A Texas non-FBS player is not projected to be taken in the 2025 NFL Draft. The last time a player from a non-FBS school in Texas was not selected during the draft was in 2021. The previous two non-FBS players from Texas drafted went on to help their teams win the Super Bowl. BJ Thompson (Stephen F. Austin) was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023, and Jaylx Hunt (Houston Christian) was a key member of the Philadelphia Eagles' run to the title last season. 

The last three non-FBS players from Texas drafted by an NFL franchise have won a Super Bowl championship. Zyon McCollum (Sam Houston) teamed with Hunt and the Eagles this season after being drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022.

However, despite the long odds of hearing their name called during the draft, many are expected to sign as a Priority Free Agent (PFA) or an Undrafted Free Agent (UDFA) following the draft. A total of 62 players are listed in Dane Brugler’s NFL Draft 2025 ‘The Beast’ guide. For perspective, an average of 34 players a year have received mention from Brugler since 2020, with a high of 44 players in 2022.

A PFA is similar to a priority walk-on in college football. The athlete is invited to camp, hoping to land a spot on the practice squad if they perform well. A UDFA is a player who arrives in camp as more of a long shot to make the roster. However, players who sign as undrafted free agents (UDFA) are featured on rosters and practice squads every season.

Of the players mentioned, 56 are from an FCS program. For the first time in three years, UIW is no longer the school with the most players listed. That honor belongs to Lamar and Prairie View A&M, with nine players apiece. However, the Cardinals aren’t far behind as they have eight players in the guide. Tarleton is fourth with seven, Stephen F. Austin, Texas Southern, and Abilene Christian followed with six apiece, and Houston Christian (3) and East Texas A&M (2) round out the FCS prospects.

It’s a down year for Lone Star Conference prospects, with UTPB (2) and Angelo State (1) the lone schools with a player listed this year. In a sign of the improvement for Hardin-Simmons, the Cowboys have two players listed for the first time this decade. Meanwhile, Howard Payne has one player mentioned for the fourth consecutive year.

The number beside the player indicates where Brugler ranks each player according to their position group. All players are projected to be free agents.

Southland Conference

East Texas A&M (2)

• No. 58 CB Kendall Paul
• No. 129 EDGE Warren Robinson

Houston Christian (3)

• No. 228 CB Semaj Brown
• No. 342 WR Ismael Fuller
• No. 357 WR Calvin Wiggins

Lamar (9)

• No. 103 OG Jevale Roberson
• No. 129 RB Khalan Griffin
• No. 134 OT Thomas Le Boucher
• No. 175 LB Ken Savanah
• No. 183 S Antorius Hambric Jr.
• No. 198 WR Sevonne Rhea
• No. 226 DT Caleb Williams
• No. 249 EDGE Jalen Freeman
• No. 265 EDGE Jaymond Jackson

Stephen F. Austin (6)

• No. 43 RB Qualan Jones
• No. 55 CB Bruce Harmon
• No. 82 S Trey Adams III
• No. 122 LB Josiah Cotton
• No. 134 CB Jeremiah Walker
• No. 141 TE Connor Mullins

UIW (8)

• No. 63 C Mason Williams
• No. 121 EDGE Marcus Brown
• No. 177 S Mason Chambers
• No. 189 S Darius Sanders
• No. 248 S Ronald Wilson
• No. 269 CB Emmonte Davis
• No. 323 WR Mason Pierce
• No. 406 WR Anthony Stell

Southwestern Athletic Conference

Prairie View A&M (9)

• No. 104 EDGE Fred Stokes Jr.
• No. 208 RB Scooter Adams
• No. 232 EDGE Kwame Sarkodie
• No. 257 S Stacy Brown
• No. 262 EDGE CJ Pressley
• No. 309 WR Trejon Spiller
• No. 319 WR Shemar Savage
• No. 325 WR James Burns
• No. 396 WR Chris Herron

Texas Southern (6)

• No. 139 OG Mehdi Torrence
• No. 151 TE Joseph Bongono
• No. 238 S Javius Williams
• No. 261 S Canary Simmons
• No. 351 WR AJ Bennett
• No. 414 WR Donald McKinney

United Athletic Conference

Abilene Christian (6)

• No. 58 WR Blayne Taylor
• No. 93 RB Sam Hicks
• No. 228 LB Izaiah Kelley
• No. 277 EDGE Kayode Oladele
• No. 310 WR Trey Cleveland
• No. 375 WR Nehemiah Martinez

Tarleton (7)

• No. 35 C Tuli Teuhema
• No. 74 RB Kayvon Britten
• No. 108 WR Darius Cooper
• No. 110 OT Malik Pete
• No. 201 RB Derrel Kelley III
• No. 253 WR Benjamin Omayebu
• No. 391 WR Fred Brown II

Lone Star Conference

Angelo State (1)

• No. 147 CB Andrew Pitts

• UTPB (2)

• No. 313 WR Deon Cook
• No. 321 WR Jeremiah Cooley

American Southwest Conference

Hardin-Simmons (2)

• No. 362 WR Tailon Garrett
• No. 376 WR Dameon Gomes

Howard Payne (1)

• No. 423 WR Gus Charles