December 12, 2024
Chattanooga, TN – October 22: Chattanooga OL McClendon Curtis (Photo by Zach McKinnell, The Bluebloods)

Chattanooga, TN – October 22: Chattanooga OL McClendon Curtis (Photo by Zach McKinnell, The Bluebloods)

Top FCS NFL Draft Prospects Prepare For Opportunity At The 2023 Senior Bowl

The top 2023 NFL Draft prospects will head to Mobile, AL this week to perform in front of NFL scouts, general managers, and other talent evaluators from across the country. Make sure to stay tuned for exclusive coverage from The Bluebloods in Mobile, AL this week from the 2023 Senior Bowl.

We take a look at some of the top FCS prospects who will aim to increase their draft stock this week at the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Cody Mauch (North Dakota State; OL)

Size: 6’6; 303 lbs. 

Accolades: 2022 Consensus FCS First Team All-American, 2021 Second Team AP All-American, 2021 Third Team HERO Sports All-American, Two-time MVFC First Team All-Conference (2021-2022), 2020-21 All-MVFC Second Team

Summary: Mauch has over 60+ games of experience for the Bison and graduates with four FCS National Championships. He only allowed two sacks over his entire career and was the highest graded FCS offensive lineman by PFF for the 2022 season. Some scouts expect Mauch to get some reps inside throughout the week of practices due to his arm length, but Mauch remains a high value prospect regardless of his position across the offensive line. 

McClendon Curtis (Chattanooga; OL)

Size: 6’6; 328 lbs. 

Accolades: 2022 FCS Stats/Bluebloods/HERO Sports First Team All-American, 2022 Second Team AP All-American, 2022 Jacobs Blocking Award, 2022 Phil Steele Offensive Lineman of the Year, Two-time FedEx Ground Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award Finalist (2021, 2022), Three-time SoCon First Team All-Conference (2020-21, 2021, 2022)

Summary: Curtis has 49 games of experience for the Mocs, while showing versatility by playing multiple positions across the offensive line. He started a majority of his career at right guard, but started seven games at left tackle this season. Curtis had one of the highest pass blocking grades (90.9) by PFF after not allowing a sack and only allowing two QB hurries for the season. The question remains on where Curtis will start at the next level, but he will have an excellent opportunity to showcase his versatility this week in Mobile. 

Isaiah Land (Florida A&M; LB)

Size: 6’4; 225 lbs. 

Accolades: 2022 FCS Stats Second Team All-American, 2021 Buck Buchanan Award, 2021 Consensus FCS First Team All-American, 2021 SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, Two-time First Team SWAC All-Conference (2021, 2022)

Statistics: 89 Total Tackles, 42.5 Tackles For Loss, 29 Sacks, 1 INT, 7 Pass Breakups, 4 Forced Fumbles, 2 Fumble Recoveries

Summary: Land exploded onto the scene as a junior for the Rattlers as he led the country in sacks and tackles for loss. He set the Florida A&M school record with five sacks against South Carolina State in 2021. This week will be interesting for Land as he will move from an edge rusher to an off-ball linebacker against some of the top college football talent across the country. His athleticism was one of his biggest weapons for the Rattlers and I expect that to impress scouts in Mobile this week. 

Aubrey Miller (Jackson State; LB)

Size: 6’2; 225 lbs. 

Accolades: 2022 Bluebloods & FCS Stats Perform 2nd Team All-American, 2022 HERO Sports FCS All-American, 2022 SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, Two-time First Team SWAC All-Conference (2021, 2022)

Statistics: 226 Total Tackles, 23.5 Tackles For Loss, 8.5 Sacks, 9 Pass Breakups, 6 Forced Fumbles, 3 Fumble Recoveries, 1 Def. TD

Summary: Miller was one of the top playmakers at the linebacker spot during his time at Jackson State. His ability to fill rushing lanes and generate pressure as blitzer is a major reason for the on-field defensive success that Jackson State had during the Deion Sanders era. Many scouts want to see Miller in one-on-one situations as a coverage linebacker, but he showed massive improvements in coverage this season as his PFF coverage grade went from 58.9 last season to 90.9 in 2022. I expect Miller to answer a majority of questions about his ability to play in the open field this week at the 2023 Senior Bowl. 

Andrei Iosivas (Princeton; WR)

Size: 6’3; 200 lbs. 

Accolades: 2022 AP/Stats Perform Second Team All-American, 2022 HERO Sports FCS All-American, 2022 First Team All-Ivy, Two-Time Phil Steele First Team All-Ivy (2021, 2022), 2021 Second Team All-Ivy

Statistics: 125 Receptions, 1909 Receiving Yards, 16 Receiving TDs, 15.3 Yards Per Catch

Summary: Iosivas could be the next explosive athlete to have social media buzzing about his athleticism this week in Mobile. He ran the fastest 60m in NCAA heptathlon history (6.71) this season and was an All-American in track at 6’3 and over 200 pounds. He matches his athleticism with great ball tracking and an ability to make tough contested catches in one-on-one coverage. If there is a FCS prospect that you can expect to generate the most hype with highlight plays, then look no further than Iosivas this week. 

Marte Mapu (Sacramento State; DB)

Size: 6’3; 216 lbs. 

Accolades: 2022 Stats Perform/Athlon FCS First Team All-American, 2022 HERO Sports/Phil Steele/AFCA FCS Second Team All-American, 2022 Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year, 2022 First Team All-Big Sky, 2021 Second Team All-Big Sky

Statistics: 165 Total Tackles, 13.0 Tackles For Loss, 1 Sack, 7 INTs, 22 Pass Breakups, 1 Forced Fumble

Summary: Mapu was late invite to the 2023 Senior Bowl, but showed this season why he is one of the most interesting NFL Draft prospects at the FCS level. He only allowed one touchdown in coverage over four seasons at Sacramento State. Mapu will be able to showcase his ability at multiple different positions as he has played all over the field throughout his collegiate career. He is extremely fluid when in coverage and showed this season (249 Snaps) that he has the ability to play in the box against the run. 

Robert Soderholm (VMI; LS)

Size: 6’1; 238 lbs. 

Accolades: 2022 Consensus FCS First Team All-American, Three-time First Team All-SoCon (2020-21, 2021, 2022), 2021 Consensus FCS Second Team All-American, 2020-21 Stats Perform First Team FCS All-American, 2019 HERO Sports Sophomore All-American

Summary: Soderholm is the lone special teams invite from the FCS level. He was a three-time FCS All-American selection and has been one of the most consistent long snappers in the country. This season he was perfect on snaps and led a unit that allowed zero blocked kicks for the entire season, which he also accomplished in the 2020-21 season. People overlook the importance of special teams, but consistency has made Soderholm one of the top specialists in the country entering the 2023 NFL Draft. 

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