FCS players often face a stigma of being an inch too short or a second too slow compared to FBS counterparts, but a round-by-round review of draft picks from the Division I subdivision in the last 10 years highlights high production. Here’s who’s been best from the FCS.
It’s been 10 years since North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz became the highest NFL Draft pick ever from FCS football with the Philadelphia Eagles selecting him second overall in the 2016 first round.
Within those 10 drafts – 2016 through 2025 – the FCS has produced 142 picks, with a number of them providing excellent value across all seven rounds of the draft.
Who have been the best FCS NFL Draft selections in those 10 years? For an evaluation, we went right to Kyle Cunningham-Rhoads and Greg Gifford, who have long been immersed in NFL data and predictive analysis for Opta Analyst and Stats Perform. They both made a top pick and honorable mention selections for each round, factoring in potential for players who are still early in their careers.
“I think the thing about this list,” KCR said, “is how many good players come from FCS.”
“This,” Gifford said of the assignment, “is tougher than I thought it would be.”
Will the 2026 NFL Draft be just as fruitful with FCS selections? It might turn out that way, but it won’t be easy to keep up with the best picks over the last 10 years.
Note: Since the NCAA first allowed grad transfers in 2006, the FCS NFL Draft totals include players who spent the majority of their college career in the FCS but had one final season at an FBS school (those who reached two seasons at FBS are not included).
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2 weeks ago Craig HaleyRound 1 (6 FCS Selections)
Co-Best Picks
Carson Wentz, North Dakota State, QB – Philadelphia Eagles (2016 draft, No. 2 overall pick)
Wentz’s five seasons with the Eagles were up and down, but he was among the leading NFL MVP candidates in 2017 when he suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week 14 – a campaign that was completed by his replacement, Nick Foles, leading a Super Bowl-winning run. Wentz is top-five in various Eagles’ career passing statistics. When adding in five consecutive one-season stints with other teams, he’s top-100 in NFL history in passing yards (23,626) and touchdown passes (159).
Grey Zabel, North Dakota State, OG – Seattle Seahawks (2025, 18)
Here is where it’s easy to like what you see and project continued production. The most recent of the FCS first-round draft picks was an immediate starter for the Super Bowl 60 champion Seahawks and ranked in the 99th percentile with 1,051 snaps last season. Their offense tied for the fifth-fewest sacks allowed after tying for the third-most surrendered in 2024. Zabel was sixth in AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting, with the five ahead of him all skill-position players.
Round 2 (13 FCS Selections)
Best Pick
Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State, TE – Philadelphia Eagles (2018, 49)
Consistency has been Goedert’s calling card in eight seasons with the Eagles, and he set career highs last season with 60 receptions and 11 TD catches. Overall among tight ends since 2018, he ranks eighth in targets (558), seventh in receptions (409), fifth in both receiving yards (4,676) and first downs (245), and tied for fifth in TD catches (35).
Honorable Mention
Darius (now Shaquille) Leonard, South Carolina State, OLB – Indianapolis Colts (2018, 36) Cody Mauch, North Dakota State, OG – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2023, 48)Round 3 (16 FCS Selections)
Best Pick
Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington, WR – Los Angeles Rams (2017, 69)
The FCS’ all-time leading receiver in numerous statistics broke into the NFL with a 62-catch season with the Rams and hasn’t looked back since then while ranking in the top 10 of receptions (961), receiving yards (8,369) and TD catches (59) during his career. In the 2021 season, he was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl 56 MVP with the Rams, and he added a second title with the Seahawks last season.
*-Statistical category is tracked since 1994. (AP Photo)Honorable Mention
The third-round possibilities made Gifford and Cunningham-Rhoads sweat as they tried to narrow down honorable mentions:
Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State, DT – Pittsburgh Steelers (2016, 89) Quincy Williams, Murray State, OLB – Jacksonville Jaguars (2019, 98) Spencer Brown, Northern Iowa, OT – Buffalo Bills (2021, 93) Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State, TE – Green Bay Packers (2023, 78) Kobie Turner, Richmond/Wake Forest, DT – Los Angeles Rams (2023, 89)Round 4 (23 FCS Selections)
Best Pick
John Franklin-Myers, Stephen F. Austin, DE – Los Angeles Rams (2018, 135)
One year after scoring value in Round 4 with Eastern Washington’s Samson Ebukham, the Rams basically did the same with Franklin-Myers, except they didn’t know it at the time as his breakout occurred two years after they waived him before the 2019 season. Over the last five seasons with the New York Jets and Denver Broncos, JFM has made 81 of his 83 career starts and collected 29 of his 34 sacks with over 200 yards in losses.
Honorable Mention
Samson Ebukam, Eastern Washington, OLB – Los Angeles Rams (2017, 125) Mason McCormick, South Dakota State, OG – Pittsburgh Steelers (2024, 119)Round 5 (26 FCS Selections)
Best Pick
Jackson Hawes, Yale/Georgia Tech, TE – Buffalo Bills (2025, 173)
In his 2025 rookie season, Hawes rewarded the Bills in blocking and pass-catching situations. While not all of his contributions showed up in box scores, he had 16 receptions, including 13 that went for first downs, for 189 yards and three touchdowns. The Bills led the NFL in rushing and were just one of five teams to have three tight ends with at least 16 catches.
Honorable Mention
Bilal Nichols, Delaware, DT – Chicago Bears (2018, 145) Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston, CB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2022, 157)Round 6 (25 FCS Selections)
Best Pick
Foyesade Oluokun, Yale, LB – Atlanta Falcons (2018, 200)
Talk about late-round value, Oluokun was the NFL leader in total tackles in 2021 (an NFL-record 192 over a 17-game regular season with the Falcons) and 2022 (184 with the Jaguars) and led in solo tackles in both 2022 (128) and 2023 (111, Jaguars) while compiling the third-most overall stops (1,062) since he entered the league in 2018.
Honorable Mention
Christian Benford, Villanova, CB – Buffalo Bills (2022, 185) Ryan Flournoy, Southeast Missouri, WR – Dallas Cowboys (2024, 216)Round 7 (33 FCS Selections)
Best Pick
Kaden Elliss, Idaho, LB – New Orleans Saints (2019, 244)
The oldest of four NFL-playing sons of former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Luther Elliss was on the 2018 Idaho team that dropped from the FBS back into the FCS, and like the Vandals needing time to re-establish themselves, Elliss didn’t take off until his fourth NFL season with the Saints. He’s totaled 453 of his 466 career tackles in the last four seasons, including the last three with the Falcons. But on March 11, he signed a three-year contract to return to the Saints.
Honorable Mention
Myles Harden, South Dakota, CB – Cleveland Browns (2024, 227) Levi Drake Rodriguez, Texas A&M-Commerce NT – Minnesota Vikings (2024, 232)For more FCS football coverage, follow on social media at X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
Who Are the Best FCS NFL Draft Picks in Every Round Over the Last 10 Years? Opta Analyst.
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