The NFL Draft is almost always dominated by the Power 5 schools, and the 2023 iteration of it will be no different. The usual culprits from the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 will produce plenty of high-level prospects who will be drafted early while members from non-Power 5 schools may slip through the cracks.
Those will include numerous prospects from the lower levels of college football, namely those that played in the FCS and Div. II.
While FCS and Div. II competition may be a step down from the FBS, there are still plenty of high-quality players that emerge from those divisions top become top prospects. Over the last decade, players like Carson Wentz, Trey Lance, Trevor Penning, Cole Strange and Tytus Howard have all heard their names called in the first round of drafts.
And plenty more players have managed to carve out quality roles for themselves in the NFL despite being a part of college football's less-heralded divisions. Not all will necessarily turn into Cooper Kupp and Shaquille Leonard-type NFL stars, but some will be starters and quality depth pieces for contenders.
There aren't any sure-fire first-round prospects among the FCS, Div. II and HBCU sleepers in the 2023 NFL Draft, but players like Cody Mauch, Tucker Kraft and Andrei Iosivas are all expected to find roles at the next level.
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Below is a breakdown of the top 14 small-school prospects to know ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
NFL Draft sleepers 2023
1. Cody Mauch, OT, North Dakota State
For the second consecutive year, the top FCS player in the draft is an offensive lineman. Unlike Trevor Penning and Cole Strange, Cody Mauch might not be a first-round pick, but there is plenty to like about the North Dakota State product.
Mauch (6-5, 302 pounds) is an excellent run blocker and figures to be a mauler at the NFL level. He started 39 games during his college career most of which came at left tackle. He posted a short-shuttle time of 4.55 seconds at the NFL Combine — second-best among offensive tackle prospects — so that means he should be able to remain at tackle in the NFL. Still, a guard-needy team may draft him in the hopes of turning him into a road-grader on the interior offensive line.
All told, Mauch's versatility and toughness will make him a coveted prospect. It's possible he could sneak into the end of the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft but it's more likely he will be a Day 2 selection. Just don't expect him to last long if he does make it to Friday.
2. Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State
The 2023 NFL Draft is considered deep at the tight end position, and Kraft is among the Day 2 sleepers that could emerge as quality starters in the NFL.
Kraft sports a 6-5, 254-pound frame that should allow him to become a good blocker at tight end. He also is a very good athlete, as he has a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.68 out of 10 based on his workout at the NFL Combine. In particular, his 4.69 40-yard dash and his 10-2 broad jump demonstrate that he has above-average speed and explosiveness for the next level.
Kraft caught just 27 passes for 348 yards and three touchdowns for the Jackrabbits as a senior, but he more than doubled that production as a junior, posting 65 catches, 773 yards and six touchdowns during the 2021 season. As such, he should be a strong pass-catching weapon in the NFL.
Among the best pro player comparisons for Kraft is another South Dakota State product, Dallas Goedert. The Eagles selected Goedert in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft and he has since become one of the league's best and most well-rounded tight ends. Teams will expect similar success from Kraft.
3. Andrei Iosivas, WR, Princeton
Iosivas has steadily risen during the lead-up to the 2023 NFL Draft. He performed well at the Senior Bowl, showcasing good speed to go with his 6-3, 205-pound frame, and he followed that up with an impressive 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
Iosivas' size and speed combination is helped by the fact that he was productive at Princeton. He generated 66 catches for 943 yards and seven touchdowns in his final year with the Tigers while showcasing strong contested-catch abilities and good route-running skills. He may need to expand his catch radius to take full advantage of his frame, but the potential to be a productive receiver — and perhaps even a starter — is there.
As such, Iosivas is considered a potential Day 2 prospect and one who certainly shouldn't last long on Day 3 if he falls that far.
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4. McClendon Curtis, OL, Chattanooga
Cole Strange was a sleeper offensive lineman out of Chattanooga last year and ultimately went in the first round. Curtis won't go quite that high, but he has the potential to be a mid-round pick and an eventual starter at the NFL level.
Curtis has a rock-solid 6-6, 324-pound frame and that should allow him to be a road-grade run blocker in the NFL. There are some questions about his overall athleticism. He isn't particularly fast or explosive and has a RAS of just 7.73, but teams will be intrigued by his experience — 38 total starts including 31 at guard an seven at tackle — size and length.
5. Marte Mapu, S/LB, Sacramento State
There's some debate about whether Mapu will be a safety or a linebacker at the next level. His status as a tweener could negatively impact him during the draft, but some teams may view his potential versatility as an asset.
Mapu profiles as a quality box safety or a solid outside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme who can use his size (6-3, 217 pounds) to be a downhill playmaker. His strength was in run support but he has enough speed to cover tight ends well at the next level.
Mapu also has the potential to be a strong special teams player because of his tackling abilities. He racked up 76 tackles during his final season with the Hornets while adding two interceptions and a sack. That production and potential combo should make him a solid Day 3 pick.
6. Hunter Luepke, FB, North Dakota State
Luepke's official listed position is fullback, but he is more than just a downhill blocker. He has some Kyle Juzszcyk in his game as a versatile H-back who can make plays as a fullback, tight end and a running back.
During his final year at North Dakota State, Luepke carried the ball 98 times for 621 yards and nine touchdowns. He wasn't just efficient on the ground though; through the air, Luepke caught 14 passes for 196 yards and four touchdowns. In total, he scored on 11.6 percent of his touches during the season.
Luepke's versatility and solid size (6-1, 236 pounds) should allow him to be drafted despite the devaluing of the fullback position. And soon, he could find himself becoming a household name like the seven-time Pro Bowler Juzszcyk.
7. Isaiah Land, EDGE, Florida A&M
Land is an excellent pure pass rusher and was able to generate seven sacks during his final season with the Rattlers. This came after he recorded a whopping 19 sacks during the 2021 campaign.
Normally, Land's type of pure pass-rushing production would attract looks early in the NFL Draft. So, why does he only check in at No. 7 on this list? Well, it's about his size. He's just under 6-4, 236 pounds, so teams may be worried about whether he will have the weight to hold up as an edge rusher in the NFL. And beyond that, they will have concerns about whether he will be able to be strong enough against the run to be a multi-down player.
Still, you can never have too many pass rushers in the NFL, so Land figures to be a Day 3 pick. If he can bulk up, he could emerge as a quality rotational player.
8. Benny Sapp III, S, Northern Iowa
Sapp should be a Day 3 pick given the ball-hawking ability that he showcased at Northern Iowa. He had four interceptions in each of his last two seasons with the Panthers and has good size at 5-11, 203 pounds for the next level.
Sapp also has NFL bloodlines, as his father played six seasons in the NFL for the Chiefs, Vikings and Dolphins after going undrafted out of Northern Iowa. The younger Sapp could follow a similar route, though it seems possible that he could be selected in the final couple rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft.
9. Caleb Murphy, EDGE, Ferris State
If you're looking for a productive pass rusher, look no further than Murphy. He notched a ridiculous 25.5 sacks during his final season at Ferris State. That is not a typo. That type of production will get him looks at the next level, though the jump from Div. II to the NFL could prove challenging for him, as evidenced by his solid but unspectacular performance at the East-West Shrine Game.
Murphy was invited to the 2023 NFL Combine and ran a 4.81 40-yard dash with a 1.65-second 10-yard split. He measured in at 6-3, 254 pounds and posted a merely adequate RAS of 5.07. That may limit his overall ceiling in the NFL, but his production alone should be enough to get him drafted late in 2023.
10. Mark Evans II, OL, Arkansas Pine-Bluff
Evans played tackle during his time at Arkansas Pine-Bluff, but he will need to move inside to guard to carve out an NFL career. He simply doesn't have the length or weight on his 6-2 1/2, 303-pound frame to survive on the outside.
That said, Evans is a tenacious run blocker and while he may not be the greatest athlete, he has the functional strength needed to be a solid interior lineman in the NFL. He showed well enough at the East-West Shrine Game to draw Day 3 consideration, especially considering that he could ultimately kick inside to center if all goes well.
NFL teams are always looking for offensive line depth. So, while Evans may not be the raw athlete with upside that teams tend to look for late, he will endear himself to enough coaches to be a potential late-round selection.
11. Tyson Bagent, QB, Shepherd
Bagent didn't get much attention entering the 2022 college football season playing at Div. II Shepherd, but he was invited to the Senior Bowl after he threw for 4,580 yards, 41 touchdowns and eight interceptions as a senior. He showed well enough at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine to draw consideration as a late-round developmental quarterback.
Bagent is 6-3, 213 pounds and has the athletic ability needed to be an NFL-caliber quarterback. He doesn't have the biggest arm, but his four years of starting experience and quick release will intrigue teams enough to consider drafting him.
Bagent didn't get selected in SN's QB-only mock draft, but don't be surprised if he sneaks into the seventh round. And if he doesn't, he'll be among the high-priority undrafted free agents that will find their ways onto 90-man rosters.
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12. Aubrey Miller Jr., LB, Jackson State
Miller was a do-it-all linebacker in Deion Sanders' defenses at Jackson State. He racked up a whopping 117 tackles, 12 TFL, five forced fumbles and two sacks in his final year with the Tigers, showcasing that he has potential at the NFL level.
Miller will need to get better at playing in space in the NFL, but at 6-2, 225 pounds, there's reason to take a flier on him given his production. That will make the former four-star recruit an intriguing late-round possibility for teams seeking help on defense and special teams.
13. Quinton Barrow, OT, Grand Valley State
Barrow, a 6-6, 331-pound offensive tackle, played at Div. II Grand Valley State, a school that has produced several NFL players to date, most notably Matthew Judon. He has the size needed to develop into an NFL tackle and that was enough to get him an invite to the East-West Shrine Game.
Barrow isn't guaranteed to be drafted, and he wasn't invited to the NFL Combine. Still, his size will intrigue enough NFL teams that he could be a seventh-round flier or a high-priority undrafted player.
14. Noah Gindorff, TE, North Dakota State
Gindorff hasn't done much as a pass-catcher during his college days, but at 6-6, 263 pounds, he profiles as a quality blocking tight end who could become a quality red-zone threat in the NFL. That will get him some late-round looks, especially considering that 12 of his 44 career catches went for touchdowns.
