So … you didn't get drafted this weekend. Is it the end of the world?
Uh, no.
Last year, 23 undrafted FCS rookie free agent products saw the field in the NFL, and 7 of them ended up starting games in the league. Only 20 FCS players were drafted, and 10 ended up starting games — but two of those FCS draftees never even saw the field. So obviously, the draft isn't make or break — there will be extra chances to get onto a day one NFL roster.
RELATED: How did 2016 undrafted rookie free agents out of the FCS fare?
RELATED: How did last year's FCS draft picks do in the 2016 NFL season?
It may be a tad bit easier to make an NFL roster when you're drafted, but your dream doesn't end this Saturday night if it doesn't happen. Last year? Grambling's Chester Rogers, Samford's Michael Pierce, Harvard's Ben Braunecker and Portland State's Pat Onwuasor weren't drafted, but played key roles for NFL teams.
And how about with specialists, like this year's elite group — Indiana State long snapper Josh Appel, South Dakota's Miles Bergner and Cornell's Chris Fraser? They almost certainly won't be drafted, yet there's a very strong chance they may end up being NFL starters this fall.
RELATED: Which 2017 FCS products are consensus draft picks? HERO Sports shows you.
[divider]
These FCS prospects — day three/free agent guys — who are the hottest trending coming into the draft weekend according to NFLDraftScout.com. This could translate into a late-round pickup on Saturday, or a free agent signing within hours of the draft later that night.
SCHOOL | PLAYER | POS | HGT | WGT | 40 |
Coastal Carolina | Alex Scearce | OLB | 6'2" | 226 | 4.76 |
Duquesne | Larson Graham | OT | 6'5" | 292 | 5.15 |
Harvard | Max Rich | OT | 6'7" | 311 | 5.12 |
Indiana State | Robert Tonyan Jr. | WR | 6'5" | 236 | 4.58 |
Southern Illinois | Chase Allen | ILB | 6'4" | 241 | 4.58 |
Southern Utah | Steven Wroblewski | TE | 6'7" | 252 | 4.6 |
Stetson | Donald Payne | SS | 5'11" | 195 | 4.64 |
Weber State | Tre'von Johnson | ILB | 6'0" | 231 | 4.51 |
Here are some FCS prospects who fans should expect to be under free agent contract by the end of this weekend. Keep in mind, there will be dozens more than this:
Jonathan Dorsey | Alabama A&M | TE | 6'6" | 234 | 4.63 |
Alexander Jette | Brown | WR | 6'0" | 184 | 4.45 |
C.J. Board | Chattanooga | WR | 6'1" | 181 | 4.42 |
Chris Fraser | Cornell | P | 6'1" | 205 | n/a |
Charlie Miller | Dartmouth | FS | 6'0" | 185 | 4.39 |
Folarin Orimolade | Dartmouth | ILB | 5'11" | 252 | 4.76 |
Connor Bozick | Delaware | OT | 6'5" | 293 | 5.34 |
Christian Kuntz | Duquesne | OLB | 6'1" | 228 | 4.83 |
Devin Church | Eastern Illinois | RB | 5'7" | 198 | 4.55 |
Shaq Hill | Eastern Washington | WR | 5'10" | 180 | 4.41 |
Jacques Bryant | Florida A&M | FS | 5'11" | 206 | 4.42 |
Phazahn Odom | Fordham | TE | 6'8" | 245 | 4.74 |
Chad Geter | Gardner-Webb | ILB | 6'1" | 234 | 4.78 |
Doug Webb | Harvard | DT | 6'3" | 290 | 4.81 |
B.J. Bello | Illinois State | LB | 6'2" | 227 | 4.55 |
Mark Spelman | Illinois State | C | 6'2" | 299 | 5.31 |
Jameer Thurman | Indiana State | ILB | 6'0" | 225 | 4.6 |
Josh Appel | Indiana State | LS | 6'2" | 260 | n/a |
Daniel Williams | Jackson State | WR | 6'2" | 234 | 4.51 |
Eli Jenkins | Jacksonville State | QB | 6'1" | 210 | 4.72 |
Josh Clemons | Jacksonville State | RB | 5'10" | 220 | 4.65 |
Khalid Abdullah | James Madison | RB | 5'9" | 211 | 4.69 |
Gage Steele | James Madison | ILB | 6'1" | 236 | 4.81 |
Mitch Kirsch | James Madison | OT | 6'5" | 306 | 5.25 |
Taylor Reynolds | James Madison | CB | 5'11" | 195 | 4.66 |
Bret Treadway | Lamar | OG | 6'4" | 295 | 5.08 |
Darnell Leslie | Monmouth | OLB | 6'1" | 229 | 4.7 |
Caleb Kidder | Montana | DE | 6'5" | 269 | 4.93 |
Chad Newell | Montana State | FB | 6'1" | 215 | 4.76 |
Fletcher Collins | Montana State | OLB | 6'2" | 225 | 4.69 |
Andrew Lauderdale | New Hampshire | OT | 6'6" | 296 | 4.9 |
Dalton Crossan | New Hampshire | RB | 5'10" | 202 | 4.52 |
Zack Johnson | North Dakota State | OG | 6'4" | 346 | 5.31 |
Landon Lechler | North Dakota State | OT | 6'7" | 306 | n/a |
Kyle Sloter | Northern Colorado | QB | 6'5" | 211 | 4.79 |
Karter Schult | Northern Iowa | DE | 6'3" | 263 | 4.91 |
Aaron Bailey | Northern Iowa | RB | 6'0" | 233 | 4.55 |
Dorian Williams | Princeton | SS | 5'10" | 203 | 4.66 |
Thomas Evans | Richmond | OG | 6'3" | 305 | 5.15 |
Omar Howard | Richmond | ILB | 6'0" | 234 | 4.73 |
Javarius Leamon | S.C. State | OT | 6'7" | 332 | 5.4 |
Karel Hamilton | Samford | WR | 6'1" | 199 | 4.59 |
Jonah Hodges | San Diego | RB | 5'9" | 194 | 4.62 |
Jon Taylor | SE Louisiana | DT | 6'4" | 345 | 5.15 |
Miles Bergner | South Dakota | P | 6'0" | 237 | 5.09 |
Jet Moreland | South Dakota | OLB | 6'2" | 224 | n/a |
Josh Thornton | Southern Utah | CB | 5'10" | 180 | 4.37 |
Mike Sharp | Southern Utaha | WR | 6'1" | 195 | n/a |
Zach Conque | Stephen F. Austin | QB | 6'5" | 237 | 4.56 |
Derrick Griffin | Texas Southern | TE | 6'6" | 248 | n/a |
Tyler Renew | The Citadel | FB | 5'11" | 231 | 4.7 |
Tevin Floyd | The Citadel | OLB | 6'0" | 237 | n/a |
Christian Schneider | UC Davis | OT | 6'5" | 301 | 5.12 |
Austin Calitro | Villanova | LB | 6'4" | 250 | 4.79 |
Lance Lenoir | Western Illinois | WR | 6'0" | 199 | 4.65 |
Anton Wahrby | Wofford | OG | 6'3" | 300 | 5.29 |
Lorenzo Long | Wofford | RB | 5'8" | 204 | 4.63 |
David Rivers III | Youngstown State | CB | 6'1" | 186 | 4.56 |