The USFL officially announced their All-League team for the 2022 season. The USFL has saluted six New Jersey Generals for their services this year. New Jersey is tied for tops in the league, with New Orleans for the most players getting All-USFL nods. The five-star Generals have six of their top players receiving this honor. Considering that KaVontae Turpin made two separate All-USFL teams (Offense & Special Teams). The Generals can boast that they achieved the most nods.
The USFL is making this announcement just days before their final weekend of regular-season play. With all divisional and playoff spots determined. There’s a strong likelihood that many of the league’s players who received these honors will play sparingly in week ten, if at all.
The New Jersey Generals (8-1), winners of eight straight games, have a Saturday showdown with the team they will be facing in the playoffs on June 25th, the Philadelphia Stars.
2022 All-USFL Offense Honors For The New Jersey Generals
On offense, the league’s leader in rushing touchdowns with nine, Darius Victor, is recognized for a stellar season, helping spearhead the Generals’ top rushing attack with 543 yards (second overall in the USFL) through nine games. The tackle-breaking dynamo, Victor, has been one of the USFL’s most exciting and inspirational players to watch in 2022.
WR/PR Kavontae Turpin leads the USFL in receiving with 472 yards on 39 receptions. He has scored four touchdowns through the air and has contributed 129 yards on the ground with a score. The electrifying Turpin also leads the league in punt return yards (183) and average (15.3). In week nine, he scored the league’s only punt return for a touchdown this season. As a result of his productivity on offense and special teams. Turpin has also earned All-USFL Special Teams recognition.
There were several Generals’ candidates to make the All-USFL team on the offensive line. After all, New Jersey leads the league in almost every offensive category. Most notably in yards per game (342.7). The Generals have dominated in the trenches all season long. Getting the honors for New Jersey upfront are offensive linemen Garrett McGhin, and Terry Poole.
The 30-year-old former Seattle Seahawks draft pick Terry Poole is no stranger to excelling in Spring Pro Football. He was one of the top-graded players by Pro Football Focus in the AAF in 2019 and XFL in 2020. The athletic Poole, who has always been known for his pass-blocking chops, has had a great season opening up holes for Generals runners.
Garrett McGhin, an undrafted player out of East Carolina, has spent time with three different NFL teams since 2019. Most recently, with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021 on their practice squad. The USFL has afforded players like McGhin, an opportunity to get extended playing time in the pros, which might lead McGhin to another NFL opportunity when this season concludes.
2022 All-USFL Defense Honors For The New Jersey Generals
Two New Jersey Generals defenders made the official All-USFL defensive team. DT Toby Johnson and DB Shalom Luani.
New Jersey, who finished the year second in the league in yards allowed per game (267.2), just a hair behind Birmingham (267.1), could have had several players on defense bestowed with this honor.
It’s hard to ignore what the Generals defense, led by defensive coordinator Chris Dishman, has accomplished against the run this season. New Jersey is tops in the USFL in the fewest yards allowed on the ground per game (72.4). A gigantic reason for that is veteran DT Toby Johnson, the 30-year-old, 6’4 320lb run-stuffer, has dominated the trenches all season long. Johnson is fourth on the team in tackles, 33 with six for loss. He also has two sacks, two pass deflections, and one interception. The former Georgia Bulldog has done it all.
DB Shalom Luani, the well-decorated futbol star, and former NFL draft pick, has been afforded the opportunity to resurrect his career in the USFL. And all season, Luani has been of the USFL’s best tacklers in the open field and its biggest playmakers on defense.
Despite missing a couple of games due to injury, Luani has 25 tackles, 4 for loss, one sack, six pass deflections, and is tied for second in the league with four interceptions. Thanks to his hard-hitting style and propensity to make plays against the pass. Luani has been a difficult player not to notice when watching Generals’ games. Luani’s inclusion on the All-USFL team shows that the league has noticed him too.
There should be plenty of USFL players like Luani who get NFL opportunities this summer as the season comes to a close for all eight teams. The Generals will have their fair share of standout players getting NFL chances.
The existence of the USFL has put players like Luani, Victor, and others back on the pro football radar. But the New Jersey General players hope they won’t have to concentrate on the next step in their pro football journey until after they play and potentially win a USFL championship on July 3rd.
