The Aledo Bearcats will have a player in the National Football League come opening day. Running back Jase McClellan was named to the Atlanta Falcons’ 53-man roster when the regular season begins on Sunday, Sept. 8 at home against Pittsburgh.
McClellan was taken as the 186th pick in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
In the 2024 preseason, McClellan rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. He also caught three passes for 24 yards.
His best outing was 55 yards rushing on 11 carries in a 13-12 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
“The entire Aledo Bearcat program and community are extremely proud and excited for Jase,” Aledo head coach Robby Jones said. “Jase has worked hard for this opportunity and we expect him to succeed as a pro just as he did in high school and college.”
Jones was the offensive coordinator when McClellan played for the Bearcats from 2016-19, rushing for 6,468 yards and 122 touchdowns, along with catching 28 passes for 429 yards and three scores.
The Bearcats won three state titles (2016, 2018, 2019) and finished as runner-up once (2017) in McClellan’s four seasons at Aledo. They posted a 62-2 record in that span, with both losses by a combined total of four points.
At Aledo, McClellan was the Maxpreps All-Freshman Team National Player of the Year in 2016, a Class 5A All-State selection in 2018 and played in the Under Armour All-American Game following his senior season.
McClellan played in college at Alabama, helping the Crimson Tide to a 2020 national championship and a 20221 runner-up finish. They also reached the 2023 semifinals before narrowly falling to eventual national champion Michigan.
In 44 games for Alabama, McClellan rushed for 1,981 yards and 18 TD, along with catching 40 passes for 409 yards and six touchdowns. He led the Crimson Tide in rushing as a senior with 890 yards and eight TD rushing, also catching 15 passes for 137 yards.
The Falcons’ game against the Steelers can be seen on Fox TV. It is tentatively scheduled for noon kickoff.
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