Your favorite team will be on the clock soon as the 2026 NFL Draft will be held from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. Here’s a preview of the FCS football class of prospects.
Since the NFL Draft was reduced to seven rounds in 1994, FCS football has averaged over 18 selections annually, but it’s only been 12 per year during the 2020s – the result of both more subdivision programs joining the FBS and an increase in player transfers to the upper tier of Division I.
Still, there’s plenty of talent to go around, and it extends beyond a North Dakota State program that is departing for the FBS and the offensive linemen who have been the most coveted by NFL teams this decade.
It’s a widespread group this year.
Heading toward the three-day event, which begins Thursday night, here is a breakdown of leading FCS prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. The list includes 2025 FCS players as well as those who spent the majority of their careers in the FCS but one final season in the FBS, such as quarterback Mark Gronowski (South Dakota State, 2020-24 seasons, and Iowa, 2025).
NFL Draft Particulars
Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh
Thursday, April 23 (8-11 p.m. ET)
TV: NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes; Streaming: NFL+, Disney+ and Hulu Round 1: Picks 1-32 (eight minutes allotted to teams between selections)Friday, April 24 (7-11:30 p.m. ET)
TV: NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes; Streaming: NFL+, Disney+ and Hulu Round 2: Picks 33-64 (seven minutes) Round 3: Picks 65-100 (five minutes)Saturday, April 25 (Noon-7 p.m. ET)
TV: NFL Network, ABC and ESPN; Streaming: NFL+, Disney+ and Hulu Round 4: Picks 101-140 (five minutes) Round 5: Picks 141-181 (five minutes) Round 6: Picks 182-216 (five minutes) Round 7: Picks 217-257 (four minutes)Key FCS Prospects in 2026 NFL Draft
Listed in Top 500 of NFL Mock Draft Database Consensus Big Board as of April 20.
Bryce Lance, North Dakota State, WR (6-3, 204)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 90 (Round 3) 2025 Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team The younger brother of 2019 third overall draft pick Trey Lance is the only player in NDSU history to post multiple seasons with 1,000+ receiving yards.Kaleb Proctor, Southeastern Louisiana, DT (6-2, 291)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 119 (Round 4) 2025 Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team Ranked second among FCS interior defensive linemen in 2025 with 13 tackles for loss.Cole Payton, North Dakota State, QB (6-3, 232)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 130 (Round 4) 2025 Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team NDSU is one of only three Division I programs to have four quarterbacks selected in the last 10 NFL drafts.Jeff Caldwell, Lindenwood/Cincinnati, WR (6-5, 216)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 158 (Round 5) 2024 Stats Perform FCS All-America Second Team Caldwell, who caught 29 TDs and averaged 18.0 yards on 125 career receptions, clocked an impressive 4.31 seconds on his 40-yard dash.Charlie Demmings, Stephen F. Austin, CB (6-1, 193)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 160 (Round 5) 2025 Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team The only FCS defensive player invited to the 2026 Senior Bowl had nine career interceptions among his school-record 35 pass breakups.J’Mari Taylor, North Carolina Central/Virginia, RB (5-10, 200)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 206 (Round 6) 2024 Stats Perform FCS All-America Second Team One of just six players in the last 30 years to have 1,000+ rushing yards in a season at different FCS and FBS programs.Cole Wisniewski, North Dakota State/Texas Tech, S (6-3½, 214)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 228 (Round 7) 2023 Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team While at NDSU, Wisniewski led all Division I players with eight interceptions and 239 interception return yards in 2023 season.Evan Beernsten, South Dakota State/Northwestern, OL (6-3½, 303)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 278 2024 Stats Perform FCS All-America Second Team Starter on SDSU’s back-to-back national championship teams (2022 and ’23).Keyshawn James-Newby, Idaho/New Mexico, Edge (6-2, 240)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 313 2024 Stats Perform FCS All-America Second Team Had 9+ sacks in a season on three different levels: NAIA (Montana Tech), FCS and FBS.Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State/Iowa QB (6-2, 233)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 368 2023 Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team and Walter Payton Award Recipient Matched FCS record for wins by a starting QB (49) at South Dakota State before adding nine at Iowa to set the D-I mark (58).Lance Mason, Missouri State/Wisconsin, TE (6-3, 246)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 376 2024 Stats Perform FCS All-America Third Team Mason’s 17.4 yards per catch in 2024 (34 receptions, 590 yards) led Division I tight ends.Karon Prunty, North Carolina A&T/Wake Forest, CB (6-1½, 190)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 377 After 2023 and ‘24 All-CAA third-team honors, Prunty allowed just a 44.4% catch rate – second-best in the ACC – last year.Erick Hunter, Morgan State, LB (6-2, 224)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 382 2025 Stats Perform FCS All-America Second Team Longtime HBCU standout is excellent against the run (298 tackles, 35 TFLs) and the pass (three interceptions, 12 passes defended).Max Tomczak, Youngstown State, WR (6-0, 195)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 387 2025 Stats Perform FCS All-America Third Team The son of former NFL quarterback Mike Tomczak is No. 1 on the YSU career charts in receptions (225) and No. 2 in receiving yards (3,024).Jalen Walthall, UIW, WR (6-1, 200)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 396 2024 Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team Hawaii transfer stretched the field with nine 100-yard games and 22 TD catches in two seasons at UIW.Delby Lemieux, Dartmouth, OG/C (6-5, 305)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 397 2025 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America First Team Allowed only three sacks in 950 career pass-blocking snaps, per FCS Football Central.Declan Williams, Rhode Island/UIW, LB (6-0, 242)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 415 2025 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Third Team Played two seasons at URI before enjoying a two-year breakout at UIW (164 tackles, 24 TFLs).A.J. Pena, Rhode Island, LB (6-1, 219)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 423 2024 and 2025 Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team High-motor linebacker had 65.5 TFLs and 38 sacks in a 50-game career.Jarod Washington, South Carolina State, CB (6-0, 186)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 424 2025 Stats Perform FCS All-America Second Team Led the FCS in passes defended (23) and pass breakups (21) in 2025.Nick DeGennaro, Richmond/James Madison, WR (6-0, 195)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 425 2023 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America First Team Had four college seasons with at least 500 receiving yards and clocked a 4.40-second 40-yard dash at JMU’s pro day.Michael Wortham Jr., Montana, WR/KR (5-8, 182)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 426 2025 Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team Eastern Washington transfer set the single-season all-purpose yardage record (2,431) in his one season at Montana.Jalen Jones, William & Mary, CB (6-0, 195)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 428 2024 Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team, 2025 Second Team Rangy defender had eight interceptions and 51 passes defended in W&M career.Gavin Ortega, Weber State, OG (6-5, 304)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 445 2025 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Second Team Strong pro day in mid-March led to Ortega (41 career games, 34 starts) rising late in the draft buildup.Daniel Sobkowicz, Illinois State, WR, (6-2, 205)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 450 2025 Stats Perform FCS All-America Third Team One of eight FCS players in the last 30 years to have 250+ receptions (262), 3,500+ receiving yards (3,559) and 40+ TD catches (41) in a career.Rohan Jones, Maine/Montana State/Arkansas, TE (6-3, 236)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 458 2024 Stats Perform FCS All-America Second Team Jones’ 27.3-yard average on 19 receptions was the highest for any D-I tight end with at least that many catches last season.Maverick McIvor, Abilene Christian/Western Kentucky, QB (6-2, 209)
Consensus Big Board Ranking: 487 McIvor, whose career began at Texas Tech, passed for over 10,000 yards, including 8,012 with 63 TDs at Abilene Christian from 2022-24.NFL Draft First-Round Picks From FCS
NCAA Division I college football split into FBS and FCS levels in 1978. Since then, 24 FCS players have been first-round selections in the NFL Draft, including North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel last year.
FCS Programs with Most NFL Draft Picks
During each school’s FCS era, Jackson State leads the way with the most NFL Draft picks. Other HBCU programs also are among the leaders, although NDSU and MVFC programs Northern Iowa and South Dakota State have stood out the most in the last decade.
Post-Draft
A signing frenzy starts immediately after the draft, when well over 100 former FCS players are usually among the undrafted prospects who are signed by teams or invited to tryout camps.
Top photo, from left, from Erika Criz/SFA, Montana Athletics, Ethan Schreifeis/NDSU and Lindsey Rizzo/Southeastern Louisiana. For more FCS football coverage, follow on social media at X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
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