The 2023 NFL draft is approaching and plenty of FCS players could hear their names called. Here’s a look at some of the top prospects.
FCS prospects to know for the 2023 NFL draft
Players are sorted alphabetically by last name
Shaquan Davis | WR | South Carolina State
Shaquan Davis caught 11 touchdowns in 2022 after bursting on the scene in the 2021 Celebration Bowl. Davis is intriguing as a prospect thanks to his ability to make contested catches with his 6’5 frame.
Mark Evans II | OL | Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Mark Evans II is one of two HBCU prospects that received an invite to the NFL combine. While Evans played left tackle for much of his career at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, he projects to the interior at the next level.
RELATED: The top HBCU football prospects in the 2023 NFL draft
Noah Gindorff | TE | North Dakota State
Noah Gindorff has had injuries in each of the past two years, but the 6’6 tight end caught 12 touchdowns in his championship-winning career at North Dakota State. When on the field, Gindorff has shown versatility as both a blocker and pass catcher.
Andrei Iosivas | WR | Princeton
Andrei Iosivas has true track speed, running a 4.43 40-yard dash and competing for Princeton in the NCAA indoor track and field championships. Iosivas also has NFL size 6’3 and 200 plus pounds. He led the entire Ivy League in receiving yards, touchdowns and receptions last fall.
CAREER RECAP: Andrei Iosivas’ College football career, stats, highlights, records
Kennan Issac | CB | Alabama State
Keenan Issac has had a busy offseason, playing in the NFL PA Bowl and the HBCU Legacy Bowl, impressing scouts at both. Issac is a bigger cornerback at 6’2, with size and athleticism that transfers to the next level.
Tucker Kraft | TE | South Dakota State
Tucker Kraft is the rare FCS prospect that declared early for the NFL draft after a fantastic career at South Dakota State that ended with a title. Kraft could be the second FCS player taken in the draft thanks to his ability as a pass-catching tight end.
CAREER RECAP: Tucker Kraft’s College football career, stats, highlights, records
Isaiah Land | Edge | Florida A&M
Florida A&M’s Isaiah Land is the other HBCU player that received an invite to the NFL combine. He’s a former Buck Buchanan Award winner and boosted his draft stock after an impressive Senior Bowl where he had a sack and tackle for loss.
CAREER RECAP: Isaiah Land’s College football career, stats, highlights, records
Titus Leo | Edge | Wagner
Titus Leo has risen up draft boards after a standout postseason that included the East-West Shrine Bowl where he notched a sack. Leo won NEC Defensive Player of the Year honors twice in college and made 40 career tackles for loss and 13 career sacks.
Hunter Luepke | FB | North Dakota State
Hunter Luepke injured his shoulder in November, causing him to miss North Dakota State’s playoff run and the NFL combine. However, Luepke stands out as a not-your-normal fullback with 33 touchdowns coming through the air and on the ground.
CAREER RECAP: Hunter Luepke’s College football career, stats, highlights, records
Marte Mapu | LB/S | Sacramento State
Marte Mapu is a tweener, but that’s perfect for today’s NFL. Mapu finished his final season at Sacramento State with 141 tackles and six interceptions. The hybrid linebacker-safety was a standout at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, so much so that he earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl. However, Mapu’s rise may flatten out after he tore his pectoral muscle during the pre-draft process.
🏆: How South Dakota State won the 2022 FCS title
Cody Mauch | OL | North Dakota State
Cody Mauch is the top FCS prospect in the 2023 NFL draft. Mauch dominated at offensive tackle for a North Dakota State offense that consistently ranked near the top of the FCS in rushing. He allowed zero sacks in 2022 before showcasing his multi-positional versatility at the Senior Bowl.
CHAMPIONSHIPS: Schools with the most FCS national championships
Curtis McClendon | OL | Chattanooga
Curtis McClendon will try to follow his former teammate Cole Strange’s footsteps and become the second Chattanooga offensive lineman selected in the NFL draft in as many years. He’s played both guard and tackle in his college career and has NFL size at 6’5 and 300-plus pounds.
Aubrey Miller Jr. | LB | Jackson State
Aubrey Miller led Jackson State’s defense that ranked among the best in the FCS in every category over the last two seasons under Coach Prime. Miller, the 2022 SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, followed up an impressive season with seven tackles (five solo) in the Senior Bowl.
Xavier Smith | WR | Florida A&M
Xavier Smith is the fastest riser in the 2023 pre-draft process. Smith ran a reported 4.3-second 40-yard dash at the HBCU Combine after notching a 1,000-yard season at Florida A&M this fall. Smith followed that up by winning HBCU Legacy Bowl Offensive MVP honors after catching six passes for 85 yards and a touchdown.
MORE: What happened in the 2022 HBCU football season | 2022 Celebration Bowl | Final 2022 Rankings
Colby Sorsdal | OL | William & Mary
Colby Sorsdal started five years in college and had a fantastic season at offensive tackle last year. He was already drafted by the USFL this offseason, and the NFL could be next.
BJ Thompson | DE | Stephen F. Austin
BJ Thompson has a lot of upside as a 6’5 defensive end. While he may need to add more weight, Thompson has shown flashes of potential throughout his career, highlighted by his 20.5 career sacks a Stephen F. Austin.
Zeke Vandenburgh | Edge | Illinois State
Zeke Vandenburgh won the 2022 Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in the FCS thanks to his tantalizing pass rush ability. He made 100 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 14 sacks last year and ran a 4.79 40-yard dash to boost his draft stock at his pro day.