Northwestern's Clayton Thorson Selected in First Round of Inaugural USFL Draft
The United States Football League’s (USFL) Houston Gamblers just hit the jackpot.
On Feb. 22, the Gamblers selected former Northwestern Wildcat Clayton Thorson with the fifth overall pick of the 2022 USFL Draft. In Thorson, the Gamblers will get an experienced quarterback who is one of the most accomplished players in Wildcat program history.
Thorson became Northwestern’s starting quarterback in 2015 after redshirting his freshman year. In his four subsequent seasons with the Wildcats, he led the team to four consecutive bowl games, a first for the program according to Northwestern University Athletics. He also helped the team earn its first Big Ten West Division title in 2018.
With 10,731 yards and 61 touchdowns, Thorson is Northwestern’s No. 1 all-time passer, and ranks fifth all-time in the Big Ten. He also has the second-most career completions in conference history, with 991.
Thorson’s talents attracted the attention of NFL scouts, and he was selected in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He went on to spend time with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants before joining the Gamblers.
The Gamblers are one of eight teams in the USFL. According to Fox Sports, the 2022 USFL regular season kicks off April 16 and will run through June, following a 10-game schedule. All regular season games will be played in Birmingham Alabama, while playoff games will be played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
While the league’s complete schedule has not yet been released, Fox Sports reports that the 2022 USFL Championship Game will be played July 3.
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