USFL Draft 2022: Birmingham Stallions take QB Alex McGough
With the sixth pick of the 2022 USFL Draft on Tuesday, the Birmingham Stallions selected quarterback Alex McGough from Florida International.
In the inaugural draft's unique format, each round is dedicated solely to one position group, and the first round featured only quarterbacks. The Stallions selected McGough from the available passers.
Here's a look at McGough's background and a detailed scouting report from FOX Sports Draft Analyst Rob Rang:
Background: Investing their first draft pick on a quarterback since nabbing Russell Wilson in 2012, the Seattle Seahawks liked McGough’s unique combination of size, arm strength and athleticism when they chose him in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Pete Carroll and then-offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer (now in Jacksonville) lauded McGough’s traits, and he flashed in training camp, as well as during the preseason.
McGough traveled back south (near his college days at Florida International) to spend time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans, before returning to Seattle on a futures contract.
Prior to his time in the NFL, McGough, 26, was a star at Florida International. The Tampa native started all four years of his career and left school as the Panthers’ all-time leader in passing touchdowns (65) and passing yardage (9,091) with another 535 yards and 16 scores on the ground.
As a senior, the 6-3, 214-pound QB guided the Panthers to their first bowl game since 2011, but he suffered a fractured collarbone early in the first quarter (after completing just one pass) and the game-ending injury clearly deflated his teammates. FIU finished the year 8-4, but lost to Temple in the Gasparilla Bowl 27-3.
Scouting Report: Sports a lanky, athletic frame with room for additional muscle mass, if needed. Light on his feet, showing good lateral agility and body control to slither his way through the pass rush and present a legitimate scrambling option for defenders to be concerned about.
Even more exciting, McGough has both the arm and attacking mentality to punish opponents in the deep passing game when they make the mistake of leaving receivers too soon, offering the kind of cannon to make scouts drool with his big-play potential.
While possessing the arm to launch bombs 50+ yards downfield off his back foot, McGough also recognizes how and when to take something off of his throws, delivering soft, easily catchable balls on simple dump-offs, shallow crossers and down the seam, making it easier on teammates to collect and accelerate in one fluid motion. Shows the savviness of a four-year starter with his accuracy, drawing his receivers away from defenders with low and high throws, at times, to pick apart the holes in zone coverage.
