The 2024 NFL Draft will be held from April 25th to 27th in Detroit, Michigan. Here are some notable FCS and HBCU players.
FCS prospects who participated in the NFL Combine
Kiran Amegaji | OL | Yale University
Kiran Amegazy did not do on-field training at the combine after suffering a late-season injury that limited him to playing just four games in 2023. Still, the 6-foot-5, 323-pound offensive lineman remains one of the top players. Amegazi played primarily left tackle at Yale, earning All-Ivy honors each time he played, and his length and athleticism likely won't get him past Day 2. He is an interesting and promising player.
Mason McCormick | OL | South Dakota State
One of the biggest risers in the pre-draft process from the FCS level is Mason McCormick. The 6-foot-4 offensive guard had a great week by anyone's standards at the East-West Shrine Bowl, and then went on to deliver one of the most athletic performances by an offensive guard in NFL Combine history, this time. He had the most athletic performance of the draft cycle. .
Garrett Greenfield | OL | South Dakota State
If you didn't know the name Garrett Greenfield before the NFL merger, you probably do, but you definitely know the name now. The back-to-back FCS champion broke the combined vertical jump record for an offensive lineman with a jump of 38.5 inches. He grew to a height of 6 feet 6 and a weight of 311 pounds.
Anim Dankwa | OL | Howard
Anim Dankwa is a top prospect in the 2024 FCS HBCU Draft and hopes his journey takes him from Canada to Howard to the NFL. Dankwa dominated in the MEAC at left tackle, and his 6-foot-8 frame and 35 1/8-inch arms had long caught the attention of NFL scouts.
MORE: What Happened in the 2023 HBCU Football Season | 2023 Celebration Bowl | 2023 Final Rankings
Jalen Sandel | OL | North Dakota State
Jalen Sandel expects to become the latest North Dakota State offensive lineman to hear his name called in the NFL Draft. If Sandel is drafted, he would be the fourth straight Bison offensive lineman selected, joining Dillon Radunz (2021), Kordell Volson (2022) and Cody Mauch (2023). Sandel did not participate in on-field workouts due to a knee injury, but at his pro day he improved his draft stock as a versatile offensive lineman who can play center with a 5.19 40-yard dash and 4.58 shuttle.
CJ Hanson | OL | Holy Cross
Holy Cross has been a top-10 team in the FCS for the past two seasons, and CJ Hanson has been a big factor in that success. Hanson served as the anchor for the FCS' third-best rushing offense in 2023, posting a 5.00-second 40-yard dash and 1.76-second 10-yard split at the NFL Combine.
Josiah Ezirim | OL | Eastern Kentucky
Josiah Ezirim, another FCS offensive lineman, did not take field workouts at the combine, but the Eastern Kentucky prospect remains a potential draft pick at 6-foot-6, 329 pounds. With 35-inch arms and his 85 and his 1/4-inch wingspan, Ezirim is projected as an offensive tackle for the team to develop to the next level.
Miles Harden CB | South Dakota
The top FCS defensive back this draft cycle is Myles Harden. Harden was a shutdown corner at the University of South Dakota and was sparingly tested by quarterbacks in his final season. At the combine, he ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash, and his 20-yard shuttle time of 3.98 seconds ranked No. 1 among athletes at his position in 2024.
Looking forward: Top 10 FCS returning quarterbacks in the 2024 transfer portal
Willie Drew | CB | Virginia
Willie Drew is not an FCS candidate and comes from a DII HBCU Virginia State University. Still, he's one of the top HBCU prospects in this draft class. Drew, a 5-foot-11, 191-pound cornerback, was third-fastest at the combine with a 4.46 40-yard dash and 1.49 10-yard split. Drew needed to show what he can do at the Senior Bowl against a higher level of competition and give scouts a better eye.
Dylan Laube | RB | New Hampshire
Dylan Laube gained attention in the college football world after setting an NCAA all-division record with 295 receiving yards against FBS foe Central Michigan. By the way, Laube is a running back. Laube's versatility is why he is on the radar of many scouts entering the NFL Draft. The 5-foot-10, 206-pound Swiss Army Knife running back had a 4.54 40-yard dash (1.52 10-yard splits) and the No. 1 20-yard shuttle time among all runners to improve his draft stock at the combine. Pushed up. He returns to the combine in 4.02 seconds.
Jayden Silden | RB | Monmouth
Two-time Walter Payton Award finalist Jayden Silden is the rare FCS prospect to declare early for the NFL Draft. Sharden was a 5-foot-8, 187-pound running back who was a touchdown threat every time he touched the football, averaging 7.3 yards per carry. His big-play ability was demonstrated at the NFL Combine, where he ran a 4.45 40-yard dash.
Isaiah Davis | RB | South Dakota State
Another one of the best running backs in FCS is entering the NFL Draft in Isiah Davis. Davis played a pivotal role in leading South Dakota State to back-to-back FCS championships, rushing for 4,548 career yards and 50 touchdowns. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.57 seconds at the combine and now hopes to don an NFL helmet as he hoists the FCS championship trophy.
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Ryan Flournoy | WR | Southeast Missouri State
Ryan Flournoy put on a show at the NFL Combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds and jumping 39.5 inches in the vertical jump. Flournoy's speed and explosiveness stand out for his 6-foot-1, 202-pound frame, especially after posting 118 catches, 1,823 yards, and 13 touchdowns in two years at Southeast Missouri State. Stands out.
Jalen Coker | WR | Holy Cross
The highest jump at the NFL Combine was Jalen Coker, who jumped 42.50 inches off the ground. Coker does more than just jump, though. He finished his career with 2,715 receiving yards and 31 receiving touchdowns. For a glimpse of what Coker brings to the next level, watch him catch the Hail Mary to clinch the FCS vs. FBS upset.
WATCH: Jalen Coker catches Hail Mary to knock out Buffalo
Jayrix Hunt | Edge | Houston Christian
Jerkes Hunt is most people's top prospect for edge defender in the FCS. Hunt played defensive end at Houston Christian University, but began his career at Cornell University as a safety. At 6-foot-4, 252 pounds, Hunt still maintains his athleticism, running the 40-yard dash at 4.64 seconds, the eighth-fastest among defensive ends at the combine.
FCS prospects who did not receive a join invitation
Christian Boyd | DT | Northern Iowa
Among draft experts, the FCS player most likely to be drafted without a combine invitation is Christian Boyd. The defensive tackle excelled in the Hula Bowl, earning an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl and going through an excellent pre-draft process. Boyd is a 6-foot-3, 325-pound inside defensive lineman who could hear his name called as early as Day 2.
History: Schools with the most FCS titles | 9 winningest FCS programs of all time | Championship history
Sundiata Anderson | Edge | Grambling State
Sundiata Anderson has long been on the radar of NFL scouts. Anderson is a tall edge rusher with speed and power. Anderson showed off his talent to NFL scouts at the East-West Shrine Bowl and Pro Day with his 38.5-inch vertical.
Devious Richard | QB | North Carolina Central
If not for his injury in the HBCU Legacy Bowl, Devious Richard could have become the first quarterback drafted from an HBCU since the late Tarvaris Jackson decommitted from Alabama State in 2006. Richard had a successful career at North Carolina Central, winning the Celebration Bowl. Before the injury, he was easily the top quarterback prospect outside of the FBS, impressing scouts during practices at the HBCU Combine and Legacy Bowl.
🏆: HBCU Football Championship History
Zareon Hayes, Edge A&M, Alabama
Winning the HBCU Legacy Bowl Defensive MVP will get the attention of NFL scouts. Zareon Hayes has done just that. Hayes recorded four sacks in the HBCU All-Star Game. Hayes ran a 4.7 40-yard dash at UAB's pro day, adding another accomplishment to his pre-draft resume.
Next season: The 2024 college football season begins
Other notable FCS prospects
- Jarvion Howard | RB | Alcorn State University
- Jackson Janke | WR | South Dakota State
- Jadon Janke | WR | South Dakota State
- Mason Tipton | WR | Yale University
- Ty James | WR | Mercer
- Zach Hines | Te | South Dakota
- Nick Correia | OL | Rhode Island
- Evan Gregory | OL | Norfolk State
- Nate Lindeutschland | William and Mary
- AJ Simon | Edge | University at Albany
- Winston Reed | LB | Weber State
- Devan Hebron | LB | Morgan State University
- Lawrence Richardson | LB | Morgan State University
- Mikey Victor | CB | Alabama
- Jordan Colbert | Safety | Rhode Island
- PJ Jules | Safety | Southern Illinois
- Safety John Huggins | Jackson State University
