"With the 23rd pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Houston Texas select…Tytus Howard, tackle, Alabama State." And with that, Howard became the first FCS player selected, the second-highest FCS draft pick since 2010, and the first HBCU first-rounder since 2008. However, only 12 more FCS players were selected after Howard in the 2019 draft, the second-lowest single-year total since the seven-round era began in 1993.
An average of 18.8 FCS players were drafted from 1993-2018, a run that began with 182 picks — or 22.8 per year — over the first eight years, including 78 players from 1995-97, the highest three-year total in the seven-round era.
Total FCS draft picks, 1993-2019:
With the 13 picks in the 2019 draft, the current three-year total (2017-19) is 47, the lowest three-year total since 2004-06 (46) and seven fewer than the most recent three-year total (54) from 2016-18.
Three-year average (1995-2019):
The five-year average is also at its lowest point in 12 years:
We're only one year removed from 19 picks in 2018 and three years removed from 20 picks in 2016. And how close were prospects like Northern Colorado receiver Alex Wesley, UC Davis receiver Keelan Doss and other fringe guys to getting drafted? We might've been a dozen more selections away from 13 draftees swelling to 16, 17, 18 or more.
Still, FCS draft picks totals have been declining steadily since the 1990s. Trend or blip?
"I think it's a blip," said HERO Sports FCS writer Brian McLaughlin. "I'd guess it's situational; it's tough to compare to 20 yrs ago because some of the top I-AA programs have moved up, and the replacements aren't quite as strong."
Since 1993, 25 FCS programs have jumped to the FBS, including perennial title contenders like Boise State (1996), Marshall (1997), UMass (2012) and App State (2014).
"This was quite the year for receivers overall, and because it was, it bumped two FCS receivers down. Not necessarily that it had anything to do with the overall talent pool within the FCS. I think the real comparison tool, talent-wise, is how many make 53-man NFL rosters."
Last year, after a 19-man draft class, 157 former FCS players made 53-man rosters entering Week 1. In 2017, after a 15-man draft class, it was 160 players. How many FCS players will make 2019 Week 1 rosters? And will more than 13 FCS player be selected in the 2020 draft?
