The USFL is here, and the season kicks off this Saturday, April 15, 2023. It is being headed by Daryl the “Moose” Johnston, the former Dallas Cowboys fullback. He just recently got promoted to “President” of football operations, as the USFL doesn’t have a commissioner, like in the XFL.

The legendary Fox broadcaster was formerly vice president of operations until Brian Woods resigned at the end of 2022. Johnston has always maintained a high interest in football, as he was general manager of the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football in 2018 and the director of player personnel for the XFL Dallas Renegades in 2019.

These six players were once big names in the NFL but are now looking to resurrect their professional football careers and possibly earn another shot in the fall.

Let’s take a look at six players who took the jump from the NFL to the USFL, where they came from, and where they are now:

 

Birmingham Stallions RB Bo Scarborough (25) – Dylan Buell/USFL-Getty Images

Bo Scarborough (RB) – Birmingham Stallions

Former NFL Teams: Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks (second stint), Las Vegas Raiders

Bo Scarborough’s long journey from the NFL to the USFL is a crazy one, to say the least. At the University of Alabama, he won two national championships but never rushed for 1,000 yards in three seasons as a Crimson Tide. Despite this, Scarborough was drafted in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys. Sadly, he was cut on Sep 1, 2018.

In Week Four of the 2022 season, he entered the USFL late but still brought with him a winning mentality. He finished up playing six games, totaling 352 yards on 84 attempts, averaging 4.2 yards per carry.

The power back already brings with him two national championships in college and a USFL championship with the Birmingham Stallions last season. He also brings one season of NFL starting experience when he was with the Detroit Lions in 2019.

Bottom line, he may not be a winner in the pros in terms of the NFL, but he is a winner in the pros in terms of the USFL. If he goes back-back this year, look for him to be a backup on an NFL-contending team in the fall.

Scooby Wright (LB) – Birmingham Stallions

Former NFL Teams: Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots

Scooby Wright’s last NFL appearance came when he signed with the New England Patriots on August 25, 2019. Six days later, on Aug. 31, 2019, he was released during roster cuts.

The strong linebacker was then re-signed to the practice squad on Sept. 20, 2019. On Oct. 1, 2019, Wright was released from the practice squad.

Much like his teammate Scarborough, Wright brings with him years of veteran and NFL experience to the table. He and Scarborough already won a USFL championship last year with the Stallions, so if both of them run it back again, look for Wright to earn a backup linebacker spot on a winning team in the fall.

New Jersey Generals QB Kyle Lauletta (5) – Ryan Gonzalez/USFL

 

Kyle Lauletta (QB) – New Jersey Generals

Former NFL Teams: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns (second stint) 

Lauletta was drafted by the New York Giants in the fourth round (108th pick) of the 2018 NFL draft. This pick was used to select him in exchange for a trade sending Jason Pierre Paul to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

On Oct. 30, 2018, Lauletta was arrested in Weehawken, New Jersey, after being pulled over in his Jaguar on his way to practice. He was charged with harassing police, resisting arrest, reckless driving, disregarding officers’ directions, etc.

Prior to that, Lauletta had previously been charged with reckless driving in Fairfax County, Virginia, in 2017 and found guilty of failure to obey a highway sign.

Lauletta made his first NFL game appearance in mop-up duty for Eli Manning on Dec. 9, 2018, when the Giants steamrolled their NFC East rivals, the Washington Redskins (40-16). He threw five incomplete passes and a pick to Mason Foster for a 0.0 completion percentage (hmm, Joey Harrington, anyone?)

He was waived during the final roster cuts on Aug. 31, 2019.

The troubled quarterback is an interesting bird for this league. Coming out of Richmond, he seemed like a prototypical NFL quarterback prospect who had the natural arm talent and the speed but was more of a project type.

I thought the Giants were a good fit for him as they already had a declining Eli Manning, who Lauletta could come in and start whenever Manning didn’t have it in him during the season.

Unfortunately, with the arrests, which were controversial, and the lack of time he had to develop there, things didn’t really work out.

Lauletta does bring a lot of quality traits in a pro quarterback. He is athletic, fast, and a great leader. I thought he would do big things with the Maulers last year, but they never had a consistent starter at quarterback.

We will have to see who Mike Riley will start this weekend, him or De’Andre Johnson.

Case Cookus (QB) – Philadelphia Stars

Former NFL Teams: New York Giants, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams

Case Cookus was last with the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL in 2022 but never saw the field in the regular season.

Cookus brings with him good height, nice pocket presence, and accuracy as a USFL quarterback. He also is a quality scrambler, but he trusts his legs a little too much. He suffered a broken leg against the Birmingham Stallions in the 2022 USFL Championship game.

Still, look for him to throw the deep ball and hit wide-open receivers as he is back with the Stars this year. His over-the-top offense led the league last year, averaging 26.2 points a game. Look for him to revenge a championship win and take it back right from the Stallions.

With the Stars last year, he was 6-3 in the regular season and finished 1-1 in the postseason. He had a 62.5% completion percentage and passed for 1,334 yards with 12 touchdowns and five ints.

 

Houston Gamblers OL Tyler Higby (77) – @tylerhigby77/Twitter account

Tyler Higby (OL) – Houston Gamblers

Former NFL Team: Minnesota Vikings

Tyler Higby was in the NFL on the Minnesota Vikings Reserve/COVID-19 list before being waived on Aug. 9, 2020.

The big lineman, formerly out of Michigan State, is in his second season with the Gamblers looking to show off his size and strength. He will be protecting starting quarterback Kenji Bahar who also returns to Houston.

The Gamblers come in as an overlooked team with a new head coach who will look to shock the world with an unproven but very talented roster that brings a ton of speed and athleticism. Curtis Johnson, the new head coach, will look to take the team all the way to the top.

Memphis Showboats RB Alex Collins (36) – Jeff Hanisch/USA TODAY Sports

Alex Collins (RB) – Memphis Showboats

Former NFL Teams: Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks (second stint)

Alex Collins’s last stop in the NFL was during his second stint with the Seattle Seahawks from 2020-2021. In 2021, Collins ran for 411 yards rushing on 108 carries and two touchdowns.

Collins looks to bring with him his tough, bruising running style to the Showboats this year, with 2nd-year pro Brady White making his first pro start at QB. Collins is a big back at 5’10”, 210 lbs. with good power and vision to hit the holes and gain solid yards.

He can also break tackles and racked up people’s fantasy points when he broke out with the Baltimore Ravens, rushing for 973 yards in 2017.

Look for Collins to be one of the USFL’s top rushing leaders with his NFL experience and his talent as a running back, as he still has plenty of gas left in the tank.

I wish all these players and all the players, teams, and coaches in the USFL a great and productive season.

For a look at the entire USFL Schedule, you can take a gander here: 2023 USFL Schedule

For another USFL Story, please check out:

USFL: League Adds New Rules for 2023 Season