This week, the USFL kicks off on the FOX and NBC networks, promising additional minor league football that will propel more talent into the NFL with additional repetition and coaching at a professional level. NFL teams will be scouting players in the USFL all season long, looking for depth that they can add to their rosters during training camp.

Last year, over 30 players signed NFL contracts after playing in the 2022 USFL season. We can expect many similar numbers this year, even with the XFL competing this season. NFL teams are always looking to add talent that can compete, and several players can make that push here.

The league welcomes four new head coaches – Mike Nolan (Michigan Panthers), Ray Horton (Pittsburgh Maulers), Curtis Johnson (Houston Gamblers), and John DeFilippo (New Orleans Breakers).

Overall Preseason Power Rankings

My power ranking structure is to take the team’s overall structure in a weighted format, prioritizing the more valuable position groups and how they impact the team overall and comparing how it ranks to the rest of the league. A lower number is better – as it signifies a lower average position group ranking number.

Team	QBs	RBs	WRs/TEs	OL	DL	LBs	DBs	STs	Coach	Overall
Michigan Panthers	2	4	3	2	2	1	7	4	5 Mike Nolan (0-0)	3.227
New Jersey Generals	3	2	8	3	6	8	2	1	2 Mike Riley (9-2)	3.818
Philadelphia Stars	6	6	7	7	8	5	5	7	3 Bart Andrus (7-5)	6.000
Pittsburgh Maulers	5	3	5	4	5	3	6	6	7 Ray Horton (0-0)	4.955
Birmingham Stallions	1	1	4	1	4	2	1	3	1 Skip Holtz (11-1)	1.955
Houston Gamblers	8	8	6	5	1	7	4	2	8 Curtis Johnson (0-0)	5.455
Memphis Showboats	7	5	2	6	3	4	8	5	6 Todd Haley (4-6)	5.182
New Orleans Breakers	4	7	1	8	7	6	3	8	4 John DeFilippo (0-0)	5.409

North Division

According to my projections, the Michigan Panthers should be considered the favorites to win the North. That being said, it will be a tight battle with the New Jersey Generals, who are not far behind. The Generals will again have one of the strongest run games in the league, behind a solid offensive line while sporting a mobile quarterback and dynamic running back group.

• +250 Michigan Panthers
• +300 New Jersey Generals
• +450 Pittsburgh Maulers
• +600 Philadelphia Stars

The Pittsburgh Maulers have a chance to push the division as well, but it’s going to take an outstanding coaching job by Ray Horton to do it. Philadelphia is one of the weaker rosters in the league and doesn’t appear to have much chance of competing for the division.

The North will play games at either the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio or Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.

Michigan Panthers

This season, much of the attention will be on the quarterback room in Michigan, especially after the team added Carson Strong to the roster after the USFL Draft. The former Nevada star quarterback was an undrafted free agent in the 2022 NFL Draft because of medicals. Strong is trying to show that he can play regardless and that his knee will hold up. He’s not the projected starter, as Josh Love is expected to start, but Strong will push him for any mistakes.

Here are the key players to watch moving up to the next level:

• TE Cole Hikutini
• OT Brodarious Hamm
• LB Paddy Fisher
• S Sean Mahone

Strengths: The Panthers are very strong in the trenches and may have the best combination of offensive and defensive lines in the league. Between Broadarious Hamm, Noah Johnson, Ryan Nelson, and Sean Pollard, this team has people that can be used in a

Weaknesses: Where they are weak is on the backend. They’re undersized and missing some of the talents that several other teams in this league have in that position group. So if the front can’t dominate, this secondary will get picked apart on the back end.

New Jersey Generals

Last season, the New Jersey Generals were arguably the best run offense in the entire league, and it’s part of the reason that they marched on to a dominating 9-1 record. The dual quarterback situation between De’Andre Johnson and Luis Perez worked out wonderfully, providing the tactful passing ability and dynamic run threats. Now, Perez is in the XFL, and Kyle Lauletta is currently in a position to replace Perez.

Here are the key players to watch moving up to the next level:

• OT Calvin Ashley
• OG Evan Heim
• DE Tyshun Render
• CB Anthony Blue
• K Nick Sciba

Strengths: This team has a very strong run game as they retained most of their offensive line and the key parts of their run attack in Johnson, so they should be able to control ball games on the ground again. The secondary looks solid again, too, as they will be very comfortable even in their nickel-and-dime packages.

Weaknesses: The weakness will be the defensive front seven, which I would expect Coach Riley to try and mask behind his run game and keep them off the field.

Philadelphia Stars

I’m not sure what head coach Bart Andrus will be cooking up for the Philadelphia Stars this season, as his roster isn’t impressive; it’s depleted from last year and has simply fallen behind the rest of the league. He will have to be creative and find ways to unleash his running backs, Matt Colburn and Dexter Williams, in ways that will make this team thrive.

Here are the key players to watch moving up to the next level:

• DE Ali Fayad
• LB Te’von Coney
• CB Channing Stribling

Strengths: The linebackers and the secondary are who the Stars will try to lean on. They have a decent group of defensive backs, but for the most part it will be Bart Andrus and his coaching staff who will have to be creative.

Weaknesses: Most everywhere else. The Stars’ offensive line was projected to play very well in 2022, but they fell short of expectations. While everyone else added pieced and retooled, the Stars retained most of their line and left it alone, which is wild to me because two quarterbacks suffered season-ending injuries behind this front (Bryan Scott, now in the CFL, and Case Cookus).

Pittsburgh Maulers

The Maulers were arguably the worst team in the league last year, but after replacing their general manager and head coach, they appear retooled and ready to be a much more competitive squad in 2023. Adding players like Reuben Foster and James Morgan, two players with some serious NFL experience, certainly helps, but the depth looks better across the board, too.

Here are the key players to watch moving up to the next level:

• WR Tre Walker
• OT Myron Cunningham
• G Justin Evans
• DT Boogie Roberts

Strengths: The Maulers’ running game should improve in 2023, especially with some of the additions to the offensive line. Having Madre London and Garrett Groshek helps too, and fullback Mason Stokke is nasty. The quarterback position will determine the outcome for most of this season.

Weaknesses: I think the Maulers will have some issues on the deep end of their secondary, as their defensive backs don’t match up as well with the rest of the league. If they can’t get home to the quarterback, they won’t have the back end to hold up against the pass.

South Division

Looking in during the preseason, the South appears to be a pretty clear-cut race. The defending champions, the Birmingham Stallions, managed to retain most of their roster in the offseason, and no one else in the division was able to come close to what they were able to retain.

• -105 Birmingham Stallions
• +450 Memphis Showboats
• +500 New Orleans Breakers
• +500 Houston Gamblers

The second-place battle will be close and contested all season long. I like Memphis the best, as I think the home-field advantage in Memphis will play a slight factor, as it did for Birmingham last year, and their defense will be excellent.

The South will play games in Birmingham, Alabama, or Memphis, Tennessee.

Birmingham Stallions

The Birmingham Stallions return quarterback J’Mar Smith and running back Bo Scarbrough, who both formed an impressive duo in Skip Holtz’s offense that made them a difficult offense to predict or contain. Overall, it’s the best-built roster from top to bottom. They are the overwhelming favorites to win in year two.

Here are the key players to watch moving up to the next level:

• DE Jonathan Newsome
• DT Willie Yarbary
• CB TJ Carter
• S Tyree Robinson

Strengths: The offense is top-notch. I’ve ranked them with the top quarterback room, running back room, and offensive line group. This offensive line was nasty last year, and they got after the football. They’ve got the best back-end in the league and, so far, the best coach, who was 11-1 last season.

Weaknesses: It’s not a glaring weakness, but their defensive line might struggle to get home sometimes. However, they’re deep across the board, so clearly, they are looking to run a rotation. I think that they will be fine.

Houston Gamblers

The Gamblers have a ton of question marks on paper, which is very concerning as a Houston fan. The season quickly went south in 2022, and 2023 has the making to end up very similar. It’s just not a roster that offensively stacks up well with the league. They can lean into their defense, which is in the league’s top half, but they will have to score some points. That’s going to be a problem with the roster that they have right now.

Here are the key players to watch moving up to the next level:

• G Tyler Higby
• DE Isaiah Chambers
• DE Eli Howard
• S Manny Bunch

Strengths: The defensive front four is insane. Isaiah Chambers, Damion Daniels, Reggie Walker, and Eli Howard will be a fearsome front that will be able to get after the passer.

Weaknesses: Most of the offense doesn’t stack up well against the rest of the league; the quarterback room and the running back and receiver rooms are underwhelming. This looks like a team that is going to struggle to score points.

Memphis Showboats

The Memphis Showboats moved from Tampa Bay over the offseason, shelving the Tampa Bay Bandits for the Showboats in Tennessee. While retaining head coach Todd Haley, the Showboats reloaded their roster quickly and completely revamped their quarterback room. As a result, I really like the outlook of this team pushing for an appearance in the Division Finals at the end of the year. Ultimately, it will land on whoever wins the quarterback job and ends up starting the majority of the season.

Here are the key players to watch moving up to the next level:

• QB Cole Kelley
• OT Clayton Bradley
• DE Big Kat Bryant
• LB Aaron Hansford

Strengths: The Showboats built a defensive line to go after some teams. Adding Big Kat Bryant will be huge for this league, and having John Atkins, Daylon Mack, and Jordan Williams also helps. This is a good unit who will be able to both rush the passer and stuff the run.

Weaknesses: The secondary appears to be the worst in the league on paper. There is a ton of unproven talent who will have to prove themselves over the first few weeks. The offensive line looks like it will struggle too, just lacking a lot of the same level of talent seen across the league.

New Orleans Breakers

The New Orleans Breakers have a large group of intriguing talent across the board, but a lot of questions on whether they can put it all together or if it’s another middling season like last year. In 2022, New Orleans was able to lean heavily on their defensive front to generate a lot of pressure on the quarterback. It won’t be the same in 2022 as they could not retain most of their talent to the XFL.

Here are the key players to watch moving up to the next level:

• RB Ezra Gray
• G Jack Kramer
• DE Anree Saint-Amour
• S Saquan Hampton

Strengths: For their quarterback, they have a great group of receivers between Jonathan Adams, Johnnie Dixon, Eli Stove, and tight end EJ Bibbs. I think it’s the best group in the league. They have a solid group of defensive backs that match up well against other teams.

Weaknesses: The trenches look problematic. Not much talent is on this roster in those groups on either side of the ball. If New Orleans can’t control the trenches, they will get mauled in this league and end up in the worst overall spot.