Small School Spotlight: Group of Five and FCS NFL Draft prospects that deserve your attention
Kevin Fielder (@TheKevinFielder on X) throws down a guest spot, highlighting five Group of Five or FCS players that deserve some 2026 NFL Draft love in the month of November
When I graded the top small school prospects last season, I gave nine total players a Day 1 or Day 2 grade. That included three players inside the first round, headlined by running back Ashton Jeanty and edge rusher Mike Green – my two highest-graded players.
This season, I don’t expect to see similar success come from the Group of Five or FCS ranks. While players like San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson and Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren will likely earn a grade within that range, it’s projected to be a relatively weaker small-school class at the top.
However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t small school players that will make NFL teams happy come April. As I evaluate the later rounds of this year’s NFL Draft, I come away thinking there might be even more talent from smaller programs in the draft pool.
In an effort to showcase some of that talent, I took it upon myself to narrow down a list of about twenty “under-the-radar” prospects to five, a project that caused more stress than it should have. With just three weeks remaining in the FBS season, these are the players who have left me incredibly impressed, earning either a future starter or high-level backup grade.
Florida International running back Kejon Owens popped up on my radar two seasons ago, when he ran for 101 yards and three touchdowns (all in the second half) against North Texas. While Owens was nothing more than a rotational running back that season, it was evident that Owens had the power and size to be an intriguing prospect in the future.
This season, Owens is finally getting a chance to showcase his actual talent under new head coach Willie Simmons. In nine games so far, Owens has rushed for 955 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging an impressive 6.3 yards per carry. While his best game came against Western Kentucky (22 carries, 195 yards, one touchdown), Owens held his own against Penn State earlier this season, totaling 78 yards on 15 carries.
At 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, Owens wins with his power, contact balance, and vision. He doesn’t have breakaway speed and likely won’t factor in on third downs, but he’s able to hold his own against punishing hits and gain the dirty yards that others aren’t capable of. Those traits, combined with production as a senior, typically lead to late-round interest from teams, and they’re a big reason why he earned a quality backup grade from me.
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