FCS Standouts from Southland Conference Poised to Shock Scouts at 2026 NFL Combine
When it comes to the NFL Combine, everyone’s eyes typically snap to the big-name FBS prospects, but what if I told you the FCS players are quietly shaking things up too? This year, the spotlight is warming up not just on the perennial powerhouse North Dakota State, but also on a formidable trio from the Southland Conference. These All-Americans—Charles Demmings, Kaleb Proctor, and Jalen Walthall—aren’t just showing up for the photo op; they’re here to turn heads and maybe rewrite the scouting script. With every inch measured, every drill scrutinized, and every interview dissected, these FCS stars have a chance to remind the football world that talent blooms in more fields than the usual glam spots. Can the Combine catch the magic that these under-the-radar players have brewed all season? Time to watch closely. LEARN MORE.
The NFL Combine can be a difference maker for FCS players on the road to the annual draft. Here are the former standouts from the Division I subdivision who will be in Indianapolis.
North Dakota State has been the go-to source for NFL teams in FCS football, but this year, it’s sharing some of the spotlight with the Southland Conference.
Three All-Americans from the Southland are among the former FCS standouts who have been invited to the NFL Combine from Feb. 23 to March 2 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Personnel from all 32 NFL teams place emphasis on the annual showcase, where 319 prospects will go through measurements and medical examinations, psychological testing, team interviews, and on-field workouts, in the lead-up to the NFL Draft, which this year will be held from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
The Southland trio of Stephen F. Austin cornerback Charles Demmings, Southeastern Louisiana defensive tackle Kaleb Proctor and UIW wide receiver Jalen Walthall form the conference’s largest group at the Combine since 2022.
Demmings (nine interceptions, 26 pass breakups in 42-game career) and Proctor (134 tackles, 26 TFLs, 16 sacks in 48-game career) were first-team selections on the 2025 Stats Perform FCS All-America Team. Walthall (155 receptions, 2,137 yards, 22 touchdowns in two seasons at UIW) was a third-team selection this past season after being on the 2024 first team.
Southland commissioner Chris Grant assessed the trio with a comparison to the conference’s most-recent draft picks in 2024, HCU linebacker Jalyx Hunt (Philadelphia Eagles) and East Texas A&M defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez (Minnesota Vikings), who had NFL breakouts this past season.
“Those are the kinds of stories that reflect the work our coaches put in every day,” Grant said, “developing the total person and preparing these young men for life and moments like this. That consistency on the field and in the character room is what the FCS does best, and it’s why the Southland continues to set a standard for growth, opportunity and sustained success. We’re eager for Charles, Kaleb and Jalen to carry that tradition forward, starting at the NFL Combine and continuing toward opening day rosters in 2026.”
The FCS has averaged about 12 NFL Draft selections per year during the 2020s, down from about 18 in the 2010s. North Dakota State, the 10-time FCS national champion since 2011 that is moving to the FBS later this year, has 14 draft selections since 2014 – twice as many as the next-highest FCS programs.
2026 NFL Combine: Former FCS Players
Includes three players who played the majority of their careers in the FCS with one final season in the FBS; with on-field workout date:
Feb. 26: Defensive Linemen, Linebackers and Place-Kickers
Southeastern Louisiana DT Kaleb Proctor (6-1½, 275)
Feb. 27: Defensive Backs and Tight Ends
Stephen F. Austin CB Charles Demmings (6-1, 190)
Feb. 28: Running Backs, Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers
Lindenwood/Cincinnati WR Jeff Caldwell (6-4½, 208)
North Dakota State WR Bryce Lance (6-3, 209)
North Dakota State QB Cole Payton (6-2½, 229)
North Carolina Central/Virginia RB J’Mari Taylor (5-9, 205)
UIW WR Jalen Walthall (6-1, 200)
March 1: Offensive Linemen
South Dakota State/Northwestern OL Evan Beernsten (6-3, 303)
For more FCS football coverage, follow on social media at X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
The post FCS Football: Southland Conference Trio Seeks to Impress at 2026 NFL Combine appeared first on Opta Analyst.
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