Jack Strand is trying to do something the NFL almost never sees: make a real case for himself as a quarterback from the Division II level.
That alone makes the Falcons rookie stand out. Most of the league’s rising passers come with the usual pedigree - Power 4 school, big-name program, transfer portal stop along the way. Strand took a very different route, building his resume at Minnesota State-Morehead, a Division-II school far removed from the typical quarterback factory.
And he didn’t just survive there. He produced.
Strand was a Harlon Hill Trophy nominee in each of his final three seasons as a starter and a two-time NSIC Offensive Player of the Year. Over his college career, he piled up 13,161 passing yards, which ranks 10th all-time in Division II, and threw 126 touchdown passes.
That production is part of why Atlanta has given him a real shot. The Falcons had him taking first-team reps in camp while both Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa were injured, and Strand kept building momentum in the preseason. Against the Colts, he completed 12 of 17 passes for 215 yards and accounted for two scores, showing the kind of arm strength, mobility and control that can get a coach’s attention fast.
For a player from his background, even getting this kind of opportunity is unusual. The only other D2 quarterback currently in the NFL is Chicago Bears backup Tyson Bagent, who set the NCAA’s all-time passing touchdown record at Shepherd and also went undrafted. Bagent has become the template for what a small-school quarterback can look like at the next level, and Strand is now trying to follow that path.
The road not taken makes Strand’s story even more interesting. He could have jumped into the transfer portal and chased major NIL money at a Power 4 program, which almost certainly would have put him on more NFL radars.
Instead, he stayed put. That kind of loyalty is rare, and it left him outside the usual spotlight.
He also wasn’t exactly preparing for a football future forever. Strand majored in engineering physics and was getting ready to work for NASA, which makes his NFL push feel even more unlikely - and more compelling. He may not have expected to end up in this position, but he has clearly made the most of it.
If Strand ends up as a quality backup, he’ll fit the same mold as Bagent. If he starts games, then he becomes something even stranger: the NFL’s newest quarterback unicorn. And right now, he’s making a real case that it’s possible.
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Richardson had asked for a trade earlier this offseason, though no deal materialized, and the Colts still appear inclined to keep three quarterbacks on the roster. With head coach Shane Steichen announcing that Richardson will start the preseason finale against the Detroit Lions, he gets one more chance to strengthen his case and quiet the uncertainty that has surrounded him. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Pass Rush Suddenly Has An Unexpected Player To Watch
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For a defense dealing with a depleted pass-rush picture because of injuries and suspensions, that kind of emergence is impossible to ignore. Banks has gone from an overlooked name to a player worth tracking as roster decisions loom, and his preseason work is at least putting him in the conversation for a role on the Falcons defensive line this season. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Make Sense In One Bears Trade Scenario
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From Atlantas perspective, the connection is easy to see, even if nothing is imminent. The Falcons have been mentioned among several possible destinations, alongside the 49ers, Titans, Giants and Eagles, and that keeps this from feeling like a random name being floated for clicks. Whether Chicago actually moves Dexter will determine how far the interest goes, but the fit is enough to make the speculation feel a lot more grounded than most early-season trade chatter. [Read more 🡒]