Last spring, 20 FCS players were drafted into the NFL, but nearly 100 FCS products ended up at least getting a shot in an NFL camp. By the time the season ended, nearly 25 more FCS undrafted free agents had seen playing time as rookies, with many others being retained on practice squad rosters. In all, nearly 45 FCS rookies "saw the field" in 2016.
RELATED: How did the 2016 NFL Draft Picks out of the FCS do last fall?
Last fall proved that A) You can get drafted out of the FCS level, and B) Even if you aren't drafted, you can still get on the field in the NFL if you just hang in there. It is a theme often repeated by draft prospects and NFL players alike.
HERO Sports ranks the top five FCS undrafted free agent rookies of 2016:
| RK | FREE AGENT | POS | FCS SCHOOL | NFL TEAM | 2016 SEASON |
| 1 | Chester Rogers | WR | Grambling | Indianapolis | 2 starts, 14 games; 19 catches, 273 yds |
| 2 | Michael Pierce | DT | Samford | Baltimore | 1 start, 16 games; 35 tackles, 2 sacks |
| 3 | Ben Braunecker | TE | Harvard | Chicago | 2 starts, 13 games; 4 catches, 41 yards |
| 4 | Patrick Onwuasor | DB | Portland State | Baltimore | 1 start, 11 games; 21 tackles, 1 FF |
| 5 | James Cowser | DE | Southern Utah | Oakland | 0 starts, 6 games; 9 tackles, 1 sack |
RELATED: Which FCS players had the best 2017 NFL Draft combine?
Here are the other FCS rookie free agents who saw the field in the 2016 NFL season.
| FREE AGENT | POS | FCS SCHOOL | NFL TEAM | 2016 SEASON |
| Anthony Lanier | DE | Alabama A&M | Washington | 4 games played |
| Anthony Fabiano | OG | Harvard | Cleveland | 1 start at center; 4 games played |
| Kalif Raymond | WR/RET | Holy Cross | Denver | 4 games; 10.1 PR avg; 22.8 KR avg |
| Cole Wick | TE | Incarnate Word | Detroit | 0 starts, 6 games; 2 catches, 18 yds |
| Troymaine Pope | RB | Jacksonville State | Seattle | 4 games, two teams; 44 yds rushing |
| Chris Landrum | LB | Jacksonville State | San Diego | 10 games, 4 tackles, 1 sack |
| Hakeem Valles | TE | Monmouth | Arizona | 1 start, 11 games, no stats |
| Bryson Keeton | DB | Montana State | N.Y. Jets | 1 game, 1 tackle |
| Deon King | LB | Norfolk State | Indianapolis | 6 games, 2 total tackles |
| C.J. Smith | DB | North Dakota State | Philadelphia | 10 games, 1 tackle |
| Makinton Dorleant | CB | Northern Iowa | Green Bay | 0 starts, 4 games; 1 tackle |
| Pace Murphy | OL | Northwestern State | L.A. Rams | 2nd team LT; 1 game played |
| Ryan O'Malley | TE | Pennsylvania | Oakland | 1 game, no stats |
| Kameron Canaday | LS | Portland State | Arizona | Day One starter at long snapper; 3 games |
| Paul McRoberts | WR | SEMO | L.A. Rams | 2 games; 1 catch, 6 yards |
| Antonio Hamilton | DB | South Carolina State | Oakland | 4 games; 4 total tackles |
| Victor Ochi | OLB | Stony Brook | Kansas City | 2 games, 1 tackle |
| Luke Rhodes | ILB | William & Mary | Indianapolis | 0 starts, 4 games; no stats |
