He flamed out as Derek Carr’s backup at Fresno State, but now an NFL team shows interest

Who was that hot prospect that Fresno State signed as a potential heir to Derek Carr at quarterback, a rocket-arm freshman said at the time to be able to make “throws that some NFL QBs can’t?”

Don’t blame yourself if the name Marcus McDade has slipped your mind. He had a truly forgettable Bulldogs career, even if he was the rarest of recruits in that he signed twice with the program – first in 2010 out of St. Mary’s High-Stockton, then out of Hargrave Academy Prep in 2011 after initially failing to qualify.

The end result: two games played, two runs, 6 yards. McDade wound up transferring to Sacramento State ahead of the 2013 season when it appeared he was unlikely to land the backup job for Carr’s final season ahead of NFL stardom with the Oakland Raiders.

McDade, recruited as a pro-style quarterback by Pat Hill only to find himself by 2012 in the no-huddle system of then-new coach Tim DeRuyter, transferred to Sacramento State where he played six games in two years without throwing a pass.

So why the sudden relevance in 2017?

Seems that McDade might yet prove that arm is NFL worthy. The Bills worked him out Monday, in what NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo acknowledged was a “deep dig for Buf.”

McDade bounced around some more after his stay at Sacramento State. He played in Germany for Samsung Frankfurt Universe. This spring brought a stint with the Spokane Empire of the Indoor Football League, where he completed 13 of 32 passes for 130 yards and three touchdowns in three games.

As multiple media reports explained, the Bills depth chart appears full with starter Tyrod Taylor, likely No. 2 T.J. Yates and backups Cardale Jones and Nathan Peterman.

But there’s at least one big backer still in McDade’s corner. That guy who for a brief moment he seemed destined to succeed at Fresno State.

“He has a cannon!” Carr tweeted in response to Garafolo. “Good dude, too!”

This story was originally published July 25, 2017 at 4:07 PM with the headline "He flamed out as Derek Carr’s backup at Fresno State, but now an NFL team shows interest."