The 2024 NFL Draft is complete and over a dozen former FCS players are on their way to NFL careers. The advent of the transfer portal has allowed players maximum flexibility towards finding the right fit and FCS players often end up playing in the FBS before being drafted. 11 players were selected directly from an FCS school with another 6 players selected from an FBS school but had previously played in the FCS. Below is a table showing all former FCS players that were drafted even if they were at the FCS school for only a season or two.
The first player chosen with prior FCS experience was Jared Verse. Verse played at Albany from 2019 through 2021 and was named second-team All-CAA and the Defensive Rookie of the Year as a redshirt freshman in the 2020-21 fall/spring season. In the fall of 2021, he was named a first-team All-CAA selection after recording 53 tackles, 11.5 tackles-for-loss, and 9.5 sacks. Verse transferred before the 2022 season to Florida State where he was named a first-team All-American and first-team All-ACC in 2022 and 2023.
The table below will be populated as more picks are made with additional career highlights for each player.
| Player | Round/Pick | School (Years) | FCS School (Years) | Position | NFL Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jared Verse | 1st Round (19th Overall) | Florida State (2022 – 2023) | Albany (2019 – 2021) | Defensive End | Los Angeles Rams |
| Kiran Amegadjie | 3rd Round (75th Overall) | Yale (2020 – 2023) | Yale (2020 – 2023) | Offensive Tackle | Chicago Bears |
| Jalyx Hunt | 3rd Round (94th Overall) | Houston Christian (2022 – 2023) | Cornell (2019 – 2021) Houston Christian (2022 – 2023) | Defensive End | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Mason McCormick | 4th Round (119th Overall) | South Dakota State (2018 – 2023) | South Dakota State (2018 – 2023) | Offensive Guard | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Malik Mustapha | 4th Round (124th Overall) | Wake Forest (2021 – 2023) | Richmond (2020) | Safety | San Francisco 49ers |
| Hunter Nourzad | 5th Round (159th Overall) | Penn State (2022 – 2023) | Cornell (2018-2021) | Center | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Isaiah Davis | 5th Round (173rd Overall) | South Dakota State (2020 – 2023) | South Dakota State (2020 – 2023) | Running Back | New York Jets |
| Tanner McLachlan | 6th Round (194th Overall) | Arizona (2022 – 2023) | Southern Utah (2018 – 2021) | Tight End | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Khristian Boyd | 6th Round (199th Overall) | Northern Iowa (2018 – 2023) | Northern Iowa (2018 – 2023) | Defensive Tackle | New Orleans Saints |
| Tylan Grable | 6th Round (204th Overall) | UCF (2022 – 2023) | Jacksonville State (2018 – 2021) | Offensive Tackle | Buffalo Bills |
| Dylan Laube | 6th Round (208th Overall) | New Hampshire (2018 – 2023) | New Hampshire (2018 – 2023) | Running Back | Las Vegas Raiders |
| Ryan Flournoy | 6th Round (216th Overall) | Southeast Missouri State (2022 – 2023) | Southeast Missouri State (2022 – 2023) | Wide Receiver | Dallas Cowboys |
| Myles Harden | 7th Round (227th Overall) | South Dakota (2020 – 2023) | South Dakota (2020 – 2023) | Cornerback | Cleveland Browns |
| Levi Drake Rodriguez | 7th Round (232nd Overall) | Texas A&M-Commerce (2022 – 2023) | Texas A&M-Commerce (2022 – 2023) | Defensive Tackle | Minnesota Vikings |
| Josiah Ezirim | 7th Round (240th Overall) | Eastern Kentucky (2019 – 2023) | Eastern Kentucky (2019 – 2023) | Offensive Tackle | New Orleans Saints |
| C.J. Hanson | 7th Round (248th Overall) | Holy Cross (2019 – 2023) | Holy Cross (2019 – 2023) | Offensive Guard | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Nick Gargiulo | 7th Round (256th Overall) | South Carolina (2023) | Yale (2018 – 2022) | Center | Denver Broncos |
Kiran Amegadjie was the first player taken directly from an FCS school. He was chosen by the Chicago Bears in the 3rd round with the 75th overall pick out of Yale. Amegadjie started every game in 2021 as the right guard and then moved to left tackle in 2022 where he also started every game. Amegadjie was named as a First-Team All-Ivy League player in 2022. He started four games in 2023 but his season was cut short due to an injury. Amegadjie was still named a First-Team FCS All-American by Phil Steele for the 2023 season.
Jalyx Hunt was the second FCS player taken directly from an FCS school and was selected 94th overall in the 3rd round. Hunt started his collegiate career at Cornell in 2019 where he was originally a safety. He recorded 29 tackles in 17 games with the Big Red and transferred to Houston Christian in 2022. With the Huskies, he recorded 87 tackles, 11.5 tackles-for-loss, and 7 sacks in 2022 as he was named a Second-team All-Southland Conference. In 2023, he had 46 tackles, 9 tackles-for-loss, and 6.5 sacks as he became a menace for opposing offenses. Hunt was named a First-team All-Southland selection, Southland Defensive Player of the Year, and a Second-Team FCS All-American for the 2023 season.
Mason McCormick was selected in the 4th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 119th overall pick. McCormick played in three games a freshman in 2018 at South Dakota State and was redshirted. He made two starts in 2019 before becoming an instrumental part in SDSU’s ascent to the top of the FCS. McCormick was a 4-time FCS All-American from 2020-21 through the 2023 season and was named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s First-Team three times (2020-21, 2022, and 2023). McCormick’s career culminated with back-to-back FCS National Champioships in 2022 and 2023.
Malik Mustapha was selected in the 4th round (124th overall) by the San Francisco 49ers. He originally played at Richmond during Spring of the 2020-21 season. He posted 17 tackles in 4 games and transferred to Wake Forest for the 2021 season. Mustapha was named to the All-ACC Second-Team after posting 80 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 interception during the 2023 campaign.
Hunter Nourzad was taken 159th overall in the 5th round by the Kansas City Chiefs. Nourzad played at Cornell from 2018 through 2021 and started at right tackle in 2019 en route to being named as an Ivy League Second-Team selection. With the Ivy League skipping the 2020 fall and 2021 spring season, Nourzad came back in the fall of 2021 to start all 10 games for the Big Red. He was named to the First Team Ivy-League squad, second-team FCS All-American by the AFCA, and Ivy League Offensive Lineman of the Year by Phil Steele. At Penn State, he was an honorable All-Big Ten mention in 2022 and was voted second-team All-Big Ten for the 2023 season.
Isaiah Davis was the 173rd overall pick in the 5th round by the New York Jets and the second South Dakota State player selected. Davis played a pivotal role in SDSU’s rushing attack in his final two seasons. In 2020 and 2021, he combined to rush for 1,519 yards and 17 touchdowns in 17 games. Those numbers were basically how he did each of his final two seasons. Davis ran for 1,451 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2022 as he was named to the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference First Team and named SDSU’s MVP for the Jackrabbits 2022 FCS title run. In 2023, Davis rushed for 1,578 yards and 18 touchdowns as he once again was named First Team All-MVFC as being named to the First Team FCS All-American squad and MVFC’s co-offensive player of the year.
Tanner McLachlan was taken 194th overall in the 6th round by the Cincinnati Bengal.s He started his collegiate career at Southern Utah in 2018 when he made 3 appearances and was redshirted. In 2019, he made 3 catches for 48 yards in his three appearances. In the spring of 2021, he played in 5 games finishing with 12 catches for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns. He did not play in the fall of 2021 and transferred to Arizona for the 2022 season. With the Wildcats, he started 7 games in 2022 and finished with 34 catches for 456 yards and 2 touchdowns. In 2023, he started 12 games, recorded 45 receptions for 528 yards and 4 touchdowns, was named Second-Team All-Pac-12 by the Associated Press, and was an All-Pac-12 Honourable Mention.
Khristian Boyd was taken 199th overall in the 6th round by the New Orleans Saints. Boyd spent his entire career with Northern Iowa from 2018 through 2023 and recorded a total of 149 tackles, 22.5 tackles-for-loss, and 10.5 sacks. He was a consistent starter the final two seasons making the Second-Team All-MVFC in 2022 after he recorded 32 tackles, 5 tackles-for-loss, and 1 sack. In 2023, he finished with 43 tackles, 6.5 tackles-for-loss, and 3.5 sacks as he was named First-Team All-MVFC and Third-Team FCS All-American.
Tylan Grable was taken 204th overall in the 6th round by the Buffalo Bills. Grable started at Jacksonville State in 2018 (before JSU moved to the FBS), redshirted that season, and made 12 appearances in 2019. In the 2020-21 Fall/Spring season, he started 10 games and was named a Second Team All-american by the AFCA and Stats and All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team. In the Fall of 2021, he was a unanimous All-ASUN selection. Grable transferred to UCF in 2022, made 27 starts in his two years, and was Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference for the 2023 season.
Dylan Laube was selected 208th overall in the 6th round by the Las Vegas Raiders. Laube saw increasing action his first four years at New Hampshire from 2018 through 2021 and was named to a couple FCS Freshman All-America teams by Phil Steel and Hero Sports. He became an integral factor in 2022. He ran for 1,205 yards and 15 touchdowns, had 49 catches for 464 yards and 2 touchdowns, and accounted for 659 return yards and 2 touchdowns. He was selected as the All-CAA First Team punt returner, Second Team running back, and Third Team kickoff returner.
In 2023, Laube ran for 749 yards and 9 touchdowns, caught 68 passes for 699 yards and 7 touchdowns, and had a combined 647 return yards and 2 touchdowns. He was a Walter Payton Award Finalist, named to the All-America First Team, All-CAA First Team running back and punt returning, All-CAA Second Team as a kick returning, and was CAA’s Special Teams Player of the Year.
Ryan Flournoy was selected 216th overall in the 6th round by the Dallas Cowboys. Flournoy transferred into the Southeast Missouri State in 2022 after previous stops at Central Missouri and Iowa Western Community College. In 2022, he recorded 61 catches for 984 yards and 7 touchdowns while also having another 39 yards and a touchdown on the ground in 11 starts. He earned First-Team All-OVC honors in his first season with the Redhawks. In 2023, Flournoy had 57 catches for 839 yards and 6 touchdowns along with 49 yards and a rushing touchdown. Flournoy was hampered by injuries in 2023 but he was still named as a First-Team All-Big South-OVC selection for the year.
Myles Harden was chosen with the 227th overall pick in the 7th round by the Cleveland Browns. He was four-year starter for South Dakota beginning with he 2020-21 Fall/Spring season where he had 16 tackles and 2 interceptions in four games. Harden was named to the MVFC All-Newcomer Team and was an honorable mention for the All-MVFC team. Harden suffered season-ending injuries in 2021 and 2022 but still managed to make the Second-Team All-MVFC squad in 2022 with 44 tackles, 3 interceptions, 9 passes defended, 4 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery in only 6 games. Harden started all 13 games in 2023 finishing with 58 tackles, 1 interception, 7 passes defended, and 1 fumble recovery while making First-Team All-America and First-Team All-MVFC as cornerback.
Levi Drake Rodriguez was taken with the 232nd overall pick in the 7th round by the Cleveland Browns. He began his collegiate career at the NAIA level with Southwestern Assemblies of God and transferred to Texas A&M-Commerce in 2022. Rodriguez played in 11 games with Commerce and finished with 32 tackles, 6 tackles-for-loss, and 2 sacks. In 2023, he recorded 56 total tackles (2nd best on the team) with 7.5 tackles-for-loss and 5.5 sacks. He was named an FCS All-American by Pro Football Focus and was a First-Team All-Southland Confernece selection.
Josiah Ezirim was chosen with the 239th overall pick in the 7th round by the New Orleans Saints. Ezirim played started his career with Eastern Kentucky on the defensive line making 3 tackles in 10 games in 2019. He finished with 9 tackles in 2020 with 6 games played before switching over to the offensive line in the fall of 2021. He played 5 games that fall and started 8 the following season in 2022 as he was named to Phil Steele’s Fourth-Team All-ASUN. In 2023, Ezirim started 11 games and was named to the AFCA’s and Stats’ FCS All-American Second Team, AP’s and Phil Steele’s FCS All-American Third-Team, and First-Team All-United Athletic Conference.
C.J. Hanson was selected with the 248th overall pick in the 7th round by the Kansas City Chiefs. Hanson played with Holy Cross from 2018 through 2023 with six total appearances in 2019 and the 2020-21 seasons. In 2021, he started all 13 games at right guard and was named to Phil Steele’s All-Patriot League Second Team. In 2022, he started all 13 games again and was named to the All-Patriot League First Team and Phil Steele’s All-Patriot League Second Team. In his final year in 2023, he started 11 games and was named to Stats’ All-American Third Team in addition to a second straight All-Patriot League First Team selection.
Nick Gargiulo was selected with the 256th overall pick in the 7th round by the Denver Broncos. Gargiulo started his career at Yale in 2018 where he played in one game and in 2019 he started all 10 games at left tackle. After the Ivy League opted not to compete in the 2020-21 season, Gargiulo made 4 appearances in 2021. In 2022, he reclaimed a starting spot at center and was unanimously selected to the All-Ivy League First Team as Yale won the Ivy League title outright. He transferred to South Carolina for the 2023 season and was named Third-Team All-SEC by College Football Network.
Photo Credit to the University at Albany Athletics
