Former FAU Safety Andrew Soroh Drafted by USFL’s Houston Gamblers

Note: This story will be updated if any more Owls sign with a USFL team.

Another Owl is off the board in the 2022 USFL Draft. Former FAU Safety Andrew Soroh has been selected by the Houston Gamblers with the 7th pick in the 18th round. Soroh, who spent 5 years at FAU (2014-2018), signed with the Kansas City Chiefs after going undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft. Soroh will continue his career in his third professional football league, following time in the NFL and XFL.

Soroh had a stellar career at FAU, recording 156 tackles at 3 interceptions in 48 games played. In Soroh’s senior season, he recorded 56 total tackles, 3rd most on the Owls. Soroh recorded 4 tackles in the 2019 NFL preseason he was ultimately released by the Chiefs in training camp, but he impressed them so much that received an offer to return to training camp the following year in 2020.

In between Soroh’s two stints with the Chiefs, the safety was drafted by the New York Guardians with the 7th pick in the 6th round of the 2020 XFL Draft. Soroh had one interception in five games with the Guardians before the league suspended play.

Soroh will have to compete with Tulsa’s Manny Burch, who was selected by the Gamblers in the 19th round of the USFL Draft.

The Gamblers will open up play on April 16th at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. The USFL will operate its 2022 schedule in a bubble-type atmosphere, with all of its games being played at Protective Stadium.

UPDATE (2/23, 5:45pm): Former 5-star FAU OT Calvin Ashley was also drafted by the New Jersey Generals with the 3rd pick in the 6th round of the 2022 USFL Draft.

Ashley’s time at FAU was short, to the tune of 5 months in the 2019 offseason. This came after he spent 2 seasons at Auburn, redshirting the 2017 season and playing in 8 games the 2018 season. Ashley was projected to be one of FAU’s starters on the offensive season in 2019 before he decided to transfer to FAMU before the season started.

Ashley opted out of the 2020 FCS season with FAMU to declare to the NFL Draft. Ashley went undrafted, but signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a UDFA. The Buccaneers then waived Ashley after he elected to leave training camp. Ashley then retired from the NFL citing mental health reasons.

UPDATE (5/23, 6:30pm): Former FAU WR and Super LV Champion John Franklin III was drafted by the Tampa Bay Bandits with the 5th pick in the 17th round.

Franklin won the 2013 BCS National Championship with FSU while redshirting that season. He then transferred to East Mississippi Community College where he was featured on Netflix’s “Last Chance U” with fellow Owl and USFL Draftee De’Andre Johnson. Following his time at EMCC, Franklin transferred to Auburn in 2016 as a QB. During his time at Auburn, Franklin made the transition to WR. Franklin entered the transfer portal for the final time, taking his talents to FAU.

Franklin went undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft. He signed as an UDFA with the Chicago Bears and also spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

UPDATE (5/23, 6:45pm): Former FAU RB/FB BJ Emmons was also drafted by the Tampa Bay Bandits as their first RB pick.

Emmons came to FAU in 2019 by way of Alabama and Hutchinson Community College. Emmons went undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft, and had stops with the Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, and Jacksonville Jaguars.