Former Michigan QB Shea Patterson has landed once again in Michigan thanks to head coach and general manager Jeff Fisher with the USFL’s Michigan Panthers. Fisher held the first pick overall and tapped Patterson’s Michigan roots to build hype amongst the fan base. Did he make the right choice?
Shea Patterson graduated high school as a highly sought after recruit looking for the right school to showcase his abilities as a passer. Patterson was considered a top 5 recruit in the entire country for the 2016 class. Patterson would ultimately commit to Ole Miss, where he would spend his first two seasons in college. He would begin his time with the Rebels as a redshirt freshman, before Chad Kelly tore an ACL and Patterson was forced into action as the starter. Following two seasons as the starter, Ole Miss however would watch as Patterson transferred following his sophomore season.
During his two seasons with Ole Miss he would play in a total of 10 games. 3,139 yards, and 23 touchdowns to just 12 ints adding 153 rushing yards and 1 td. After two seasons Patterson ultimately decided to move on from Ole Miss after it was revealed that head coach Hugh Freeze was making calls to escort services on university phones. Patterson would seek out and obtain a waiver to avoid sitting out for a season, using the argument that Ole Miss had misled him during the NCAA investigation.
Shea Patterson would find himself finishing his career with two seasons in Michigan. He would collect records for the most TD passes in a single game, most consecutive 300+ yard passing performances, and most consecutive games of 4 or more touchdowns. Despite these statistics, he would wind up splitting snaps with Dylan McCaffery son of Ed, and brother of Christian. Patterson would leave school with the 7th most passing yards for Michigan passing his head coach Jim Harbaugh on the way. He would leave college after the 2019 season and watch as he went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft.
He would sign with the Chiefs after the draft, competing with his former teammate and 2nd overall pick by the USFL, Jordan Ta’amu. Ultimately both men wound up finding work elsewhere. Patterson was released on July 10th 2020, before he would watch as his name was called by The Spring League Blues in October 2020. He would sign with BC in June 2021 lasting until September 2021 without playing in a game. He would ultimately choose to remain with the CFL even though he spent the time on the practice squad for BC.
In 2021 he was signed by Montreal, and saw action in 5 games serving in a very rare role as a short yardage quarterback. He rushed for 18 yards on 11 carries, but didn’t log any passing stats playing behind Vernon Adams, Trevor Harris, and Matthew Shiltz. After the season Patterson asked for and was granted his release less than 2 hours prior to the USFL draft. In a move most people didn’t see coming Shea Patterson was selected first overall by the Michigan Panthers, in what I see as an effort to please the fan base and bring in Michigan Football fans. However Patterson has barely played in the 2 seasons since he left college, can he really come in to a new league, and play well enough to warrant passing on more proven spring football qbs like his former teammate Jordan Ta’amu, or Bryan Scott. Patterson walks into the USFL with a lot to prove following his selection first overall.
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