Jase McClellan is headed to the NFL after being selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft!
Former Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jase McClellan finally heard his name called in the 2024 NFL draft as the Atlanta Falcons selected him in the sixth round.
McClellan joins a Falcons backfield headlined by former Texas Longhorns standout Bijan Robinson. The former member of the Crimson Tide will have to work hard in the offseason to earn a roster spot and a contributing role on the team for the upcoming 2024 season.
In 2023, McClellan had a career season. On 180 carries, he rushed for 890 yards and eight touchdowns, while also reeling in 15 receptions for 137 yards.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow former Alabama players making the transition to the NFL as the draft concludes and the offseason progresses.
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Several NFL teams have met and expressed interest in former Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jase McClellan.
When it comes to producing NFL talent at the running back position, no school has had anywhere close to the level of success as the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Tide has been represented on Sundays by guys like Mark Ingram, Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, Najee Harris and many more under the guidance of legendary head coach [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag]. While Saban did, unfortunately, retire in January, [autotag]Jase McClellan[/autotag] has a chance to be the final Saban-produced back drafted into the NFL.
McClellan was the Tide’s leading rusher in the 2023 season with 180 carried for 890 yards and eight touchdowns. However, with the Alabama passing attack rather inconsistent at times, McClellan was a strong presence in the backfield that Milroe and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees could rely on when things got tricky. McClellan may not have put up jaw-dropping numbers, but he has a ton of upside and is receiving a ton of interest ahead of this week’s NFL draft.
I don’t expect McClellan to be a first-round pick, but he is one of the best running backs in a very lackluster running back draft. The Texas native has reportedly met with a number of teams including the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints among others. It will be interesting to see where McClellan goes likely on Friday night.
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The Panthers brought in one of Bryce Young’s old battery mates from Alabama.
The Carolina Panthers have certainly done their homework on the running back position ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.
According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, the team has hosted a visit for University of Alabama’s Jase McClellan. The standout rusher, per Wilson, has also met with the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints.
McClellan, an Aledo, Texas native, played for the Crimson Tide from 2020 to 2023. Over his first two seasons, when he wasn’t a featured back, he ran for 436 yards and three touchdowns on 63 attempts.
His workload would increase beginning in 2022, when he tallied 112 totes for 655 yards and seven scores. McClellan capped off his stay at Tuscaloosa with his most productive campaign in 2023, running for 890 yards and eight touchdowns on 180 carries.
A former teammate of current Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, the 5-foot-10, 221-pounder could be an option for Carolina on Day 3 of the draft.
Alabama running back Jase McClellan reportedly visited the Rams leading up to the draft
Kyren Williams is coming off a fantastic 2023 season in which he led the NFL in rushing yards per game, but the Rams would love to take some of the wear and tear off of him by bringing in a capable backup.
Jase McClellan is one option in the draft and it seems the Rams have at least some interest in the Alabama running back. According to Aaron Wilson, the Rams were among the teams McClellan visited during the pre-draft process.
Last season at Alabama, McClellan rushed for 890 yards and eight touchdowns, also catching 15 passes for 137 yards. He’s a well-rounded back but he’s not going to blow away evaluators with his athleticism or power.
Even in a somewhat weaker running back class, he’s expected to be a late-round pick so keep an eye on him if the Rams haven’t selected a RB by the sixth or seventh round.
Dallas Cowboys host former Alabama RB Jase McClellan for top 30 pre-draft visit
A lot of changes appear to be coming for the Dallas Cowboys organization in the next year or two. Franchise quarterback Dak Prescott seems to be on his way out of town after this upcoming season given the lack of contract extension talks. This comes after the departure of long-time RB Ezekiel Elliott a season ago and Tony Pollard this offseason. So, it might be the NFL’s worst-kept secret that Dallas is looking to retool.
With Trey Lance sitting as a backup already and Dak on the roster through the 2024 season, I doubt they make any big quarterback moves this year. However, with only Deuce Vaughn on the roster, it appears as if Dallas will be in the market for a running back. Between Elliot, Pollard and Vaughn, all were found in the draft, and I think that’s what the Cowboys will be doing again this year.
The Cowboys’ first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft will be at No. 24 overall. There have been strong rumors linking the Cowboys to Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson, however, it also appears as if they have been testing the waters for an RB. The Cowboys hosted former Alabama Crimson Tide RB [autotag]Jase McClellan[/autotag] for top 30 pre-draft visit this week. McClellan played his high school ball at Aledo, so I am sure it would be a dream come true for the Alabama bruiser.
Alabama RB Jase McClellan had a top 30 pre-draft visit with the Dallas Cowboys today, per source
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Jase McClellan led the Alabama backfield last year.
Jase McClellan spent all four seasons with the Crimson Tide, trying to break through the well-stocked backfield. As a freshman, he was behind Najee Harris and Brian Robinson Jr.. He gained steam to start his junior season with Harris gone and Robinson sharing the load but tore his ACL after five games.
When he returned for his junior season, he was second only to Jahmyr Gibbs and ended that year on a higher note with a string of 12+ carry games including 156 yards and two scores against Austin Peay. He finally led the backfield as a senior in 2023 when he ran for 890 yards and gained 137 yards as a receiver. He was still a part of a committee with his 180 rushes, along with Roydell Williams (111). Quarterback Jalen Milroe also ran the ball 161 times.
McClellan didn’t do anything to set himself apart in the NFL Combine and declined running the 40-yard dash where he was expected to turn in a 4.5-ish timing. He’s the right size for the position and carries the cachet of being from Alabama, but is expected to be picked up in the final rounds of the NFL draft by a team seeking to beef up their backfield depth with a chance of gaining a committee member.
Table: Jase McClellan NCAA stats (2020-23)
Year
School
Games
Runs
Yards
Avg.
TD
Catch
Yards
TD
2020
Alabama
12
23
245
10.7
2
1
1
0
2021
Alabama
5
40
191
4.8
1
10
97
3
2022
Alabama
13
112
655
5.8
7
14
174
3
2023
Alabama
13
180
890
4.9
8
15
137
0
Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Pros
Determined runner that gets all the yardage that was blocked and finishes runs to pick up the extra yards
Excellent vision combines with smart running to pick the right lanes and can cut through traffic. Good fit for a one-cut rushing scheme
Patient runner that follows the blocks to daylight
Capable receiver with the biggest hands among running backs at the NFL Combine
Has the size and strength to be a power rusher that can break tackles and handle inside rushing
Tough runner not afraid of contact
Cons
Lacks explosiveness, more of a power runner through contact than a speed rusher looking for long gains
Pass protection still needs work, needs more aggression as a blocker
Work as a receiver was limited to very basic routes from the backfield
Durability concerns after a torn ACL and other dings in college
Fantasy outlook
McClellan offers an intriguing set of skills later in the draft. As with all ‘Bama backs, assessing them is harder since they benefit from a dominant O-line and yet compete for carries against other elite backs in the ever-stocked backfield. While impacted by injuries, he had to wait for his turn as the primary until he was a senior.
He can add to any NFL roster and with an expectation of being taken sometime in Day 3, he is available to any NFL team seeking to bolster their depth. McClellan will need to work his way up the depth chart before he can offer any reliable fantasy value, but in the right situation, he can become a weekly contributor. He’s not expected to become the primary back for a team, but has enough skills and potential that he is worth tracking.
A fumbled snap gets taken to the house by Alabama to open up the CFP Rose Bowl semifinal scoring.
Though No. 1 Michigan entered the game as a slight favorite over No. 4 Alabama, the Crimson Tide reached the end zone first after a Wolverines miscue and some creativity on the Tide’s part.
After holding Michigan’s offense to only three plays on the opening drive of the game, Alabama also went three-and-out. However, the Wolverines muffed the Alabama punt and the Tide recovered. A few plays later, the Tide got to the end zone after Milroe fumbled the snap, handed it off to Jase McClellan, who then sped his way into the end zone.
Fans were quick to react on social media to Alabama’s first touchdown of the Rose Bowl.
Alabama running back Jase McClellan has practiced all week. McClellan did not play in the Tide’s SEC Championship game.
The Alabama football team received some positive news on Saturday night. Alabama head coach Nick Saban confirmed that starting running back Jase McClellan has been able to practice all week in preparation for the Rose Bowl against Michigan on Monday, Jan. 1st, according to Tony Tsoukalas of Tide Illustrated.
McClellan was unable to play against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. He suffered an injury against Auburn that caused him to be sidelined against the Bulldogs.
Needless to say, McClellan’s presence in the backfield will be welcoming to Alabama’s offense. As a senior, McClellan has had 166 carries for 803 yards and six touchdowns.
McClellan and senior Roydell Williams have been Alabama’s two feature backs this season. McClellan’s return could not come at a better time as the Crimson Tide look to continue their success into the College Football Playoff.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to provide the latest news, reports and rumors about the Alabama football program.
Jase McClellan expected be to back for the Rose Bowl
It is looking like the Alabama offense will have its leading rusher, Jase McClellan back for the College Football Playoff semifinal matchup against Michigan on New Year’s Day.
On Wednesday, the head coach of the Crimson Tide, [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] would provide a positive injury update on the senior running back from Texas who missed the SEC championship game earlier this month.
“Jase is doing great. Looks good. We gave him a lot of time off to heal his foot and it looks like it paid off.”
McClellan has 803 yards rushing this season which is nearly 300 yards more than the team’s next closest ball carrier.
I’m told #Alabama’s Jase McClellan went through a full practice today in Pasadena.
Nick Saban, earlier: “Jase is doing great. Looks good. We gave him a lot of time off to heal his foot and it looks like it paid off.”
Stay connected to Roll Tide Wire for more updates on McClellan and the rest of the Alabama football players.
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When the season comes to an end, several Alabama players will have to decide whether to go pro or return to school. See who we predict to declare and come back.
Every year, the Alabama football program has roster turnover. Some players elect to enter the NFL draft. Others either elect to return to school or enter the transfer portal.
For upperclassmen, the usual option is to go pro or return to school. In the past, multiple players have increased their stock by returning to Alabama instead of declaring early. Several that come to mind are Reuben Foster, Rashaan Evans, and Najee Harris. Several who entered the draft early and likely would have benefitted from coming back were Adrian Hubbard, Saivion Smith, and Deionte Thompson.
With Alabama’s season ending in less than a month, a handful of players will be tasked with making critical decisions for their future.
Roll Tide Wire projects which Alabama players will turn pro and which players will choose to return to school.
