The first week of USFL football has come to an end, which means it’s time to recognize those who stood out over the four inaugural games. The quality of play varied overall, but it’s clear that the USFL has found some serious talent. This series will be done every week, with two players from each position. There will also be an “honorable mentions” section for those who didn’t make the cut, but still had a highlight or two worth sharing. Without further ado, here are the best players that took the field in Birmingham over this past weekend.

Offense

QB:

Bryan Scott (Stars)

J’Mar Smith (Stallions)

RB:

Jordan Ellis (Breakers)

Mark Thompson (Gamblers)

WR:

Osirus Mitchell (Stallions)

Randy Satterfield (Generals)

TE:

Sal Cannella (Breakers)

Cheyenne O’Grady (Bandits)

OL (unit):

Gamblers

Generals

Defense

CB:

Quenton Meeks (Bandits)

Channing Stribling (Stars)

S:

Shalom Luani (Generals)

Arnold Tarpley III (Maulers)

LB:

Reggie Northrup (Gamblers)

Donald Payne (Gamblers)

DE/DT:

Davin Bellamy (Breakers)

Ahmad Gooden (Gamblers)

Honorable Mentions

Vontae Diggs (LB, Breakers)

Kyahva Tezino (LB, Maulers) 

De’Andre Johnson (QB, Generals)

Luis Perez (QB, Generals)

Headlines

J’Mar Smith Leads Stallions to Last-Minute Victory

On Saturday, the New Jersey Generals took on the Birmingham Stallions in what proved to be the most entertaining matchup of week one. Following an injury to Stallions starting quarterback Alex McGough, J’Mar Smith filled in and looked great doing so. He completed 11 of 21 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown through the air, giving him a QB rating of 130.5. With less than 30 seconds remaining, Smith also ran for a touchdown on the ground, giving the team their first lead. This ultimately ended up being the game-winning score, as New Jersey was unable to complete another drive.

Despite Loss, Generals Wideout Randy Satterfield Makes History

Saturday night’s game was great for the Stallions, but the Generals had plenty of positives to take away from the experience as well. Randy Satterfield, a former Lyon College Scot (NAIA), hauled in the first-ever USFL touchdown on a pass from Spring football star Luis Perez. Satterfield finished the day with 5 catches for 100 yards and the aforementioned score, making him the league’s only receiver to hit the 100-yard mark so far.

Gamblers Linebacker Duo Dominates Against Panthers

In game two of the USFL’s opening weekend, a stellar defensive performance by Donald Payne and Reggie Northrup gave the Houston Gamblers a 17-12 win. Payne had 19 total tackles (13 solo) and a pass deflection, while Northrup had 11 total tackles (5 solo) and a 95-yard fumble return touchdown.