienced pro athletes.

This year, the emphasis is on picking players from a pool of college-eligible athletes to enhance depth and add quality to squads that have their bases in position.

All candidates must have graduated from high school at least three years before the USFL college draft of 2023, have forfeited the rest of their college eligibility, or have used all available college eligibility.

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The complete 2023 USFL College Draft Order

Number 1 - Michigan Panthers
Number 2 - Pittsburgh Maulers
Number 3 - Houston Gamblers
Number 4 - Memphis Showboats
Number 5 - New Orleans Breakers
Number 6 - New Jersey Generals
Number 7 - Philadelphia Stars
Number 8 - Birmingham Stallions

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What is the difference between the NFL draft and the USFL draft?

The USFL draft will not involve any trades, which is the most apparent distinction between it and the NFL draft. It prohibits franchises from exchanging draft picks for players who are already under contract. It's not clear whether that only applies during the draft or if it will continue for some time after.

A player may decide to play for a USFL team in the expectation that an NFL team will ultimately notice their abilities.

Although the NFL draft won't take place until April 27, and the USFL is scheduled to begin in mid-April, any player who accepts a contract with them is not permitted to depart until the end of the entire competition in early July.

This implies that prospects will be postponing the possibility of signing with an NFL side by playing in the USFL, but the potential to obtain early game time may be too tempting to ignore.

About the author

Habib Timileyin has been an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda for 2 years. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English, and found himself drawn to the NFL about a decade ago.

Habib's favorite team is the Cincinnati Bengals and he particularly enjoyed their run to the Super Bowl in the 2021 season. The 2016 Super Bowl between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots is his most favorite of all time, and if given a chance to go back in time, he would love to witness the Patroits’ incredible comeback from being 28-3 down to winning 34-28.

Habib admires Tom Brady for his journey from being in a low draft position to achieving immense success in the game. His favorite coach of all time is Bill Belichick.

Habib likes to study intricate details of a story before reporting on it, and compares information among several reputable sources to ensure accuracy. When he's not writing about the NFL, Habib is likely watching Soccer, Basketball or enjoying a good movie on sports.

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Edited by Kanav Seth