Going through the results of the reincarnated USFL’s inaugural player draft is an exercise in “oh yeah, I remember him” for Cleveland Browns fans. Several former Browns players were selected in the unusual snake draft amongst the eight teams of the renewed USFL.
A few of the more notable selections with Browns connections from the two-day, 35-round draft that stocked the teams, which will begin play in Birmingham, Alabama in April.
Kyle Lauletta, QB, Pittsburgh Maulers – Lauletta was Pittsburgh’s first-round pick. He spent most of the 2020 season on the Browns practice squad and was signed to the active roster at the end of the 2021 season.
Brian Allen, CB, Birmingham Stallions – Allen was active for three games for the Browns in 2021, though he never saw the field. The big cornerback has been with six NFL teams.
Derrick Willies, WR, Tampa Bay Bandits – Willies has spent the last four years with the Browns. While primarily on the practice squad or injured reserve, Willies did catch three passes in six games in his time in Cleveland. he was just waived by the Browns last week.
Howard Wilson, CB, Houston Gamblers – Oh what could have been for Wilson, the Browns’ fourth-round pick in 2017. Wilson tore up his knee in rookie minicamp and has never recovered enough to get on an NFL field.
Scooby Wright, LB, Stallions – The prolific collegiate tackler and 2016 seventh-round pick by the Browns was a popular player in his brief time in Cleveland.
Taywan Taylor, WR, New Orleans Breakers – Taylor played for the Browns in 2019 and 2020 after being traded to Cleveland from Tennessee at the end of the 2019 preseason. The one-time Western Kentucky standout did not catch a pass in six games across the two seasons with the Browns.
Jameson Houston, CB, Michigan Panthers – An undrafted free agent from Baylor, Houston was with the Browns in the 2020 offseason and training camp.
Channing Stribling, CB, Philadelphia Stars – Stribling spent the 2017 offseason with the Browns as an undrafted free agent and began that 2017 campaign on the practice squad.
J’Mon Moore, WR, New Jersey Generals – Moore was on Cleveland’s practice squad in 2019 and stayed throughout the 2020 offseason before being waived in the final roster cutdown.
D’Juan Hines, LB, Generals – Hines was a special teams fixture in Cleveland in 2018, his rookie season. He played 239 snaps after being signed off the Chargers’ practice squad. The Browns cut him shortly after the 2019 draft.
