Conference USA is flying under the radar this draft season.
It was one of two FBS conferences, along with the two-team Pac-12, that did not generate any selections for the 2026 NFL Combine in Indianapolis. And with the transfer portal and conference realignment impacting the conference, CUSA is witnessing a decline in draft picks. From 2016 to 2020, the league produced exactly 10 draft picks at three different times. But in 2023 and 2024, the number of picks was reduced to three, and it was reduced to one last April, when WKU cornerback Upton Stout was the only player chosen in the 7-round event.
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It’s not often you see a CUSA player included in 7-round mock drafts this spring, but the league still has NFL-caliber talent lurking in the shadows. Here are five prospects to watch around the league, who could arrive as day three picks or provide significant value as undrafted free agents:
Cole Maynard, P, WKU
6’1″, 185 pounds
Measurements of the professional day: N/A
Maynard could be the CUSA prospect most likely to guarantee an NFL Draft selection as one of the top punters in the class of 2026. He comes to the next level with firm ties to the NFL, as his father Brad was an All-Pro punter for the Chicago Bears in the 2000s. Cole added his own flavor to the Maynard family’s punting dynasty, ranking second in the FBS in punting average with 48.4 yards per attempt in 2025. He knocked down 15 punts inside the 20 and produced 71 yards all season en route to a finish that warranted consensus All-American status and CUSA Special Teams Player of the Year. He was invited to the NFL Specialist Showcase at the Combine in Indianapolis, where he demonstrated his punting prowess in front of scouts.
Micah Davey, ILB, UTEP
6’2″, 229 pounds
Measurements of the professional day: 4.70-second 40-yard dash; 35-inch vertical; broad jump of 9 feet 9 inches; 4.31 second shuttle; 7.07-second 3-cone exercise, 16 bench press reps
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Davey spent a year at UTEP after playing at FCS McNeese for four seasons and handled the transition from FCS to FBS with ease. The inside linebacker was a tackling machine the moment he put on a Miners uniform, racking up 131 tackles to rank eighth in the FBS. He racked up 12-plus tackles eight times in 2025, including a seven-game streak to reach that mark from late September to late November. The First Team All-CUSA selection also added nine tackles for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery to a breakout season.
Jakari Foster, SS, Louisiana Tech
5’11”, 206 pounds
Measurements of the professional day: 40-yard dash of 4.66 seconds; 33.5-inch vertical; broad jump of 9 feet 0 inches; 4.43 second shuttle; 7.62-second 3-cone exercise, 18 bench press reps
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Foster’s college career consisted of three stops at three different levels, starting at North Alabama (FCS), traveling to Hutchinson Community College and finishing as a star at Louisiana Tech. The strong safety eventually cracked the Bulldogs’ starting lineup in 2025 and produced a Second Team All-CUSA season. Foster anchored a stellar defense that allowed just 20.8 points per game, generating 58 tackles, four pass deflections and an FBS-best eight interceptions when no one else had more than six. The Piedmont, AL native snatched the ball away with regularity, catching the year’s end with four picks in his final three games, sealing the Independence Bowl victory over Coastal Carolina with an interception on his final play.
Brylan Green, SS, Liberty
5’9″, 184 pounds
Measurements of the professional day: 40-yard dash of 4.46 seconds; 39.5-inch vertical; broad jump 10 feet 4 inches; 4.45 second shuttle; 7.21 second 3-cone drill
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Green spent all four years of his college career at Liberty and earned substantial playing time from the jump. As a sophomore in 2023, Green made significant noise nationally, securing a team-high five interceptions for a Flames team that produced a 13-1 season, won the CUSA title and qualified for the Fiesta Bowl. The strong safety secured FWAA Second Team All-American honors and First Team All-CUSA honors that year, rounding out his stat line with eight pass deflections and 38 tackles. Green played two additional seasons for Jamey Chadwell’s program and earned another All-CUSA nod along the way. Although undersized, he performed exceptionally well at the Pro Day with elite finishes in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and broad jump.
Kejon Owens, RB, FIU
5’10”, 203 pounds
Measurements of the professional day: 4.71-second 40-yard dash; 30.5 inch vertical; broad jump of 9 feet 8 inches; 4.64 second shuttle; 7.48-second 3-cone exercise, 15 bench press reps
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Owens is the reigning CUSA Offensive Player of the Year and just finished 10th in the FBS in rushing with 1,334 yards. The focal point of FIU’s offense added 11 touchdowns and produced 6.3 yards per carry in 2025, all while securing 18 receptions out of the backfield. Owens spent all five years of his college career with the Panthers and increased his usage each season in Miami. His breakthrough in 2025 translated into team success as FIU claimed its first winning season since 2018. Owens topped 120 yards five times last fall, 160 yards three times and peaked at 195 in a nationally televised midweek loss over WKU.