The 2026 NFL draft is turning out to be different from the norm. In the first round, all 32 players were selected from FBS schools, and the second day of the draft followed the same pattern, marking a drought that broke a historic streak spanning 47 years.

For the first time since the NCAA created the FCS division in 1978, no player from the subdivision was selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft, a historic shutout from the top 100 picks.

The streak was kept alive for decades by legends who proved the value of small-school talent, from foundational Hall of Famers like Jackson State’s Walter Payton and Mississippi Valley State’s Jerry Rice to more recent stars like Eastern Washington’s Cooper Kupp. But in the present era of NIL and the transfer portal in CFB, the reason for this drought is very evident.

Power conference schools can offer massive NIL deals that FCS programs simply cannot match. That’s why dominant FCS athletes transfer up to FBS powerhouses as soon as they break out. Before they reach draft eligibility, major programs have essentially become “finishing schools” for small-school talent.

For instance, players like Jake Golday, who started at Central Arkansas before transferring to Cincinnati, or Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren show that while FCS talent is still very real, the label on their jersey on draft night has changed. Golday was selected No. 51 overall by Minnesota, while Trost went to the Rams with the No. 93 overall pick.

Day 3 finally brought some respite for FCS players, but it took till the No. 104 overall pick to do so. The Arizona Cardinals selected defensive lineman Kaleb Proctor from Southeastern Louisiana. Following that, North Dakota State’s WR Bryce Lance, who is the younger brother of Trey Lance, was picked by the Saints with the No. 136 overall pick.

Lance impressed the teams when he ran a 4.34 40-yard dash. The Vikings also added CB Charles Demmins with the No. 163 overall pick. Similar to Lance, Demmings improved his draft stock at the Combine with a 42-inch vertical. He was also the only FCS DB who got an invite to the Senior Bowl.

The Packers could land an FCS target

Aidan Bouman, a massive 6-foot-5, 218-pound left-handed passer from South Dakota, checks a lot of boxes for Day 3 value. He finished his senior season as South Dakota’s all-time leader in passing yards and completions. Now, when Green Bay GM Brian Gutekunst uses late Day 3 picks to stock up on backup QB talent, they could secure Aidan.

“My time at USD made me who I am,” said Aidan Bouman. “I matured into a confident quarterback, but more importantly, a man. I am forever indebted to that university. My greatest strength is my mental game. I take true pride in being a step ahead any chance I can get, and know that my ability to be a student of the game at all times will help me be successful.”

Bouman’s potential fit in Green Bay has a familiar ring to it, as his father, Todd, spent time with the Packers in 2006. The younger Bouman built his own legacy at South Dakota, where he became a multi-year captain and threw 68 touchdowns against just 18 interceptions.

“I take pride in being a leader. As a quarterback, it’s a tremendous amount of responsibility that I genuinely love. I will help all 10 other guys on the field with me to become the best versions of themselves they can be,” said the FCS QB. “The Packers should draft me not because of what I can do individually, but what I believe I can lead our offense to do collectively.”