There's high hopes for Middlebury guard Thomas Perry, who hit the draft scene in a big way in the summer of 2024, was a D3football.com All-America pick and played in the East-West Shrine Bowl. Middlebury athletics photo by Will Costello

Once again, the NFL draft came and went without a single Division III player being drafted. In fact, perhaps for the first time ever, nobody from outside NCAA Division I was taken among the 257 players selected.

Quinn Meinerz was the last Division III player drafted, going to the Denver Broncos in 2021.  

Meanwhile, a number of Division III football players worked out for NFL scouts at team pro days and scouts visit Division III practices all season long to make sure they find any prospect, regardless of level. Some will end up as undrafted free agent signees, and some will receive minicamp invites from teams where they will compete in hopes of staying with the team.

So far this year, contracts have been few and minicamp invites have been the norm. That includes for Middlebury All-American offensive lineman Thomas Perry, who received the most pre-draft buzz and ended up accepting an invite to the Baltimore Ravens rookie minicamp. 

That includes Dylan Brown, the UW-River Falls cornerback who was a second team All-Region 6 selection on our All-Region team this year. He was invited to the Indianapolis Colts rookie minicamp. It also includes Mount Union All-America running back Tyler Echeverry, who received an invite from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Case Western Reserve wide receiver Noah Coyne will attend the New York Giants' rookie minicamp. Endicott defensive lineman Hector Johnson received a minicamp invite from the New England Patriots. Delaware Valley wide receiver Nahsir Morgan, an All-Region 1 selection in 2024, will attend the Philadelphia Eagles' minicamp. UW-La Crosse wide receiver Jack Studer was invited to the Green Bay Packers minicamp. Moravian wide receiver Jordan Bingham received an invitation to attend the Colts rookie minicamp. The Ravens also benefited from their time scouting the NESCAC, as they found Colby linebacker Julian Young and invited him to their minicamp as well. TCNJ tight end Thomas Burke received a minicamp invite from the Seattle Seahawks. Mitch Van Vooren, a wide receiver for St. Norbert, got an invite from the Browns. Illinois College wide receiver Collin Brunstein has been invited to the Los Angeles Chargers rookie minicamp.