Dallas Cowboys Aug 26, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Ben DiNucci (17) throws a pass against the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
XFLBy Sean Keeley on

The new and improved XFL announced on Tuesday which quarterbacks had been drafted to which teams, and there were definitely some notable names on the list.

Among the talented quarterbacks selected, the Seattle Sea Dragons picked former Pitt Panthers, James Madison, and Dallas Cowboys signal-caller Ben DiNucci. The team also picked Steven Montez, who played for Colorado and appeared briefly in the NFL.

DiNucci initially played college football for Pitt, getting named starter during his sophomore season. He finished that season going 88 of 158 completions for 1,091 yards, five touchdowns, and five interceptions. However, after the season, he announced plans to transfer to James Madison. DiNucci put up prolific numbers with the Dukes in two seasons, finishing his school career third in completions (479), fourth in passing touchdowns (45) as well as passing yards (5,716), and seventh in total offense (6,718) there. He also led the Dukes to the FCS National Championship Game as a senior.

The college star was picked by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft and ended up playing in three games that season and starting one, a primetime showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. He went 21-of-40 for 180 yards with two fumbles and four sacks in a loss. He moved down the depth chart after that and was waived by the team before the 2021 season, though he spent time on their practice squad.

The news that DiNucci would get another chance at professional football garnered some strong reactions from the football world on Tuesday.

Presuming he beats out Cortez for the job, we’ll see if DiNucci can recapture that James Madison magic when the XFL season gets underway in February.

[XFL, Seattle Sea Dragons]

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

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