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The 2025 NFL draft is complete. Eight FCS players were selected in this year’s draft, led by North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel, who went 18th overall in the first round. Here’s a breakdown of who was selected.
8 FCS players selected in the 2025 NFL draft
See every FCS player selected below:
Player
Position
School
NFL TEAM
Round (Pick)
Overall Pick
Grey Zabel
Offensive line
North Dakota State
Seattle Seahawks
1 (18)
18
Charles Grant
Offensive line
William & Mary
Las Vegas Raiders
3 (35)
99
David Walker
Edge
Central Arkansas
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4 (19)
121
Carson Vinson
Offensive line
Alabama A&M
Baltimore Ravens
5 (3)
141
Jackson Slater
Offensive line
Sacramento State
Tennessee Titans
5 (31)
167
Tommy Mellott
Quarterback/Wide Receiver
Montana State
Oakland Raiders
6 (37)
213
Cam Miller
Quarterback
North Dakota State
Oakland Raiders
6 (39)
215
Junior Bergen
Wide Receiver
Montana
San Francisco 49ers
7 (36)
252
Number of FCS players drafted by year
NFL draft year
FCS players drafted
2025
8
2024
11
2023
10
2022
20
2021
5
2020
6
2019
13
2018
19
2017
15
2016
20
2015
1
2014
19
2013
19
2012
15
2011
21
2010
19
PAST FCS NFL DRAFT PICKS: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020
2025 NFL draft breakdown
In total there were…
19 Group of 5 players picked (w/ Washington State)
8 FCS players
0 International Players
0 DII Players
1 HBCU player
2024 for comparison
19 Group of 5 players picked
11 FCS players
3 International Players
1 DII Player
0 HBCU…
— Stan Becton (@stan_becton) April 26, 2025
Breakdown by conference
Here’s the complete breakdown of FCS selections by conference
Conference
# of Players Selected
Big Sky
3
MVFC
2
CAA
1
SWAC
1
UAC
1
Breakdown by position
Position
# of Players Selected
OL
4
QB*
2
WR
2
Edge
1
*Tommy Mellott is counted twice at quarterback and wide receiver
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Notables
The fifth and sixth rounds saw the most FCS players selected with two in each round.
The Oakland Raiders were the only NFL team to select multiple FCS players, selecting three. That matches the Indianapolis Colts in 2022 for the most FCS players selected by a single team in an NFL draft this decade.
North Dakota State was the only FCS team with multiple players drafted.
North Dakota State has had a player drafted in six of the last seven seasons, dating back to 2019. 2024 was the lone year the Bison didn’t have a draft pick.
North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel is the 24th FCS player drafted in the first round. He’s the first FCS player picked in the first round since 2022. His No. 18 selection marks the highest FCS selection since 2021.
Charles Grant is the second William & Mary offensive lineman selected in three years, joining Colby Sorsdal, a fifth round pick in 2023.
David Walker won the Buck Buchanan Award in 2024 as the top defensive player in the FCS.
Walker is the first Buck Buchanan Award winner selected in the NFL draft since North Dakota State’s Kyle Emanuel went in the fifth round in 2015.
Carson Vinson is Alabama A&M’s first draft pick since 2011.
Jackson Slater didn’t allow a sack or quarterback hit during his senior season.
Tommy Mellott was drafted as a wide receiver by the Oakland Raiders after running a 4.3 at his pro day. Mellott won the Walter Payton Award in 2024 playing quarterback.
Mellott is the first Walter Payton Award winner drafted since Trey Lance.
Cam Miller is North Dakota State’s 16th player drafted since becoming an FCS program in 2004.
Miller’s selection makes it four straight North Dakota State starting quarterbacks to be drafted, dating back to 2013. The starting signal-caller lineage goes: Carson Wentz (2013-15), Easton Stick (2016-18), Trey Lance (2019-21) and Cam Miller (2021-24).
Junior Bergen is the first Montana player selected since Tyron Holmes in 2016.
Consecutive Years with a Draft Pick
FCS School
Years of Streak
16
Jackson State
1979-1994
10
Grambling State
1986-1995
7
Northeast Louisiana
1982-1988
6
Southern
1987-1992
6
Alabama State
1980-1985
6
South Carolina State
1980-1985
6
Grambling State
1979-1984
5
Florida A&M
1994-1998
5
Tennessee State
1992-1996
5
James Madison
1986-1990
5
North Dakota State
2019-2023
MORE: These are the highest FCS first-round NFL draft picks ever
1 HBCU football player selected in the 2025 NFL draft
Alabama A&M offensive lineman Carson Vinson was the lone HBCU player selected in this year’s NFL draft. He joins Jackson State cornerback Isaiah Bolden (New England Patriots, 2023) as the only HBCU football players drafted in the last three years.
Number of HBCU players drafted by year
NFL draft year
HBCU players drafted
FCS HBCU Players Drafted
2025
1
1
2024
0
0
2023
1
1
2022
4
3
2021
0
0
2020
1
1
2019
4
4
2018
3
2
2017
4
3
2016
3
3
2015
4
4
2014
2
2
2013
2
2
2012
1
1
2011
4
4
2010
2
1
While the NFL draft has concluded, expect several FCS and HBCU players to find NFL homes as undrafted free agents.
Stan Becton joined NCAA.com in 2021 and has since served as a college football, FCS football, track and field, cross country and HBCU beat reporter. He has covered numerous NCAA championship events, including the FCS Championship, DI Track & Field Championships and Men’s Frozen Four. Additionally, he has covered the College Football Playoff and HBCU sporting events like the Celebration Bowl, MEAC/SWAC Challenge and Legacy Classic. Stan graduated from Carnegie Mellon University, earning a degree in Professional Writing and playing football as a five-year letterman. You can follow him on Twitter @stan_becton.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions.
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