One of the most exciting things about preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft is getting to know the small-school prospects. It’s tougher to get available game tape and info on them, but it’s a lot of fun to hunt for potential gems.
In recent seasons, impact players like Grey Zabel, Jalyx Hunt, Cody Mauch, Tucker Kraft, and Christian Watson have been drafted from FCS schools to become starters in the NFL. Other standouts include Cooper Kupp, Rashid Shaheed, and Dallas Goedert.
You’ll see plenty of contributors from Division II and Division III schools, too. The likes of Tyreek Hill, Zach Sieler, Grover Stewart, Kenny Moore II, and Quinn Meinerz have ascended from those levels. The point is: the small-school prospects are players to watch.
10) Declan Williams, LB, Incarnate Word
A dense, physical linebacker with some experience rushing off the edge, Declan Williams is a 6’2″, 245-pound defender who brings tremendous size to the linebacker position. He uses his size well, as he hits hard and has no problem taking blocks head-on to stack and shed against the run.
Williams won’t wow you with his range as a tackler or his consistency in coverage, but he’s a downhill thumper with blitzing capabilities that should entice NFL teams. He projects more as an undrafted free agent, but should end up signed with a team once the 2026 NFL Draft is over.
9) Jalen Walthall, WR, Incarnate Word
After spending three years at Hawaii, Jalen Walthall transferred to Incarnate Word in 2024. It was a smart decision, because it allowed him more playing time in an offense that’s consistently one of the most explosive in the nation. He has very good ball-tracking skills with the body control in the air to match.
Because Walthall missed four games in 2025, his production dropped from his 1,290 receiving yards the year before. He’s a bit skinny and somewhat raw as a route-running technician, which might see him go undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. But the ball skills, strong hands, and height are there for a team to bring him in for camp.
8) Kaleb Proctor, DT, Southeastern Louisiana
Kaleb Proctor finished 2025 as the Southland Conference Player of the Year in 2025. He ended the year with nine sacks and 13 tackles for a loss, earning first-team FCS All-American recognition. As the stats would indicate, he’s an explosive pass rusher up the middle with a quick first step and a deep arsenal of moves he can string together.
The big issue is his size at 6’1″ and 280 pounds. He’s severely undersized by NFL defensive tackle standards, which could see him pushed around in the run game too often. That said, he offsets some of that with long arms for his size, and his speed and craftiness deconstructing blocks could see him sneak as a late-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
7) Jarod Washington, CB, South Carolina State
My top HBCU prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, Jarod Washington, led the FCS with 21 pass deflections this past year. With an allowed passer rating of just 58.1 his last two years, he’s a scrappy outside corner with a 6’2″ frame and long arms that help him compete at the catch point. His ball skills and coordination to adjust to deep passes are impressive, as well.
Washington diagnoses route concepts well, with good timing in how he jumps routes to make a play on the ball. He’s a little skinny and has somewhat average athletic tools, but his length and ball production will get him looks as an undrafted free agent, if not as a late-round flyer.
6) Michael Wortham, WR, Montana
Michael Wortham was a late addition to the East-West Shrine Bowl roster this year, and he made the most of his opportunity. His stellar positional drills led many to head to the tape, where you’ll see elite athleticism, shiftiness as a route runner coming out of transitions, and impressive ball-carrier vision after the catch.
With those traits, it’s no surprise that Wortham was a first-team FCS All-American on both offense and special teams in 2025. He’s undersized at 5’9″ and 190 pounds, which limits his physicality and catch radius. That said, he’s lightning in a bottle and deserves a late-round chance in the 2026 NFL Draft.
5) Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin
Coming out of 2024, Charles Demmings had built a strong reputation for himself as a potential transfer portal option for a Power 4 team, but chose to stay at Stephen F. Austin. He exploded with four interceptions in 2025 and had 31 pass deflections in his last two seasons.
Demmings is a physical cornerback with good long speed, ideal ball skills, and good length for his position. He improves as a tackler in 2025 compared to previous years, too. His lateral explosiveness is pretty average, but if he works on that and continues to grow as a tackler, he should have a nice NFL career ahead of him.
4) Tyren Montgomery, WR, John Carroll
A former LSU basketball player who turned to flag football and parlayed that into dominating at the D3 level, Tyren Montgomery has the playing style you’d expect for a former flag football star. He’s explosive, fast, creative with the ball in his hands, and demonstrates a diverse release package off the line of scrimmage.
READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: John Carroll WR Tyren Montgomery Turns Improbable Journey Into Senior Bowl Spotlight
In 2025, Montgomery had 119 catches for 1,528 yards and 15 touchdowns. He’s a seventh-year college student with physicality that doesn’t stand out, admittedly. But the fact that he’s this high on this list despite those concerns shows how good his tape was, both at John Carroll and at the Senior Bowl.
3) Delby Lemieux, OG, Dartmouth
Over three years of starting tape at Dartmouth, Delby Lemieux showcased the tools needed to generate NFL Draft buzz. He’s a refined technician who lands his strikes with accurate placement and timing. His pads remain low, and his weight is distributed evenly, maximizing his balance, body control, and lower-body strength.
Lemieux is also a coordinated run blocker who would thrive in a zone-first run system, thanks to his football intelligence and mobility in space. He weighs under 300 pounds and has average athletic tools, limiting his upside. However, his polished skill set warrants a Day 3 selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
2) Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State
It takes a lot for a one-year FCS starting quarterback to get noticed by NFL teams. That’s exactly what Cole Payton did. The 6’3″, 233-pounder served as a running QB behind Cam Miller prior to 2025, finishing his collegiate career with 2,069 rushing yards and 31 rushing touchdowns. He’s a quick, mobile quarterback who can run the keeper well.
His athleticism shines, but Payton has a nice arm with good timing in between the numbers. His deep ball is strong, in particular; beyond 20 air yards, he had a 133.2 passer rating to his left, 125.6 up the middle, and 151.0 to the right. His inexperience and lack of full-field reads hurt him, but he’s shown enough to get drafted.
1) Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State
The top small-school prospect on PFSN’s NFL Draft Big Board, Bryce Lance, has the best chance to get selected on Day 2 of the players on this list. The younger brother of Trey Lance had consecutive 1,000-yard seasons for North Dakota State, taking the top off defenses and winning at the catch point with his deep speed and 6’3″ frame.
Is Lance a bit raw as a route runner? Absolutely. He’ll need to work on how he disguises his stem approach and diversifies his release. That said, he has strong hands, a big frame, and impressive athleticism. If Christian Watson went in the second round with a similar skill set coming from NDSU, Lance might not be far behind.
Honorable Mentions
- Max Tomczak, WR, Youngstown State
- Joe Cooper, OL, Slippery Rock
