Falcons' Undrafted QB Jack Strand Shows Loyalty and Promise in Preseason
Jack Strand stayed at Minnesota State Moorhead despite transfer interest, citing the team's culture as his reason for remaining. He threw for over 3,500 yards and 42 touchdowns in 2025, then signed with Atlanta as an undrafted free agent. In a recent preseason game against the Colts, he completed all eight passes for 155 yards and a touchdown, plus a rushing score.
Strand's production at the Division II level was substantial, with back-to-back seasons exceeding 3,400 passing yards and a combined 74 touchdown passes across his final two campaigns. His decision to remain at Minnesota State Moorhead rather than pursue a transfer to a Power Four program meant forgoing greater national exposure, though the Dragons' improvement from 4-7 to 8-3 during his tenure validated his commitment to the program's trajectory.
The Falcons signed Strand as an undrafted free agent after he was not invited to the Senior Bowl, and his preseason performance against Indianapolis showcased the dual-threat ability that made him a productive college passer. At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, he possesses the physical profile teams look for in a developmental quarterback, and his eight-for-eight passing effort with two total touchdowns has generated early buzz in Atlanta's quarterback room.
Strand's story could resonate beyond Falcons fandom as a counterpoint to the prevailing transfer-portal era, where player movement is constant and loyalty is often viewed as a luxury. His choice to stay at a smaller program may encourage young athletes to weigh team culture against personal advancement, while his preseason emergence could also spotlight the undrafted free-agent pipeline as a legitimate path to NFL opportunity.