Eastern Michigan Athletics
Former Eagle Gunnar Oakes Inks Deal with USFL's Michigan Panthers
7/12/2023 9:00:00 AM | Football
Oakes hauled in 56 receptions for 621-yards and two touchdowns during his EMU career (2017-22)
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Former Eastern Michigan football student-athlete Gunnar Oakes has signed a deal with the USFL's Michigan Panthers for the upcoming 2024 spring football season, the league office announced today, July 12. The Panthers previously drafted Oakes in February of this year and Oakes remains eligible to accept an NFL contract this season and is currently on the shortlist for consideration at several teams according to his agent, John Decker.
The USFL is a professional American football league that plays in the spring months, outside of a traditional football schedule. A once-popular spring football league by the same name operated between 1983-86 (officially dissolved in 1990). The revamped league features an eight-team field divided into a north and south division. The teams will play a 10-game schedule, followed by semifinals between the top two teams in each division to crown the division winners. Then, the championship will be played between those two winners.
Oakes was a pivotal piece of the EMU passing offense in his time donning the Green and White. In his six-year career with the Eagles (2017-22), Oakes hauled in 56 receptions for 621-yards, finding the end zone twice, once versus Western Michigan, Oct. 6, 2018, and against Bowling Green, Oct. 23, 2021, respectively.
The 2022 season was special for the Swanton, Ohio, native, as he set season-long career-highs in games played (12), receptions (27), and receiving yards (279). Additionally, Oakes averaged 10.33 yards per the 2022 campaign, marking his fifth straight season averaging north of 10 yards per catch. Furthermore, the 6-foot-5 pass catcher corralled three or more receptions in a single game five times in the 2022 season, marking a career-high as the then graduate student accomplished the feat in three consecutive games to open the season against Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2, Louisiana Lafayette, Sept. 10, and Arizona State, Sept. 1
Oakes worked out for the Detroit Lions at their local pro day and attended the Atlanta Falcons rookie minicamp.
For more information on the USFL, visit TheUSFL.com. For the most up-to-date information on EMU Football, continue to visit EMUEagles.com and follow @EMUFB on social media.
The 2023 EMU football campaign kicks-off Friday, Sept. 1, at 6:30 p.m. versus the Howard Bison at Rynearson Stadium. Click here to secure your 2023 season tickets and see the Eagles take on the rest of the Mid-American Conference.
The USFL is a professional American football league that plays in the spring months, outside of a traditional football schedule. A once-popular spring football league by the same name operated between 1983-86 (officially dissolved in 1990). The revamped league features an eight-team field divided into a north and south division. The teams will play a 10-game schedule, followed by semifinals between the top two teams in each division to crown the division winners. Then, the championship will be played between those two winners.
Oakes was a pivotal piece of the EMU passing offense in his time donning the Green and White. In his six-year career with the Eagles (2017-22), Oakes hauled in 56 receptions for 621-yards, finding the end zone twice, once versus Western Michigan, Oct. 6, 2018, and against Bowling Green, Oct. 23, 2021, respectively.
The 2022 season was special for the Swanton, Ohio, native, as he set season-long career-highs in games played (12), receptions (27), and receiving yards (279). Additionally, Oakes averaged 10.33 yards per the 2022 campaign, marking his fifth straight season averaging north of 10 yards per catch. Furthermore, the 6-foot-5 pass catcher corralled three or more receptions in a single game five times in the 2022 season, marking a career-high as the then graduate student accomplished the feat in three consecutive games to open the season against Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2, Louisiana Lafayette, Sept. 10, and Arizona State, Sept. 1
Oakes worked out for the Detroit Lions at their local pro day and attended the Atlanta Falcons rookie minicamp.
For more information on the USFL, visit TheUSFL.com. For the most up-to-date information on EMU Football, continue to visit EMUEagles.com and follow @EMUFB on social media.
The 2023 EMU football campaign kicks-off Friday, Sept. 1, at 6:30 p.m. versus the Howard Bison at Rynearson Stadium. Click here to secure your 2023 season tickets and see the Eagles take on the rest of the Mid-American Conference.
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