SOUTH BEND — If things don’t work out with the NFL’s Washington Commanders, former Notre Dame football quarterback Sam Hartman has a new fallback option in the United Football League.
The Birmingham Stallions, reigning champions of the eight-team UFL, selected Hartman on Wednesday in the ninth round (72nd overall) of the UFL College Draft. Hartman, who turns 25 on July 29, was the seventh quarterback taken.
Former Notre Dame wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. was part of the championship roster for the Stallions, who claimed the UFL title with a 25-0 win over the San Antonio Brahmas on June 16.
Hartman went undrafted in the seven-round NFL Draft this spring despite passing for nearly 13,000 yards and 110 touchdowns in six college seasons at Wake Forest (2018-22) and Notre Dame (2023).
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Hartman signed as an undrafted free agent with the Commanders, who took reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick in this year’s draft. Training camp for the Commanders under new coach Dan Quinn opens July 28.
Former Kansas quarterback Jason Bean went No. 1 overall to the Memphis Showboats. John Rhys Plumlee (Central Florida) and Chevan Cordeiro (San Jose State) also went in the opening round to Arlington and St. Louis, respectively.
Hartman played the final three quarters in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., in late January. He relieved former Auburn and Oregon star Bo Nix and led the National team to a 16-7 win despite completing just seven of 25 passes for 69 yards and an interception.
UFL teams claimed the rights to a number of NFL rookies Wednesday in the league’s college draft. Most notably, the Birmingham Stallions selected former Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman in the ninth round. Hartman went undrafted in the NFL but signed as a free agent with the Washington Commanders. Other selections were Missouri running back Cody Schrader in the second round by the St. Louis Battlehawks, and UCLA pass rusher Gabriel Murphy in the second round by the San Antonio Brahmas. Schrader is on the San Francisco 49ers’ roster and Murphy signed with the Minnesota Vikings.
Meanwhile, former Oklahoma receiver Drake Stoops — who is on the Los Angeles Rams’ roster — was drafted in the 10th round by the Arlington Renegades. Stoops’ father, Bob, is the Renegades’ head coach.
The UFL completed its inaugural season last month following a merger between the XFL and USFL. There had been some discussion about an expansion of franchises in the near future, but Wednesday’s draft included the same eight teams that comprised the league during the 2024 season.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love will not practice until he and the team agree to a contract extension, general manager Brian Gutekunst said Monday.
Gutekunst told reporters that Love’s agents informed the team Saturday, and he understands their stance.
“We understand where he’s coming from,” Gutekunst said.
The general manager, however, said he is “optimistic” that the team and Love are close to agreeing to a contract.
“We’re working really hard to get that done,” Gutekunst said. “At the same time, the thing I have confidence in is we both want the same thing.”