USFL uniforms.
The United States football league finished their initial two-day draft on Wednesday. The eight teams drafted 280 players over 35 rounds. Of those 280, 26 came from Pac-12 schools. That’s almost 10 percent of the league.
Stanford and Cal were the only conference members without a player selected. All other schools had at least one player get drafted. The Oregon Ducks’ five selections led the way. They were followed by Arizona, Oregon State, and USC, who each had four players go in the draft.
Here is a breakdown by school.
Highlighted Player: Shalom Luani, S – New Jersey Generals
Shalom Luani made several stops in the NFL after leaving the Washington State Cougars. Originally a seventh-round pick by Oakland in 2017, he also played for Seattle and the Los Angeles Chargers. In total, Luani appeared in 31 NFL games, making 28 tackles.
Committed initially to Oregon after Junior College, Luani flipped to WSU. He played in 25 of 26 games his junior and senior year, making 8 interceptions and 157 tackles. Luani was even the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week one time.
Azeem Victor, LB – Houston Gamblers
A standout for the Washington Huskies from 2014-17. It looked like Azeem Victor was on his way to stardom in 2017. Going into the season, the Associated Press made him a preseason first-team All-American. Unfortunately, his senior season ended after nine games. Victor was arrested for a DUI, and head coach Chris Peterson kicked him off the team.
As a result, Victor slipped to Round 6 of the NFL Draft. The Raiders took him with the 216th overall pick. He never played a game for them or the other two teams he signed with Tampa and Seattle. Even with his career hanging by a thread, Victor drew a 10-game suspension from the NFL in April of 2019 for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.
Brian Allen, CB – Birmingham Stallions
Cornerback Brian Allen has kicked around the NFL since the Pittsburgh Steelers used a fifth-round pick on him in 2017 (173rd overall). He’s appeared in at least one game for three different teams, most recently a three-game stint for Cleveland at the end of last season.
At Utah, Allen converted from wide receiver to cornerback after his first year. He started all 26 games his final two seasons and was fifth in the conference with four interceptions as a senior.
Ajene Harris, CB – Pittsburgh Maulers
Another wide receiver switched to DB after his first season. Primary used as a nickel back at Southern Cal; Ajene Harris played in 38 games from his sophomore through senior seasons. He made 144 tackles in three seasons. Among all his stats, the one that stands out is that Harris had six career interceptions and returned three for touchdowns.
Other Trojans selected include TE De’Quan Hampton – Tampa, C Nico Falah – Pittsburgh, and G Damien Mama – Tampa.
Jordan Lasley, WR – Tampa Bay Bandits
Although he was Baltimore’s fifth-round pick in 2018 (162nd overall), speedy Jordan Lasley never played a down in the NFL. He was, however, outstanding at UCLA. His senior year, Lasley led the Pac-12 with 1,264 yards on 69 catches and also had 9 touchdowns. The yardage total is also the third-highest single-season total in Bruins history.
Philadelphia selected former Bruins punter Matt Mengel.
Victor Bolden Jr., WR – Birmingham Stallions
Go to the Oregon State record books; Victor Bolden Jr. is all over them. It started as a freshman in 2013 when Bolden’s 1,198 kickoff return yards led the Pac-12 and was second in the nation. As a sophomore, he led OSU with 72 catches for 798 yards.
Bolden also led the team in receptions as both a junior and senior. He left Oregon State with the third most all-purpose yards, 5,196, and still holds the school record with 2,420 kickoff return yards.
Other Trojans selected include LS Ryan Navarro – Philadelphia, G Fred Lauina – Tampa, and DT Kalani Vakameilalo – New Jersey.
Cameron Hunt, G – Birmingham Stallions
Cameron Hunt was a mainstay of the Oregon Ducks offensive line. From 2013 to 2017, he started 43 games, 41 at right guard. That includes the 2014 National Championship Game. As a senior, Hunt won the Ed Moshofsky Trophy as the Ducks’ best offensive lineman.
Even with his strong college resume, Hunt went undrafted. Originally signed as a UDFA, he spent time on both San Francisco’s and Oakland’s practice squads. Hunt was on the active roster for the Raiders’ final three games in 2018.
Other Ducks selected include DE Gus Cumberlander – Philadelphia, DE Bryson Young – New Jersey, S Tyree Robinson – Birmingham, and RB Tony Brooks-James – Birmingham.
Drew Lewis LB – Houston Gamblers
Originally committed to Washington, Drew Lewis redshirted his only season with the Huskies. He spent the next year at Coffeyville Junior College before finding his way to Boulder for the next three seasons.
Lewis was the model of consistency for the Colorado Buffaloes. He never missed a game at CU, playing in 38 straight. He made 166 total tackles, with 10 for loss, 5 sacks, and 8 passes defended.
Tampa Bay selected former Buffs cornerback Delrick Abrams Jr.
Christian Sam, LB – Tampa
Originally a sixth-round pick by New England in 2018 (178th overall), Christian Sam has been with four NFL teams but was never on an active roster.
Sam got off to a great beginning at ASU. After appearing in 9 games as a freshman, he improved as a sophomore in 2015, making 96 tackles with three sacks. His third season ended after only one game due to a foot injury. Sam came back even stronger in 2017, making 127 tackles.
Former Arizona State long snapper Michael Fabroni was selected in the final round by Pittsburgh.
Scooby Wright, LB – Birmingham Stallions
Speaking of hot starts, Scooby Wright was dynamite his first two college seasons. As a sophomore in 2014, Wright racked up some impressive hardware, including the Nagurski Trophy, Lambert Award, Bednarek Award, and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. An injury limited him to just three games the following year, and he decided to turn pro before his senior season.
To say Wright’s pro career has been a journey would be an understatement. Originally a Cleveland Browns draft pick, he played 13 games in 2016 and 2017 with San Francisco. Wright has also been a part of the Alliance of American Football, XFL, and the Spring League.
Other Wildcats selected include CB Christian Campbell – Tampa, CB Lorenzo Burns – Birmingham, and WR Shawn Poindexter – New Orleans.
The USFL has eight teams. The season starts on April 16. All regular-season games will be in Birmingham, AL, beginning on April 16. The playoffs will start on June 25 at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, OH, next to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.