Skip to main content

5 USFL Players to Watch: Jordan Ta'amu Offers Dual-Threat Upside

Neil Parker

Last Updated: April 12, 2022 11:48 AM EDT • 2 min 53 sec read.

Welcome to our USFL Players to Watch feature, where we'll be focusing on the top and potentially most impactful players in the league. The action begins Saturday, April 16, and there are already betting lines available for Week 1 at DraftKings Sportsbook.

USFL Week 1 Lines As Of April 12

https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/bh85N/1/

Players To Watch

QB Jordan Ta’amu, Tampa Bay Bandits

The Hawaiian took the long route to professional football after failing to receive any FBS scholarship offers out of high school. Ta’aum eventually landed with the Ole Miss Rebels as a Junior and ended up starting seven games the 2017 season. 

After starting all 12 games of the 2018 campaign for the Rebels, Ta’amu has bounced around a few NFL training camps and practice squads. He also started five games during the 2020 XFL season for the St. Louis BattleHawks. 

Ta’amu has a strong throwing arsenal and adds a rushing element to keep defenses honest, running for 342 in 2018 at Ole Miss. He’ll likely be one of the most productive quarterbacks this season, and he should also benefit from having offensive-minded head coach Todd Haley overseeing the Tampa Bay Bandits.

Tampa Bay Odds to win Championship: +425 at DraftKings

RELATED: DraftKings Releases USFL Championship Betting Odds

QB Kyle Sloter, New Orleans Breakers

Sloter has also had an interesting journey to the USFL, and his collegiate resume was thin until starting his final season with the Northern Colorado Bears in  2016. He impressed with 8.3 yards per passing attempt while throwing 29 touchdowns.

NFL stops with six different teams — including twice with the Minnesota Vikings — followed before Sloter was drafted by the New Orleans Breakers. What separates Sloter from the majority of his USFL quarterback peers is his NFL preseason experience. He threw for 1,222 yards and 11 touchdowns with just a single interception through 12 NFL preseason appearances. 

New Orleans Odds to win Championship: +500 at DraftKings

Check out the latest comprehensive and most trusted Sportsbook Reviews by SBR here.

RB Mike Weber, New Jersey Generals

A product of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Weber was selected in the seventh round, 218th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He played in all four 2019 preseason games for the Cowboys accumulating 54 rushing yards on 22 attempts and catching five passes for 28 yards.

While he never played a regular-season NFL snap, Weber’s big-time collegiate experience should make him an immediate factor on the USFL stage. He’s a capable receiver out of the backfield and found the endzone 24 times through three seasons with the Buckeyes.

Expect Weber to lead a committee backfield for the Generals, which should work perfectly — he split carries with current NFLers J.K. Dobbins and Curtis Samuel during his three-year stay at Ohio State.

New Jersey Odds to win Championship: +750 at DraftKings

RELATED: Caesars Releases USFL Championship Betting Odds

WR Devin Gray, Philadelphia Stars

The first wide receiver selected by the Philadelphia Stars, Gray is a speedster who played with the Cincinnati Bearcats for two seasons before signing with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent ahead of the 2018 NFL season.

Gray made an immediate impact in preseason action with 83 receiving yards for the Falcons, but he never suited up for regular-season action. There was another NFL stint with the Baltimore Ravens, but again, Gray was relegated strictly to the practice squad.

Philadelphia starting quarterback Bryan Scott and Gray were teammates under current head coach Bart Andrus with The Spring League's Austin Generals. Look for the familiarity to be on display in Andrus’ likely pass-happy offense.

Philadelphia Odds to win Championship: +600 at DraftKings

TE La’Michael Pettway, Michigan Panthers

The converted wide receiver boasts the athleticism to be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. Pettway was a redshirt freshman with the Arkansas Razorbacks before spending his final collegiate season with the Iowa State Cyclones in 2019. 

With the Cyclones, Pettway had his best statistical season with 55 receptions for 676 yards and six touchdowns. It didn’t translate to significant NFL interest, as he was limited to a tryout with the Houston Texans this past offseason, but didn’t sign with the organization.

There will be a lot of peaks and valleys from Pettway throughout the season. But with fellow tight end Joey Magnifico likely to be deployed primarily as a blocker, Pettway could thrive in a pass-catching role.

Michigan Odds to win Championship: +450 at DraftKings

Make sure to keep an eye on our Live Odds page throughout the week to get the best lines possible and connect with others in the SBR community on our popular sports betting forum.

Written By:
Neil Parker
A lifelong Cowboys, Cubs, Maple Leafs and Gators supporter, Neil has been covering sports in print and online since 2011. His past stops include USA TODAY, theScore, DraftKings Playbook and RotoWire among others. He's a graduate of St. Thomas University and Acadia University and spends ample time at KenWo Golf Club.