Spartan NFL Draft Prospects

Q: Who are the Michigan State prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft?

The Michigan State prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft are center Matt Gulbin and punter Ryan Eckley.

Q: What is Matt Gulbin's draft projection for the 2026 NFL Draft?

Matt Gulbin is projected to be drafted on Day 3, likely in Round 5 or 6.

Q: When is the 2026 NFL Draft scheduled to take place?

The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Q: What were Matt Gulbin's performance metrics in college?

Matt Gulbin graded as the top center in the FBS according to Pro Football Focus, with a prospect grade of 5.98.

Feb 25, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Iowa place kicker Drew Stevens (PK04) kicks the ball out of the hold of Ryan Eckley of Michigan State during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The 2026 NFL Draft is set to take place Thursday through Saturday, April 23-25, in Pittsburgh, PA. The event begins with Round 1 on Thursday, continues with Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday, and concludes with Rounds 4-7 on Saturday. This year, if you’re watching to see a Spartan get drafted, you’ll probably be waiting until Day 3. Michigan State saw an 80 year run of at least one player being selected in the NFL Draft end in 2021 but MSU has rebounded a bit since then. The 2022 draft saw Kenneth Walker III go to the Seattle, where he just helped the Seahawks win the Super Bowl. Jalen Nailor, Connor Heyward, and AJ Arcuri were also selected in 2022. In 2023, Jayden Reed, Bryce Barringer, and got the call. Since then, however, just two offensive lineman have been taken in the draft – in 2024 and in 2025. The lists only two prospects from Michigan State: Center and Punter Ryan Eckley. Both former Spartans took part in the NFL Draft Combine in late February. **Matt Gulbin** Gulbin started his college career by appearing in four games and taking a redshirt at Wake Forest in 2021. In 2022, Gulbin saw regular action at left and right guard before becoming a full-time starter for the Demon Deacons in 2023 and 2024. Gulbin came to Michigan State as a graduate transfer for the 2025 season and played every snap at center through the first 11 games for the Spartans but missed game 12 due to injury. He was named a team captain for the Spartans and landed a spot on the Rimington Trophy watch list as one of the nation’s top centers. In an otherwise disappointing season at MSU, Gulbin proved to be a bright spot. He graded out as the top center in the Football Bowl Subdivision according to Pro Football Focus. Gulbin’s PFF run blocking grade was highest in the FBS and his pass blocking ranked fifth. The NFL’s Draft Tracker has Gulbin’s prospect grade at a 5.98, which translates to an “average backup or special-teamer.” For more context, the NFL’s full grading system and other grading metrics are shown at the end of the article. The highest-rated prospect for this year’s draft appears to be edge rusher from Ohio State with a 7.04. The lowest grade for a non-special teams player is a 5.66. Gulbin is one of 15 centers listed as a prospect on the Draft Tracker. The highest-graded is from Auburn with a 6.27 followed by from Kansas State with a 6.23 and then (Iowa), Brian Parker II (Duke), and (Texas A&M), each with a 6.20. However, Gulbin’s 5.98 leads the next tier of players with the fifth-best grade. The former Spartan scores just ahead of from and from . The NFL also uses a Next Gen Stats Model to predict a prospect’s chances of success in the NFL (full description also at the end of the article). Here, Gulbin’s production score of 81 was second among Center prospects while his athleticism score ranked tenth. His total score of 68 ranked seventh of the 15 prospects at his position. Lance Zierlien provides a on Gulbin and projects him to be taken on Day 3 in Round 5 or 6. Among his strengths, Zierlien notes that Gulbin “Pushed the Michigan front around with his drive blocking.” As far as weaknesses, Zierlien points to Gulbin’s short arm measurements and average lateral range. **Ryan Eckley** Eckley redshirted in 2022 before becoming the Spartans’ starting punter from 2023 – 2025. His career 47.6 yards per punt average ranks first in school (surpassing Barringer’s 46.0) and Big Ten history. Eckley led the Big Ten in punting in 2024 and 2025. In 2025, he was named the Big Ten Punter of the Year in addition to earning All-American honors. Eckley was not only effective in punting for distance. Over his career, he landed 34% of his punts inside the 20 yard line and nearly one in five were downed inside the 10. In an otherwise frustrating period for , Eckley made the punt exciting, even if we knew it was coming more often than not. (For as great as Eckley is, and for as much as I appreciate him, I hope I never have to write a sentence like this again.) Eckley is one of just four punting prospects on the NFL Draft Tracker. His 5.65 grade ranks behind of Georgia (5.95) and Jack Stonehouse from Syracuse (5.84). Tommy Doman Jr. from Florida is just behind Eckley with a 5.62 grade. projects Eckley going in Round 7 and, among his strengths notes: “Excellent at landing short-field punts inside the 10 over the last two seasons.” For weaknesses, Zierlein states that Eckley “Regularly outkicks his coverage.” But maybe he just needs faster coverage. **Spartan UDA Prospects** While no other Spartans are expected to hear their names called during the Draft this year, several may be able to look forward to signing as undrafted free agents. Possible UDA signings to look for after the draft concludes might include WR Omari Kelly, TE , and LB . **NFL Prospect Grading System**: