Stephen F. Austin’s NFL pipeline spans generations, 38 drafted players

Stephen F. Austin’s NFL ledger is bigger than most fans outside Nacogdoches realize: 41 players overall, 38 drafted, and a paper trail that stretches back to 1986. That kind of volume does more than decorate a media guide. It shows a program that has found ways to produce pro-level talent across eras, schemes and coaching staffs.

The newest name on the list is BJ Thompson, taken 166th overall in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. Stephen F. Austin’s own draft-day announcement paired that moment with Xavier Gipson, who went unselected but signed with the New York Jets moments after the draft ended. Thompson had transferred from Baylor and still climbed into the top 170 picks, a reminder that SFA prospects can force NFL attention even when they arrive by a different route.

That 2023 weekend also underscores the modern reality of the pipeline: draft status is only one path to a roster spot. Gipson, a 22-year-old from SFA, later became a national name with the Jets, including a 65-yard walk-off punt return against the Bills. Thompson’s selection and Gipson’s immediate signing gave the Lumberjacks a one-two NFL entry point that stretched beyond the draft board itself.

The broader history is what makes the story persuasive. SFA’s draft list includes John Franklin-Myers, a fourth-round pick at No. 135 in 2018 by the Los Angeles Rams, along with Jabara Williams in 2011, Dominique Edison in 2009, Wes Pate in 2002 and Derrick Blaylock in 2001. The late 1990s were especially productive, with Mikhael Ricks and Jeremiah Trotter in 1998, Anthony DeGrate in 1997, Joey Wylie in 1996 and Terrance Shaw in 1995. The 1990 draft alone produced Larry Centers, Anthony Landry and Todd Hammel, while Floyd Dixon appears on the 1986 entry that anchors the modern span.

The pattern says as much about reputation as it does about player development. Stephen F. Austin has not relied on one position or one golden age to feed the league. Its draft history spans receiver, linebacker, defensive line, quarterback, running back and offensive line, a broad footprint that suggests real NFL evaluation has followed Lumberjack players for decades. Larry Centers is the clearest example: a fifth-round pick at No. 115 in 1990, he went on to set the NFL record for career receptions by a running back with 827 at the time of his retirement. For an FCS program outside the sport’s loudest brands, that is the standard SFA keeps chasing.