Jump Rope Roots, Cannon Arm: Meet the D2 QB that NFL teams can’t stop talking about ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft
Meet Minnesota State Moorhead quarterback Jack Strand, the later round bet to make in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
Here’s a fun fact about Bloomer, Wisconsin. It is considered the “Jump Rope Capital of the World,” hosting an annual youth speed jump competition that began in 1960. For over 60 years, jumpers have tested their skills to see who can complete the most jumps in ten seconds, gaining national recognition for the event.
Pretty soon, Bloomer could have a new accomplishment: Having a talented local quarterback “jump” from an unlikely beginning to an NFL dream.
On Thursday night, the 2026 NFL Draft officially kicks off, and former Minnesota State Moorhead signal caller Jack Strand will be waiting patiently to see if his name is called late during the three-day event. He has been garnering a lot of attention throughout this process, and in a less-than-stellar 2026 quarterback class, Strand could be the late dart throw that NFL teams will want to take.
The NFL feedback has been strong for Strand, an impressive physical talent, especially for his level. While Strand’s eyes are looking forward to his potential NFL journey, it’s hard not to appreciate the unlikeliness of his story. He’s an NFL talent who almost fell through the cracks coming out of Bloomer High School, but has continued to bet on himself.
The unlikely journey for Jack Strand
“I come from a really small Midwestern town and high school,” Strand told A to Z Sports. “So there weren’t a ton of opportunities as a recruit. My coach had connections with a bunch of D2 schools, so that was most of my conversations.”
“I also played in a double wing offense, so we ran the football a lot,” Strand continued. “I was never in a passing offense until I got to Moorhead. Those were a couple of reasons why I was probably overlooked.”
Outside of his lone scholarship offer to Minnesota State Moorhead, some of the smaller Wisconsin schools like River Falls and La Crosse also showed some interest in Strand, as did a couple of other D2 programs. According to Strand, he also received interest from Valparaiso, a non-scholarship FCS program in the Pioneer League, but they wanted him to play tight end.
“I appreciated every opportunity, but I wanted to play quarterback,” he explained. “Moorhead was my only offer, and they gave me a chance to chase that dream. I was blessed to end up there.”
Strand would make good on that chance, becoming one of the most prolific quarterbacks in D2 history. Coming from a town like Bloomer, with a population of 3,600 people, that’s a great accomplishment. As Strand explained it, it’s a small town with a ton of bars and churches, along with that annual jump rope event.
Having a future NFL quarterback would be a new one for the wonderful people in this small town in Northwest Wisconsin.
A historic career for Jack Strand
A four-year starter for Moorhead, Strand leaves the Dragons as one of the very best players in program history. During that stretch, Strand threw for 13,161 yards and 126 touchdowns. The talented quarterback also added another nine scores on the ground, five of them coming during his final year in 2025.
After taking some lumps as a freshman in 2022, Strand proceeded to put together three outstanding seasons for the Dragons. In those three years, he put together a long list of accolades to add to his resume. That included being named an All-NSIC First Team selection in each season, an AFCA Second Team All-American in 2025, a Walter Camp Football All-American in 2025, and a Don Hansen All-American in each of the last two seasons.
Heading into his final year in 2025, there was some substantial hype on the NFL side, including holding draftable grades by multiple teams. In the wonderful world of the transfer portal, there was some initial interest in Strand to “level up”, but he quickly dispelled that with a social media post to stress his allegiance to the Moorhead program.
Strand wanted to finish out his career with the program that believed in him all along. After multiple losing seasons for the Dragons, he led them to three consecutive winning records to end his career, leaving the program better than he found it.
The predraft process for Jack Strand
With his outstanding career behind him, the next challenge has turned to the 2026 NFL Draft and earning a spot on an NFL roster next season. It has been a busy draft process for Strand, including training at TEST Football Academy in New Jersey. He has been working with quarterback coach Tony Racioppi, who has worked with a ton of professional quarterbacks during his career, including former first round selection Kenny Pickett.
Strand went down to Lakeland, Florida, to participate in the American Bowl. That showcase gave him the chance to compete against a talented group of prospects. Strand understands how important it was to go down and show out against Power Four opponents. The reviews were good following that event.
There was also a chance presented to Strand to compete at the North Dakota State Pro Day earlier this offseason. With 29 teams represented there to take a long look at Bison quarterback Cole Payton and wide receiver Bryce Lance, amongst others, Strand once again impressed. He had the chance to meet with quarterback coaches from the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots.
Strand has also had 30 visits with the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons during the process. There has been more and more interest in Strand, who is one of the more intriguing quarterback value bets in an underwhelming group of 2026 quarterbacks, led by Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) and Ty Simpson (Alabama).
Viewed as a pocket passer, Strand also showcased some underrated athleticism at that aforementioned Pro Day, which he also was able to flash more during his final season. At nearly 6-4 and 243 pounds with big hands, Strand is an impressive-looking athlete with a ton of upside to bet on.
Amongst all the chaos, there is a hope that Strand is enjoying his unlikely journey just a day away from the draft kicking off. While the deck was stacked against him, he has consistently proven doubters wrong. There are a ton of great jump ropers who have come out of Bloomer, but this is the first great quarterback, and Strand also believed in this dream.
“I never gave up on the dream completely. I have always told myself that if I am good enough, they will find me.”