Small School All-Star Game Standouts: Which Group of 5, FCS, and even DIII players punched up to competition?

The Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Bowl are great barometers for small school prospects to get a taste against higher-level competition, so which small school 2026 NFL Draft prospects stood out?

Evaluating small-school prospects at NFL Draft showcases like the East-West Shrine Bowl and Panini Senior Bowl has become more difficult over the years.

While those events used to add potential first-round selections, those prospects have begun to protect themselves by opting out of the game. As a result, the talent pool for these events has only been diluted, with the games beginning to extend invitations to more day three talents than before.

For someone who dedicates an unhealthy amount of time to evaluating small-school prospects for the NFL Draft, the changing landscape of pre-draft events has made this task a little more challenging. It’s not impossible – last season, the Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl had invited multiple draftable small-school players to their events, which remained true in 2026 – but it has put even less weight into the event.

Regardless, these bowl games can be a way for small-school prospects to get on the radar and boost their stock. For example, Western Kentucky cornerback Upton Stout proved that his small frame would not be a deterrent against high-level talent at last season’s Senior Bowl. Stout, a third-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers, was an immediate starter for a playoff team in his rookie season.

This year, plenty of small-school prospects impressed during the multiple days of practice, with multiple playing themselves into draftable grades.