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.
The moment Clayton Thorson became a Gambler 🎰#AllIn | #USFLDraft pic.twitter.com/0GeXItSwad
— Houston Gamblers (@USFLGamblers) February 23, 2022
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.
We played our cards right 😏🎰 #AllIn https://t.co/Jr860Rccuo
— Houston Gamblers (@USFLGamblers) February 23, 2022
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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Alyssa Haduck is a reporter for Wildcats Daily on Sports Illustrated's FanNation Network. She has also written for the Washington Football Team, the United States Golf Association, and the University of Maryland athletic department. Haduck is currently a graduate student studying sports journalism at Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism.