'86 Chronology-Inflated Expectations?

Event Date: January 12th, 1986

Event Description: USFL Draft Preview

Story: UPI

The U.S. Football League holds its open draft Tuesday with the proceedings diminished by its territorial draft, and the NFL draft which was moved back into January so as to compete with the junior circuit.

The draft begins at 9 a.m. EDT with the Orlando Renegades making the first of 168 picks over 12 rounds.

On January 6th, the USFL held its territorial draft with fourteen teams selecting 20 players each from regionally assigned schools.

Most of the top college players went in that phase, including Auburn's Heisman Trophy-winning running back Bo Jackson -- the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft by Tampa Bay -- to the Birmingham Stallions.

The NFL and major-league baseball are interested in Jackson, who has said he will listen to all offers.

The USFL also will have to deal with the 57 players -- some of whom were likely taken in the territorial phase -- who tested positive for drugs at the scouting combine in January. Many teams indicate they will look at each individual case. Jerry Sklar, president-general manager of the Stallions, is an exception.

“We will not draft any players who came up positive at the combine,” he said. “Our policy is we are not interested in more problems.”

The No. 2 NFL selection, Oklahoma nose tackle Tony Casillas who was picked by the Atlanta Falcons, will be made the second pick of the USFL draft by the Arizona Outlaws.

“Yes, we are definitely, with all intents and purposes, going to make him the second pick,” said Tim Mills, the Outlaws' director of operations. “We had talks with his agent, John Maloney. We've made arrangements with Orlando that give us permission to talk with Tony.”

Maloney was in Arizona Monday to talk with the Outlaws. 

However, after being drafted by the Falcons last Tuesday, Casillas said he was interested in playing only with Atlanta.

The Renegades are interested in offensive lineman and will look at Iowa tackle Mike Haight, Queens guard Mike Schad, West Virginia tackle Brian Jozwiak, Utah State tackle Tom Ruiz and Pittsburgh center Barry Pettyjohn. Jozwiak was the seventh pick in the NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Some USFL teams have said they may avoid top players, pursuing others they believe they can sign. But the Renegades say they will chose a premier player.

“In our case, we're going to go after, at least with out number one pick, a player you won't have to ask what school or what position does that guy play,” said Fred Doremus, the Renegades' director of public relations.

The USFL hopes that with the NFL moving its draft from the spring to January will help draw players disappointed by the NFL.

“This year the players know where they have been drafted,” Sklar said. “In the past, the NFL inflated expectations and led players to believe they would be drafted higher than they were.”

Story-(UPI Modified for Simulation)