Breaking Down The Michigan Panthers 2023 USFL Roster
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Breaking Down The Michigan Panthers 2023 USFL Roster

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Just like that, the Michigan Panthers are ready to kick off their 2023 USFL season this weekend. The franchise has a lot to prove this year, after posting a 2-8 record in 2022.

The overall landscape in Michigan looks entirely different in many aspects, especially from a coaching perspective. Jeff Fisher is no longer with the Panthers, as Mike Nolan has taken over ahead of season two. On top of that, the team has several new additions to the roster.

Let’s take a look at the full Michigan Panthers squad heading into 2023, and what we can expect from Mike Nolan’s team in the USFL.

Quarterbacks

The Michigan Panthers have a strong room of quarterbacks…no pun intended. The team recently signed Carson Strong, who is an intriguing prospect heading into the 2023 season.

Strong had a few incredibly successful years at Nevada. His senior season was outstanding, throwing for 4,175 yards and 36 touchdowns. Carson has struggled with knee issues during the course of his career, limiting the time he spent in the NFL.

Regardless, if he can stay healthy in the USFL, he’s well on his way to making some serious waves in Michigan. His powerful arm and big frame make him into a potential MVP candidate for the league, and hopefully he can live up to the hype.

Josh Love

Josh Love is back with the Michigan Panthers. Love was traded to the team from Pittsburgh mid-season in 2022, and performed quite well. Unfortunately, he dealt with multiple injuries which hampered the overall production and playing time we saw from Love.

He certainly has an opportunity to win the starting job, especially with his previous experience in Eric Marty’s system. Love finished the 2022 season with 347 yards and two touchdowns, but only played one full game. He’s a solid game manager, and would provide stability to the Panthers if he gets the start.

Eric Barriere

Eric Barriere was also a member of the Panthers last season, seeing the field in one game against the New Jersey Generals. He put up solid numbers, and showed signs of life throughout the outing.

Barriere formerly won FCS Offensive Player of the Year when he was with Eastern Washington University. Eric is likely heading into the season as the third string quarterback, but could see his name called upon. If he does get the call, expect Eric’s dual threat capabilities to make an impact.

Backfield

Perhaps the strongest aspect of the Michigan Panthers roster this season are their running backs. Reggie Corbin and Stevie Scott return to the team for 2023, which is excellent news for Panthers fans across the board.

Corbin needs no introduction. The All-USFL RB was one of the lone bright spots in Michigan last year, posting 516 rushing yards despite missing multiple games with a hamstring injury. His presence within the Panthers offense gives them the potential and juice to be extremely dangerous.

Stevie Scott is no sleeper, either. Scott was excellent during the 2022 season, rushing for 310 yards and three scores. With Scott and Corbin both healthy for the Panthers, expect fireworks from this duo in the backfield.

Wide Receivers

Speaking of returning players, the wide receiver core will look relatively similar for Michigan this season. Joe Walker, Devin Ross, and Ishmael Hyman have all made the roster ahead of week one.

Joe Walker, in particular, is in a position to have a breakout year. He came on towards the end of the 2022 season, putting on a show in multiple games. Walker’s height and route running abilities make him a standout at the wide receiver position.

Devin Ross and Ish Hyman are both speedy receivers, with excellent hands. Their return to the lineup will be greatly appreciated in Michigan.

At the same time, the Panthers added some serious talent to this side of the ball. Whop Philyor will make his USFL debut in Michigan. He had a solid career at Indiana, posting over 1,000 yards receiving in his junior season. Now, he’ll look to find his professional footing in the USFL.

The rest of the WR room is made up of Trey Quinn, Marcus Simms, and AJ Richardson – who are all talented candidates. Quinn has NFL experience, playing for the Washington Commanders and Jacksonville Jaguars. Richardson put up spectacular numbers at Boise State, and will look to prove his worth as a WR in the USFL this season.

Tight Ends

Four tight ends remain on the Panthers’ roster ahead of the 2023 season. Marcus Baugh, Cole Hikutini, Josh Babicz, and Kyle Markway make up the TE room in Michigan.

Baugh was with the Panthers in 2022, racking up 101 receiving yards during the course of the season. Babicz is a name to keep an eye on, being a late addition to training camp. Josh had a solid career at North Dakota State, posting 254 yards and 4 TD’s in his senior season.

Offensive Line

The Michigan Panthers offensive line is comprised of the following players:

Brodarious Hamm
Corey Hoelck
Denzel Okafor
Gene Pryor
Joshua Dunlop
Keith Williams
Noah Johnson
Ryan Nelson
Sean Pollard

With several pieces coming back alongside a few new additions, the Panthers OL play is poised to make improvements in season two.

Defensive Line

Ethan Westbrooks returns to the Michigan Panthers for season two, after showing quite a bit of promise in the USFL last year. Westbrooks finished the USFL’s 2022 season with 4.5 sacks, despite dealing with moving pieces across multiple organizations.

Tre Williams, Walter Palmore, and Vantrel McMillan are returning linemen for 2023, and will look to build upon the limited minutes they played in 2022.

Breeland Speaks, Jamal Milan and Garrett Marino are new additions. Marino is an interesting character, well known for his controversial hits, which led to his release from the CFL. Garrett will look to redeem his name in the USFL.

Speaks is someone to watch, having played for the Kansas City Chiefs. He served valuable minutes for Kansas City in 2018, but hasn’t seen much professional success since then. With Michigan, Speaks has an opportunity to rewrite his career.

Linebackers

Frank Ginda is back with the Panthers, which is an underrated re-signing. Ginda is an excellent linebacker, playing fantastic football over the past few years. Frank finished the 2022 season with 89 total tackles, and 1.5 sacks.

Terry Myrick also returns to the team, racking up 44 tackles last season. Ginda and Myrick both coming back is great news, as the duo should already have plenty of chemistry to carry over from 2022.

Noah Dawkins, Paddy Fisher, and Ron’Dell Carter are three LB’s who the team signed in the offseason, with each making the final 50-man roster.

Dawkins is an excellent signing, being an athlete with a ton of promise. He had a fantastic career at Citadel, and played for the New York Jets for a couple of years. Now, Noah turns to the USFL for the next chapter of his professional career.

Secondary

The Panthers will look to rebound in the secondary, as they’re missing some of their starting pieces from 2022. Heading into 2023, the cornerbacks and safeties consist of:

Jalin Burrell | CB
Josh Butler | CB
Keandre Evans | CB
Kiante Hardin | CB
Levonta Taylor | CB
Corrion Ballard | S
Cory Rahman | S
Delano Hill | S
Sean Mahone | S
Warren Saba | S

Burrell was with the Michigan Panthers in 2022, racking up 28 tackles on the season. With Jameson Houston now gone, and Jalin back in business, expect more out of him during the 2023 campaign, if he eventually sees playing time. (Note: Burrell is currently on the inactive roster.)

Keandre Evans is a very intriguing prospect, out of Ouachita Baptist. He put up sensational numbers in his final three years in the program: 202 tackles, 10 INTs, 3 pick sixes. If Evans is given a chance to sign, he most certainly will.

Kiante Hardin has alt-football experience, posting 45 tackles and 2 INTs in 2021 with the BC Lions. He’s extremely quick, running a 4.37 forty. As long as Hardin can keep his character in check, he’s the type of player who could have a breakout tenure for Michigan.

Safeties

Corrion Ballard is an interesting USFL story. He played for Michigan in 2022 – was released during the season – and now returns to the team for 2023. Ballard will look to prove his worth to the Panthers organization after being cut.

Warren Saba rejoins the Panthers, after suffering an injury that crushed his hopes of playing in 2022. Saba is a talented safety out of East Carolina, compiling 105 tackles and six picks during his tenure there.

Delano Hill is a big-time name to land in Michigan. He played for the Michigan Wolverines, performing at a high level. Out of college, he joined the Seattle Seahawks, seeing plenty of playing time for the ensuing few years. Now, Hill will look to revive his career in the USFL.

Special Teams

Cole Murphy is back. The legendary kicker from season one sticks with the Panthers, which is excellent news for Mike Nolan. Murphy joined mid-season, and instantly got to work, knocking through a 60 yarder in week seven against New Orleans.

Kyle Kramer serves as the team’s punter, also returning to the team. Shane Griffin will be the long snapper. While special teams haunted Michigan last season, expect this unit to perform at a high level, with all three players back in action.

Final Thoughts

Without a doubt, the Michigan Panthers boast a ton of talent heading into the 2023 USFL season. The question remains: can they consistently execute on the field?

Michigan was a solid team in 2022, but self-inflicted wounds hampered their chances of having a winning record. With Mike Nolan now at the helm, it will be intriguing to see if this team can put it together in season two.

The Michigan Panthers kick off their season at 12pm ET on Sunday, April 16th on NBC against the Houston Gamblers.

What do you think of the Michigan Panthers roster heading into the 2023 season? Which USFL players do you predict to be standouts? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!