The FCS, formerly known as Division I-AA, began in 1978. Since then, hundreds of FCS/DI-AA players have been selected in the NFL Draft.
Twenty-three have been first-rounders.
The subdivision had multiple first-round draft picks in 1988, 2000, 2008, and 2022. Jackson State is the only team to have two first-rounders in the same year, occurring in 2000.
Here’s a look at past FCS players drafted in the opening round.
RELATED: # Of Draft Picks Per Year
FCS First-Round Draft Picks
1979 — Morehead State QB Phil Simms
Pick 7, New York Giants
1980 — Alcorn State DB Roynell Young
Pick 23, Philadelphia
1983 — McNeese DB Leonard Smith
Pick 17, St. Louis
1984 — Southern Illinois DB Terry Taylor
Pick 22, Seattle
1985 — Mississippi Valley State WR Jerry Rice
Pick 16, San Francisco
1988 — Northwestern State RB John Stephens
Pick 17, New England
1988 — Eastern Kentucky DE Aaron Jones
Pick 18, Pittsburgh
1989 — Northern Arizona WR Shawn Collins
Pick 27, Atlanta
1990 — Liberty TE Eric Green
Pick 21, Pittsburgh
1992 — South Carolina State DL Robert Porcher
Pick 26, Detroit
1993 — Jackson State OG Lester Holmes
Pick 19, Philadelphia
1994 — Alcorn State DE John Thierry
Pick 11, Chicago
1995 — Alcorn State QB Steve McNair
Pick 3, Houston
1996 — North Carolina A&T OT Jamain Stephens
Pick 29, Pittsburgh
2000 — Jackson State WR Sylvester Morris
Pick 21, Kansas City
2000 — Jackson State DB Rashard Anderson
Pick 23, Carolina
2008 — Tennessee State DB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Pick 16, Arizona
2008 — Delaware QB Joe Flacco
Pick 18, Baltimore
2016 — North Dakota State QB Carson Wentz
Pick 2, Philadelphia
2019 — Alabama State OT Tytus Howard
Pick 23, Houston
2021 — North Dakota State QB Trey Lance
Pick 3, San Francisco
2022 — Northern Iowa OT Trevor Penning
Pick 19, New Orleans
2022 — Chattanooga OG/OC Cole Strange
Pick 29, New England
2025 — North Dakota State OL Grey Zabel
Pick 18, Seattle
