A five-year Bowling Green starter who transferred to Kentucky for one final season, Alex Wollschlaeger became the first Oswego East High alum to sign an NFL contract.
Alex Wollschlaeger took the long road to the NFL, spending five seasons in the trenches at Bowling Green before a graduate transfer to Kentucky gave him one more shot to prove himself against SEC competition. The Illinois native signed with the Saints after going unselected in the 2026 draft.
Path to the league
Wollschlaeger, a Chicagoland native from Oswego, Illinois, spent five seasons at Bowling Green, where he was a three-year starter and a two-time All-MAC selection, earning first-team All-MAC honors in 2024. He transferred to Kentucky for his final season of eligibility in 2025, started all 12 games at right tackle, and received an invite to the Hula Bowl all-star game in January 2026. He went undrafted and signed with the Saints.
Career highlights
Wollschlaeger's body of work at Bowling Green, three years as a starter and back-to-back All-MAC recognition, made him one of the more experienced offensive line prospects in his draft class. His move to Kentucky for 2025 gave evaluators a look at him against high-major competition, where he held down the right tackle spot for a full season.
2025 season recap
In his lone season at Kentucky, Wollschlaeger started all 12 games at right tackle, capping his college career with a full year of SEC-level starts after four seasons in the MAC. That performance, along with a Hula Bowl invite, helped him land an NFL contract with the Saints, making him the first player from Oswego East High School to reach that milestone.
Sources
- Shaw Local: Alex Wollschlaeger signs with New Orleans Saints
- ESPN: Alex Wollschlaeger player page
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Offensive Tackle
- Group
- offense
- College
- Kentucky
- Hometown
- Aurora, IL, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
