In the 2025 NFL Draft, 19 players from the Group of 5 level were selected. Ashton Jeanty headlined the group as the No. 6 overall pick, but other prospects like Mike Green, Darius Alexander, and Harold Fannin Jr. were also selected within the first 70 selections. The 2026 NFL Draft could see a similar outcome.
The Group of 5 consists of all schools in the following conferences: the Sun Belt, Mountain West, American Athletic Conference, Mid-American Conference, and Conference USA. For the sake of the exercise, the FBS’s independent schools outside of Notre Dame are typically included in the conversation as well.
Granted, it’s unlikely the 2026 NFL Draft will feature a small-school player selected as early as Jeanty was last year, but there’s plenty of talent coming from the Group of 5 level this year. These are the top ten players from those conferences in the upcoming draft class, along with some key honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions
- Memphis OL Chris Adams
- UTSA RB Robert Henry Jr.
- Army C Brady Small
- Toledo RB Chip Trayanum
- UTSA WR De’Corian Clark
- UConn QB Joe Fagnano
10) Texas State OG Tellek Lockette
This entry comes with an asterisk, as Tellek Lockette redshirted the 2025 season after playing in only four games for Texas State. He did so with the intention of entering the transfer portal, so there’s no guarantee he’ll declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. That said, he’s put together enough of a résumé to garner consideration if he chooses to do so.
Lockette is a four-year collegiate starter who’s allowed just four sacks in 1,048 pass-blocking reps between stints at UL-Monroe and Texas State. He’s improved his technique each year in college, demonstrating impressive anchor strength and a nasty demeanor at the point of attack. Whether he gets drafted could depend on his athletic testing, but his tape is worthy of a Day 3 selection.
9) Wyoming TE John Michael Gyllenborg
Had John Michael Gyllenborg not dealt with a nagging hamstring injury throughout the 2025 season, he would likely rank even higher on this list. While it affected his production, there’s more than enough on tape for a team to use a pick on him in the 2026 NFL Draft.
With his alignment versatility, Gyllenborg brings plenty of experience creating separation both in the slot and in an in-line role. He can stretch the field vertically with quickness off the line of scrimmage, and as a route runner, he identifies soft spots in zone coverage and exploits them as a reliable security blanket for his quarterback. He won’t wow you as a run blocker, but he carries serious receiving upside.
8) Tulane EDGE Maurice Westmoreland
Maurice Westmoreland probably would’ve ranked higher on this list had it been written before the regular season. In the last two of his three seasons at UTEP, he combined for 15.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. This year at Tulane, he has only one sack, and his pressure total has dropped from 38 last year to 11 in 2025.
That said, there’s enough on his previous tape to earn NFL consideration. He’s a stout edge rusher who wins with leverage at the point of attack and quick hands that allow him to string moves together as a pass rusher. His physical tools won’t wow you, but he’s a smart rusher with good strength and technique that should keep him on the radar.
7) Buffalo LB Red Murdock
After this season, Khalil “Red” Murdock is now the FBS’s all-time leader with 17 career forced fumbles during his four seasons at Buffalo. He’s led the MAC in that category each of the last three years and led the nation with seven forced fumbles in 2024. As of this writing, he also leads his conference with 89 solo tackles.
As one might expect from such a high fumble tally, Murdock is an aggressive linebacker with a penchant for lowering the shoulder and battling hard at the wrap-up point. He executes run fits with precision as a downhill defender, and he’s a quick processor in run support. His lack of elite athleticism could make him a liability on passing downs, but Murdock should be a quality special teamer in the pros.
6) Navy WR Eli Heidenreich
Listed as the “snipe” in Navy’s offense, Eli Heidenreich is a jack of all trades at the collegiate level. He’s lined up as a running back, fullback, in-line tight end, slot receiver, and outside receiver. Through 153 targets at the collegiate level, he’s dropped only three passes.
Those hands and his versatility have made Heidenreich a staple in Navy’s offense. He’s a crafty route runner who uses his stems to attack a defensive back’s blind spots and create leverage. He’s shifty and tough after the catch, and he’s a natural pass-catcher with strong hands. Having such a unique skill set could complicate his 2026 NFL Draft projection, but he’s a weapon worth selecting.
5) Southern Miss CB Josh Moten
I’d argue that Josh Moten would rank slightly higher if this were coming off his 2024 season at Marshall, compared to his 2025 season at Southern Miss. Still, he’s been an extremely productive cornerback with ten interceptions and 13 pass deflections combined over his last two seasons.
Moten is still lanky, but he added roughly 20 pounds of muscle leading up to 2025 to get up to 185 pounds and still played well this year. He showed encouraging tape against Jeremiah Smith in 2024’s matchup against Ohio State; he’s an intelligent zone corner with quick processing skills covering underneath and good hip fluidity coming in and out of his breaks. He’s one of the top small-school players in the 2026 NFL Draft and a smart late-round investment.
4) UConn WR Skyler Bell
Perhaps the star of the show in UConn’s resurgence as a Group of 5 powerhouse, Skyler Bell currently holds the FBS receiving Triple Crown, leading the nation with 101 receptions, 1,278 yards, and 13 touchdowns. This production has made him a Biletnikoff Award finalist, and he could become the first G5 winner of the award since Troy Edwards in 1998.
Over the course of his collegiate career, Bell’s hands have gotten much stronger. That has helped him complement his natural skills after the catch, where his full-field vision as a ball carrier and his agility help him make defenders miss in space. He has the deep speed needed to stretch the field vertically, and though he lacks premier physicality, he should be a solid slot receiver with the potential to be a productive complementary weapon in the NFL.
3) Boise State OT Kage Casey
Kage Casey was the anchor of Boise State’s offensive line in Ashton Jeanty’s historic 2024 season. Though the Broncos haven’t been as good in 2025, Casey has still put together a strong year, placing him as the highest-ranked Group of 5 offensive player in the 2026 NFL Draft at this stage.
A three-year starter at the collegiate level, Casey is a road-paver at the point of attack who packs a mean punch. He lands his strikes accurately and has the grip strength to control the battle in the trenches, as well as the anchor strength to push defenders off the line of scrimmage. He keeps his head on a swivel and processes exotic pass-rush looks, too. A lack of elite athletic upside could hurt his draft stock, but he should garner early Day 3 consideration with the potential to sneak into Day 2.
2) Toledo S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
Between the likes of Quinyon Mitchell, Darius Alexander, and Maxen Hook, Toledo has produced more NFL talent than the average Group of 5 school in recent years. That trend will continue in the 2026 NFL Draft with Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, who’s allowed a career targeted passer rating of just 54.3 as a three-year starter for the Rockets.
Listed at 6’2″ and 202 pounds, McNeil-Warren has a large wingspan and a well-built frame for the NFL level. He’s a tremendous athlete for his size, showing very good closing speed in run support and when attacking the ball in coverage. His physicality as a tackler helps him shine in the box as well. The only things that could hold him back are his small-school status and a lack of top-tier range as a single-high safety. Otherwise, he’s one of the top safeties in the 2026 NFL Draft.
1) San Diego State CB Chris Johnson
San Diego State has been one of the best Group of 5 programs in the nation this year, and the star of the show has been cornerback Chris Johnson. He’s been a shutdown cornerback in every sense of the word, intercepting four passes with no touchdowns allowed and a targeted passer rating allowed of just 15.5 all season.
Johnson’s football intelligence shows in how quickly he picks up route concepts and how well he mirrors the movements of opposing receivers in coverage. He’s a fluid athlete with quick feet that help him stick with receivers laterally, and he’s a gritty tackler with proper physicality at the wrap-up point. If he answers questions about his high speed with a strong 40-yard dash time, there’s a chance Johnson sneaks into Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft.