John Schneider has only drafted two quarterbacks during his tenor as General Manager for the Seattle Seahawks: Russell Wilson in the 3rd round of the 2012 NFL Draft and Alex McGough in the 7th round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Both are still active in their respective professional football careers. Wilson, the more notable of the two (for obvious reasons) just started a playoff game for the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this month. Wilson is set to hit free agency this offseason, and rumors are already flying about him reuniting with Pete Carroll in Las Vegas.
McGough, meanwhile, has already has found his home for 2025, at least within the United Football League (UFL). Earlier last week, McGough re-signed with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions. This is McGough’s second stint in the UFL (formerly the USFL before it merged with the XFL), and with the Stallions. During his first stint (2022-2023) he won back-to-back USFL Championships to go along with a USFL MVP campaign in 2023. In that 2023 campaign, McGough played in 10 games and threw for 2,105 yards and 20 touchdowns to 5 interceptions, as well as rushing for 403 yards and five touchdowns.
McGough’s 2023 USFL MVP campaign was good enough for the NFL to come calling again. After four years (2018-2021) in the NFL, with three different teams (Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, and two stints with the Seahawks) McGough finally returned to the NFL after signing with the Green Bay Packers in 2023. McGough lasted with Green Bay for the rest of 2023 and for 2024. However, now McGough has found himself back in a familiar home, in Birmingham.
For those who are curious on McGough’s status with the Stallions, he isn’t guaranteed the starting quarterback position, despite his MVP campaign just two years ago. While McGough was with the Packers in 2024, the Stallions went on to win the UFL Championship, this time with Matt Corral and Adrian Martinez tag-teaming at quarterback. Martinez (who won the 2024 UFL MVP) is now with the New York Jets, while Corral is returning to Birmingham to compete with McGough to start at quarterback.
McGough has seen success in his opportunities with the USFL/UFL, time will tell if he will be able to get the starting quarterback gig again and maybe even return for a third stint in the NFL. Meanwhile, back in Seattle, Schneider will be studying this 2025 Draft’s crop of quarterbacks. Perhaps one of them will be the third drafted quarterback by Schneider.
