Jalan McClendon Bio
Jalan McClendon (born October 21, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Houston Gamblers of the United Football League (UFL). Initially committing to North Carolina State University and serving as a backup quarterback, he played his final year of college football with the Baylor Bears football program. After spending some time in the offseason with both the Baltimore Ravens and the Washington Redskins, McClendon was selected by the Los Angeles Wildcats, where he backed up Josh Johnson at quarterback until the cancellation of the 2020 XFL season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Early Life and Background
Jalan McClendon was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He attended West Mecklenburg High School, where he played quarterback for the football team and also participated in high school basketball. During his junior year, McClendon threw for over 1,700 yards and 22 passing touchdowns. In his senior year, he led his team to a 9–3 record and the North Carolina 4AA state playoffs, accumulating 1,700 passing yards and 17 passing touchdowns. Graded as a 3-star quarterback by Rivals.com and a 4-star quarterback by On3.com and 247Sports, McClendon received multiple offers from various universities, ultimately committing to the North Carolina State football team on May 15, 2013.
Path to American Football
After redshirting his first year at North Carolina State in 2014 to preserve his eligibility, McClendon served as the backup quarterback to Jacoby Brissett. He played in seven games during his freshman year. Following Brissett’s graduation, McClendon competed for the starting position but ultimately remained a backup to Ryan Finley. He saw more action in 2016, scoring his first passing and rushing touchdowns. After graduating from North Carolina State in 2017, McClendon transferred to Baylor University for his final year of eligibility. At Baylor, he competed for the starting quarterback position but remained a backup, making occasional appearances in nine games during the season.
Jalan McClendon Career
Early Career (2019)
Jalan McClendon went undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent on May 13, 2019, but was waived shortly after. Later that summer, he signed with the Washington Redskins, where he received limited playing time during the preseason. However, he was cut from the team as part of the final roster decisions.
Breakthrough (2020)
On October 16, 2019, McClendon was drafted by the Los Angeles Wildcats during the XFL draft. He made his professional debut in the Wildcats’ first game, but due to injuries to other quarterbacks, he had limited opportunities throughout the season. The XFL suspended operations after five weeks, cutting short his first season.
Notable Works and Milestones
After the XFL’s closure, McClendon was selected by the Vegas Vipers in the 2023 XFL draft. However, the Vipers folded when the league merged with the USFL to create the United Football League. In January 2024, he was selected by the DC Defenders in the UFL dispersal draft and later traded to the Houston Roughnecks in November 2024.
Jalan McClendon Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Jalan McClendon has not received any notable award nominations.
Jalan McClendon Awards Won
Jalan McClendon has not won any significant awards during his career.
Jalan McClendon Family
There is limited public information available regarding Jalan McClendon’s family background, as he has kept personal details private.
Personal Life
Jalan McClendon has not publicly disclosed details about his personal life, including marital status or children.
