Sports Illustrated Releases Feb. 18, 2026 FCS Big Board for 2026 Draft

Charles Demmings finished the season with 18 tackles, four interceptions and nine pass breakups in 12 games for Stephen F. Austin, and Sports Illustrated’s Feb. 18 update frames him as the premier defensive prospect from the FCS for the 2026 draft cycle. Kaleb Proctor followed with a breakout 2025 campaign for Southeastern Louisiana - 43 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, nine sacks and 41 pressures in 13 games - and SI’s scouting notes call him the top defensive line prospect in the FCS.

Sports Illustrated’s draft staff published an updated FCS-focused big board that, in its words, “catalogues the highest-profile FCS prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft cycle.” The piece explicitly notes both players such as Proctor and Demmings and broader positional trends, including that “four defenders are in the top ten” and that the MVFC and the Southland Conference are tied with three players in the top ten.

The SI excerpt places a spotlight on receivers as well, stating that “the wide receiver position has been the focal point in the 2026 NFL draft, and the FCS has a solid group of prospects at the position.” SI records that the preseason ranking showcased four wide receivers in the top ten, that “as the year went on, two remained at the top of my ranking,” and that “the wide receivers have the highest number of prospects on the list, with three.”

HeroSports’ prospect entries in the supplied material add measurable draft projections and Draft Scout rankings for a swath of FCS names that appear in the scouting conversation. Cole Payton of North Dakota State is projected as a 5th-round pick with Draft Scout position rank No. 8 and overall No. 171. J’Mari Taylor is listed as NC Central with a 2025 transfer to Virginia, projected 5th-6th round with position rank No. 11 and overall No. 179. Mark Gronowski is shown as South Dakota State with a 2025 transfer to Iowa, projected Round 6 and Draft Scout overall No. 210. HeroSports entries also list A.J. Pena of Rhode Island as a 6th-7th round OLB prospect, Daniel Sobkowicz of Illinois State as a 6th-7th round WR prospect, and late-round/HPFA projections for Barika Kpeenu, Keyshawn James-Newby, Shadwel Nkuba II, Jalen Jones, James Conway and Erick Hunter with the exact Draft Scout position and overall ranks preserved in the fragment.

SI flags player movement and availability as draft drivers, saying “the NCAA transfer portal has severely impacted the number of FCS prospects in this year’s class, with players like Jaden Craig, Jared Richardson, and Chris Corbo entering the portal and moving up to the FBS.” The SI fragment also groups opt-outs and showcases: “While some of the top prospects like Kaleb Proctor, Jalen Walthall, Cole Payton, Bryce Lance, and Charles Demmings opted out, other top prospects like Erick Hunter and Rodney Hammond were able to showcase their talents in front of multiple NFL scouts.”

A social post from FCS Football Central labeled “Top 10 FCS Prospects For The 2026 NFL Draft (Postseason Update)” and dated January 20 includes an image that names Bryce Lance, Daniel Sobkowicz, Charles Demmings, Kaleb Proctor, Erick Hunter, Rodney Hammond, Jalen Walthall, Cole Payton, Christian Thomas and Langston Jones in its graphic text. The supplied material also preserves raw Facebook/SVG code and HeroSports related labels such as “RELATED: FCS Podcast” and “RELATED: Every FCS Player Drafted Since 2013.”

The immediate business and on-field implication is clear: pressures like Proctor’s 41 and Demmings’ four interceptions give FCS prospects measurable, scoutable edges even as transfers and opt-outs reshape availability. Sports Illustrated closes the excerpt by noting that “despite this, the FCS overall has a strong class of prospects who have a shot at being drafted, or at least making a practice squad. The first postseason rankings will reflect the high-level talent at the top of the FCS for the 2026 NFL Draft.”