NOTE: The USFL season starts April 16! We have you covered with projections, a live show, top plays, depth charts, and more. Click here for details.
Passing Game Outlook
Likely in an effort to maximize local ties, Jeff Fisher’s Michigan Panthers selected former Michigan Wolverine QB Shea Patterson as the league’s first overall pick in February’s draft. In his two collegiate seasons as Michigan’s signal caller, Patterson posted a 60.0% completion rate, 45 TDs, 15 INTs, and 8.0 YPA. He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an UDFA in 2020, but was waived before training camp. He spent last season on CFL practice squads before becoming the USFL’s 1.01.
With Patterson under center, Fisher tabbed Eric Marty as his offensive coordinator. Marty last served as OC at Grambling State for the 2021 season following a five-year stint as head coach of Reedley College, a California junior college. With data from his time at Reedley hard to come by, we turn to his lone season at GSU for insight, where his offense averaged 17.2 points per game with a paltry 4.6 YPA through the air. Despite a -115 point differential on the season, Marty dropped back at a meager 45.1% clip. The Fisher-Marty tandem is an early favorite to #EstablishIt, stymieing Patterson’s fantasy outlook. If that wasn’t concern enough to look for an early fade on Patterson, Fisher has already indicated that the Panthers offense may use backup QB Paxton Lynch as a rushing threat.
Draft capital will be important for defining offensive roles as we approach Week 1, with no position more impacted by it than wide receivers. As reported by R.J. Young of FOX Sports, shortly after QBs were selected in the first round of February’s draft, many of them, Patterson included, sat with their respective coaches to talk over available players, familiarity seemingly an important variable as Michigan selected Quincy Adeboyejo with their first WR selection. Before signing as an UDFA in 2017, Adeboyejo played collegiately at Ole Miss where he spent his final season with Patterson posting a 35/456/1 receiving line. We should expect, at least initially, Adeboyejo to serve as the team’s WR1.
The Panthers took Lance Lenoir with their second WR selection. Lenoir had a prolific collegiate career at Western Illinois, where he posted a 269/3,761/27 line in 47 games before signing with the Cowboys as an UDFA in 2017. He bounced around NFL practice squads before ultimately getting waived ahead of the 2021 season.
No stranger to spring football, Jeff Badet was the Panthers’ third WR selection. We last saw Badet with the XFL’s Dallas Renegades playing in Hall Mumme’s Air Raid offense, where he posted a rather disappointing 16/108/0 receiving line. The 4.34 speedster should serve as the team’s field stretcher.
OC Marty’s ‘Tight End Driven Multiple Gun’ offensive scheme was highlighted throughout the draft process when Michigan drafted a league-high four tight ends. Joey Magnifico, the team’s first selection at the position, played collegiately at Memphis where he posted a 71/1,063/12 receiving line in 52 career games. Marcus Baugh and Connor Davis were added later via the supplemental draft. Both profile as block-first tight ends, having shown little to no pass-catching chops at any level.
The team’s best pass-catching tight end option, La’Michael Pettway, a 6’2”, 223-lb converted WR, who reportedly ran a 4.54 40-yard dash, played his final collegiate season at Iowa State where he went for 55/676/6 in 13 games. He made an appearance in The Spring League, once again playing as a wide receiver lining up in the slot and on the perimeter. His classification as a tight end may help fill an ugly position if he earns playing time.
Running Game Outlook
Michigan selected a trio of running backs to carry the load in Marty’s run-first scheme, starting with 6’0″, 225-lb Stevie Scott. Scott was signed as a 2021 UDFA where he made one NFL preseason appearance, posting a 7/23/0 rushing line. He was a three-year bellcow in college at Indiana where he racked up 562 rushing attempts in 32 games.
Reggie Corbin was taken with the team’s second RB selection. Corbin played his collegiate ball at Illinois, where he compiled a 375/2,361/18 rushing line in 44 career games. Both Scott and Corbin are listed with 4.7 speed and profile as early-down grinders, having shown an absence of pass-catching ability out of the backfield during their collegiate days.
Taken in the supplemental draft, Cameron Scarlett rounds out the Panthers’ RB room. In his lone season as a starter at Stanford, he went for 201/840/7 on the ground. Scarlett last played in The Spring League, and could help fill a void as the team’s de-facto third-down back.
