Dallas City Wire

Trey Botts Selected 62nd Overall in 2023 USFL Draft

Former Colorado State University Pueblo defensive lineman Trey Botts was selected in the eighth round as the 62nd overall pick in Tuesday's United States Football League (USFL) Draft by the Philadelphia Stars.

Botts is the first Pack football player drafted into the USFL since the league was relaunched in 2022. In addition, Botts is the first CSU Pueblo football player to be drafted into professional football since Ryan Jensen was selected in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. Jensen currently plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The original USFL existed from 1984 until its folding ahead of the 1986 season and three former ThunderWolves played in the league – Craig Ward (1979-82) played with the Michigan Panthers in 1983, while Mark DeRose (1981-82) and Mitch Johnson (1974-77) played for the Denver Gold in 1983. A third Pack player, Jeff England (1980-83) was drafted by the Oklahoma Outlaws in 1984 but did not play in the league.

An Aurora, Colo., native, Botts earned three All-American honors during the 2022 season as he was an Honorable Mention All-America from Don Hansen, was a First-Team AFCA Coaches All-American and was named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 First Team. He was also named a First-Team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference selection and was tabbed the RMAC Defensive Player of the Year after recording 66 tackles, including 22 solo stops and tallied 16.0 tackles for loss, 5.5 quarterback sacks and seven quarterback hurries during the 2022 season.

During the 2022 regular season, Botts was named an RMAC Defensive Player of the Week and the D2Football.com Defensive Player of the Week following his performance in a 35-11 win over New Mexico Highlands on Oct. 15. Against the Highlanders, he recorded a career-high 15 tackles, including six solo stops and had three tackles for a loss and added three sacks for the Pack in the game.

Botts, who was one of six NCAA Division II players drafted in the 2023 USFL Draft, was named a First-Team selection to the National Football Foundation (NFF) Colorado Chapter Football team and was named the NFF Colorado Chapter Defensive Player of the Year.

The Division II players drafted in this year's USFL Draft are listed below:

Round 2/Birmingham Stallons: Grand Valley St. offensive lineman Quinton Barrow
Round 3/Houston Gamblers: Shepherd offensive lineman Joey Fisher
Round 7/New Orleans Breakers: Virginia State running back Darius Hagans
Round 8/Michigan Panthers: Lane defensive lineman Andrew Farmer
Round 8/Philadelphia Stars: CSU Pueblo defensive lineman Trey Botts
Round 10/Pittsburgh Maulers: Wingate kicker/punter Ethan Evans

Along with the XFL, the USFL is one of two major professional spring football leagues in the United States. The league, which is made up of 8 teams mostly from the eastern U.S., plays a 10-game regular season from April through late June, with a 2-game postseason to follow. 

The USFL roster size includes a 40-man active roster during the season. Last season, Philadelphia, who is coached by Bart Andrus, compiled a 6-4 record and lost in the USFL Championship game to the Birmingham Stallions, 33-30. This season, the Stars will play their home games at Detroit's Ford Field.   

Original source can be found here