Alijah McGhee

Alijah McGhee
McGhee with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2024
Profile
PositionDefensive back
Personal information
Born (1999-10-13) October 13, 1999
Warner Robins, Georgia, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High schoolNorthside (Warner Robins, GA)
CollegeKentucky Wesleyan (2018–2020)
Minnesota State-Mankato (2021–2022)
NFL draft2023: undrafted
Career history
Awards and highlights
  • Second-team All-NSIC (2022)
Career CFL statistics as of 2025
Total tackles75
Interceptions4
Forced fumbles2
Defensive touchdowns1
Stats at CFL.ca

Alijah McGhee (born October 13, 1999) is an American professional football defensive back.[1] He played college football at Minnesota State-Mankato and Kentucky Wesleyan.[2][3] McGhee has also been a member of the Ottawa Redblacks.

College career

McGhee played college football for the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers from 2018 to 2020, and the Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks from 2021 to 2022. He played in 25 games at Kentucky Wesleyan where he had 82 tackles and 14 passes defended.[3] In 2021 McGhee transferred to Minnesota State-Mankato where he played in 21 games logging 80 total tackles, two interceptions, 11 passes defended, one fumble recovery and two blocked kicks.[2]

As a senior, McGhee was named D2Football.com Defensive Player of the Week and NSIC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Bemidji State where he scored a 70-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown and a 45-yard pick-six in the first half.[4][5] He was also named to the All-NSIC Second team.[6]

Professional career

Houston Roughnecks

McGhee was selected in the 2023 XFL rookie draft by the Houston Roughnecks but did not sign with the team.[7]

Ottawa Redblacks

On August 24, 2023, it was announced that the Ottawa Redblacks had signed McGhee to the practice squad.[8] On October 14, McGhee would be signed to the active roster and make his first game appearance for the Redblacks against the Toronto Argonauts and recorded one tackle.[9] In his next game, the final game of the season against Toronto, he finished with five tackles, one forced fumble and fumble recovery.[10]

McGhee played in 12 games in the 2024 season, starting in all. He began the season on the six-game IR list due to a foot injury.[11] McGhee finished the season with 44 tackles, three interceptions and one forced fumble.[1]

On January 21, 2025, it was announced that McGhee had re-signed to the Redblacks on a one-year contract.[12] He was released on August 31, 2025. McGhee finished the season with 25 tackles, one interception, and one touchdown in six games.[13]

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

On November 17, 2025, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed McGhee.[14]

On May 13, 2026, McGhee was released by the Blue Bombers.[15]

References

  1. 1 2 "Alijah McGhee". CFL. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Alijah McGhee - Football". Minnesota State University - Mankato Athletics. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Alijah McGhee - Football". Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  4. ↑ Rominger, Mary (September 8, 2022). "McGhee named Defensive Player of the Week by D2Football.com". keyc.com. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  5. ↑ "McGhee and Sample Garner NSIC Weekly Awards - Minnesota State University - Mankato Athletics". msumavericks.com. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  6. ↑ "2022 NSIC Football All-Conference Teams Announced". northernsun.org. November 16, 2022. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  7. ↑ Perry, Mark (June 16, 2023). "XFL 2023 Rookie Draft Results: List Of Players Selected, Breakdown By Team, Positions and Colleges". XFLNewsHub. Archived from the original on March 23, 2025. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  8. ↑ Just, Sam (August 24, 2023). "Ottawa Redblacks Sign Future XFL Roughneck Alijah McGhee". CFLNewsHub. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  9. ↑ "2023-10-14 Game Tracker - TORONTO Argonauts vs. OTTAWA REDBLACKS (6380)". CFL. Archived from the original on October 29, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  10. ↑ "2023-10-28 Game Tracker - OTTAWA REDBLACKS vs. TORONTO Argonauts (6386)". CFL. Archived from the original on October 29, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  11. ↑ "BACK TO BALTIMORE: Redblacks re-sign veteran corner to help injury-depleted secondary". Ottawa Citizen. June 10, 2024. Archived from the original on June 13, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Ottawa Redblacks re-sign DB Alijah McGhee". 3DownNation. January 21, 2025. Archived from the original on March 22, 2025. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  13. ↑ Heilman, Michael (September 1, 2025). "Ottawa Redblacks release DB Alijah McGhee, two others". BGMSportsTrax. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Winnipeg Blue Bombers sign eight, including former Redblacks DB Alijah McGhee". 3DownNation. November 18, 2025. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
  15. ↑ Heilman, Michael (May 13, 2026). "Winnipeg Blue Bombers release DB Alijah McGhee, seven others". BGMSportsTrax.com. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
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