Where are the FCS players? NFL Draft makes bad kind of history for former Division I-AA schools originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
At least that's how it has felt through three rounds. The schools formerly known as Division I-AA haven't gotten any part of the action through 100 picks.
It's the first time since the divisional distinction that no FCS players have been drafted through three rounds:
An FCS player was not selected in the first three rounds (100 picks), which had never occurred previously. The 1979 NFL Draft was the first to involve FCS players. pic.twitter.com/c8UnVXau9m
— Opta FCS Football (@OptaAnalystFCS) April 25, 2026
There are likely reasons for this, and it's also likely to change on Saturday when rounds four through seven take place.
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The transfer portal and NIL money have a lot to do with this.
Not every player drafted in the first 100 picks began his career at an FBS school. Just by the time they reached draft eligibility, they were at a big program.
A bunch of them grinded at lower levels to reach those heights, but there was simply too much incentive to transfer up the ladder.
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The biggest name here is likely Bryce Lance, the WR out of North Dakota State who is Trey Lance's younger brother.
Stephen F. Austin cornerback Charles Demmings should get picked.
Lance's NDSU QB, Cole Payton, is a lefty that should go at some point.
Keep an eye on the big defensive tackle Kaleb Proctor out of SE Louisiana.
And if you're looking beyond FCS -- Division III John Carroll's Tyren Montgomery should come off the board at some point.
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