FCS Draft Picks Missing From First Three Rounds
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- FCS had zero players taken in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft, a first since the 1978 Division I split.
- NFL Draft selected only four players directly from FCS schools, while 239 of the 257 picks came from Power Five conferences.
- NFL Draft added 11 more small‑college players on Day 3, bringing the total small‑college selections to 16.
- Southeastern Louisiana coach Frank Scelfo warned that top players are jumping to FBS programs for money and exposure.
- Montana Tech coach Kyle Samson said keeping elite talent is “harder than ever,” reflecting growing frustration at lower‑tier programs.
- Tarleton State coach Todd Whitten announced a strategic embrace of the transfer portal and NIL as the school moves toward Division I.
- Jake Golday left Central Arkansas for Cincinnati, exemplifying the early‑career jumps that strip FCS rosters of NFL‑ready talent.
Why it matters: FBS programs capture 239 of 257 draft picks, while lower‑tier schools lose their best players—only four FCS picks overall—tightening revenue gaps and forcing small programs to overhaul recruiting and budgeting.
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