The 2023 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night, which means that it’s time for the annual Texas Non-D1 NFL Draft preview. This year, 11 different schools have players that could hear their name called this weekend or signed as a priority free agent or undrafted free agent following the draft.

A Priority Free Agent (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. An Undrafted Free Agent (UDFA) is a player that arrives in camp as more of a long shot to make the roster. However, players that sign a UDFA are featured on rosters and practice squads every season.

Each of the 34 players listed below is one of 1,893 players mentioned in Dane Brugler’s NFL Draft 2023 ‘The Beast’ guide. The rankings below are where Brugler ranked each player according to their position group and each athlete’s projected draft position. 

Twenty-eight of the players are from the FCS ranks. UIW leads the way with 10 players in the rankings. SFA is second with five players, followed by Tarleton (4), Houston Christian (3), Texas Southern (3), Prairie View A&M (2), and ACU (1).

UTPB and West Texas A&M have two players expected to sign with an NFL team, while Midwestern State and Howard Payne placed one player in the draft guide.

Southland Conference

UIW

• No. 22 QB Lindsey Scott Jr. - PFA - “Scott has plenty of life in his throws and can throw from different arm slots. As a runner, he has shifty feet and instinctive vision to make defenses pay for giving him a lane. His 2022 season was a redemption story and a testament to his resolve and talent. Overall, Scott is undersized, and his ball placement tends to waver, but he throws with anticipation and is a true dual threat with his explosive movements.” - Dane Brugler

• No. 98 RB Marcus Cooper - UDFA

• No. 108 RB Roger McCuller - UDFA

• No. 103 WR Taylor Grimes - UDFA

• No. 233 WR Darion Chafin - UDFA

• No. 88 DT Olivier Charles-Pierre - UDFA

• No. 103 DT Cameron Preston - UDFA

• No. 88 LB Kelechi Anyalebechi - UDFA

• No. 149 CB Micahh Smith - UDFA

• No. 207 CB Devan Barrett - UDFA

Houston Christian

• No. 286 WR Vernon Harrell - UDFA

• No. 159 CB Derrick Wilson - UDFA

• No. 138 S Coi Miller - UDFA

Southwestern Athletic Conference

Prairie View A&M

• No. 77 RB Bernard Goodwater - UDFA

• No. 140 DT Troy James - UDFA

Texas Southern

• No. 79 OT Drake Centers - UDFA

• No. 219 CB Cedrick Williams - UDFA

• No. 139 S Raheme Fuller - UDFA

Western Athletic Conference

Stephen F. Austin

• No. 66 QB Trae Self - UDFA

• No. 44 WR Xavier Gipson - PFA - “A slot-only receiver in college, Gipson is a speed demon with or without the football, using natural burst to quickly outflank pursuit. He is shifty in his routes, but his timing, tempo, and footwork need to be sharper against NFL coverage. Despite smaller hands, he is dependable tracking and securing grabs away from his frame. Overall, Gipson is an undersized slot target, but his explosiveness allows him to make big plays on offense and special teams” - Dane Brugler

• No. 34 Edge BJ Thompson - 7th Round - “A speed-based rusher, Thompson races blockers to the spot and shows exceptional muscle twitch and closing burst to the quarterback. His rush is more crazed than nuanced, and the lack of power in his base/body is a red flag, especially when attempting to set the edge. Overall, Thompson is currently a liability as a run defender, but his speed and length make him a tough guy to keep blocked when he stays under controlled mid-rush. He is a developmental subpackage rusher (reminiscent of Arden Key) but will require time on the practice squad before he is ready for live NFL reps.” - Dane Brugler

• No. 105 DT Dennis Osagiede - UDFA

• No. 32 CB Myles Brooks (Transferred to Louisiana Tech) - 6th-7th Round - “Brooks shows a natural feel in multiple coverages and is always peeking for the football. The undisciplined mistakes and misses in the run game must improve for him to earn the trust of an NFL coaching staff. Overall, Brooks doesn’t have high-level athletic traits and needs to become more buttoned up for the pro game, but his anticipation and ball skills should translate well. He projects best as a press-man cornerback at the next level.” - Dane Brugler

Tarleton

• No. 120 RB Ontario Douglas - UDFA

• No. 281 WR Gabe Doughlas - UDFA

• No. 145 Edge Blaine Hoover - UDFA

• No. 58 S Donovan Banks - UDFA

Abilene Christian

• No. 155 WR Zarak Scruggs - UDFA

Lone Star Conference

Midwestern State

• No. 69 QB Dillon Sterling-Cole - UDFA

UTPB

• No. 89 WR MJ Link - UDFA

• No. 183 S Levon Barnett - UDFA

West Texas A&M

• No. 99 WR Hunter Kaufman - UDFA

• No. 39 TE Jeremie Karngbaye - UDFA

American Southwest Conference

Howard Payne

• No. 136 WR Otis Lanier - UDFA