USFL College Draft: Pittsburgh Maulers select Jacob Slade with No. 65 overall pick

Jacob Slade has heard his name called in the USFL College Draft. The Pittsburgh Maulers selected him with the No. 65 overall pick in the third round on Tuesday.

Slade anchored the defensive line at Michigan State over the last five years. He totaled 88 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks during that time. This past season, he had 20 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sack for the Spartans in his last year of eligibility.

The Maulers struggled last season, going 1-9. Pittsburgh will start the 2023 season April 16 against the New Orleans Breakers.

More on the state of the USFL

Last year was the initial season for the USFL, which also resulted in some history for spring football. The USFL was the first league in 40 years to have a successful inaugural season and then come back for a second season.

All eight USFL teams are remotely participating in this year’s draft, drafting the rights to 80 players who are eligible for the draft from a pool of 3,000 players. In order to be eligible for the USFL Draft, athletes must be out of high school for at least three years and either used all of their college eligibility, or waived it. Junior college players can request eligibility after being out of high school for two years and not be enrolled in a four-year school.

“We are building the USFL for long-term success and our first-ever College Draft demonstrates our clear focus on building winning teams for Season 2, Season 3, and beyond,” Daryl Johnston, the USFL’s Executive Vice President of Football Operations, said. “The USFL will continue to search for and evaluate the best players to join our league. We are excited to see who the next KaVontae Turpin will be to turn an opportunity with the USFL into a springboard for success in the NFL. Conducting our inaugural College Draft shows that the USFL is committed to providing these talented players an alternative route to pursue their professional football dreams.”