2026 NFL Draft: Conference USA prospects to watch

UTEP’s Micah Davey (48) celebrates a tackle during a Conference USA game against Liberty at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. | Gaby Velasquez / El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Conference USA is flying under the radar this draft season.

It was one of two FBS conferences, along with the two-team Pac-12, to generate zero selections to the 2026 NFL Combine in Indianapolis. And with the transfer portal and conference realignment impacting the conference, the CUSA is witnessing a decline in draft selections. From 2016 through 2020, the league produced exactly 10 draft picks in three different times. But in 2023 and 2024, the number of selections was reduced three, and it dwindled down to one last April as WKU cornerback Upton Stout was the lone player taken in the 7-round event.

It is not common to see a CUSA player listed in 7-round mock drafts this spring, but the league still possesses NFL-caliber talent lurking in the shadows. Here are five prospects to watch from the league, which could arrive as day three picks or provide significant value as undrafted free agents:

Cole Maynard, P, WKU

6’1”, 185 pounds

Pro Day measurements: N/A

Maynard could be the most likely CUSA prospect to warrant an NFL Draft selection as one of the top punters in the 2026 class. He arrives to the next level with firm NFL ties, 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 punting dynasty, ranking second in the FBS in punting average at 48.4 yards per attempt in 2025. He downed 15 punts inside the 20 and produced a season-long of 71 yards en route to a finish warranting consensus All-American status and the 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

Pro Day measurements: 4.70-second 40-yard dash; 35-inch vertical; 9-foot-9-inch broad jump; 4.31-second shuttle; 7.07-second 3-cone drill, 16 bench press reps

Davey spent one year at UTEP after suiting up at FCS McNeese for four seasons and handled the FCS to FBS transition with ease. The inside linebacker was a tackle machine the second he donned the Miners’ uniform, racking up 131 tackles to rank eighth in the FBS. He accrued 12+ tackles on eight occasions in 2025, including a seven-game streak of attaining that mark from late September through late November. The First Team All-CUSA selection also added nine tackles for loss, one sack, and one fumble recovery to a breakout season.

Jakari Foster, SS, Louisiana Tech

5’11”, 206 pounds

Pro Day measurements: 4.66-second 40-yard dash; 33.5-inch vertical; 9-foot-0-inch broad jump; 4.43-second shuttle; 7.62-second 3-cone drill, 18 bench press reps

Foster’s college career consisted of three stops at three different levels, originating at North Alabama (FCS), traveling to Hutchinson Community College, and winding up as a star at Louisiana Tech. The strong safety finally cracked the Bulldogs’ starting lineup in 2025 and produced a Second Team All-CUSA season. Foster anchored a stellar defense which allowed just 20.8 points per game, generating 58 tackles, four pass breakups, and an FBS-best eight interceptions — when nobody else corralled more than six. The Piedmont, AL native snatched the ball on a regular basis, catching fire at the end of the year with four picks in his final three games, sealing the Independence Bowl win over Coastal Carolina with an interception on his final play.

Brylan Green, SS, Liberty

5’9”, 184 pounds

Pro Day measurements: 4.46-second 40-yard dash; 39.5-inch vertical; 10-foot-4-inch broad jump; 4.45-second shuttle; 7.21-second 3-cone drill

Green spent all four years of his college career at Liberty, and he earned substantial playing time from the jump. As a sophomore in 2023, Green made significant noise on a national stage, securing a team-high five interceptions for a Flames squad that produced a 13-1 season, won the CUSA title, and qualified for the Fiesta Bowl. The strong safety warranted FWAA Second Team All-American honors and First Team All-CUSA honors that year, completing his stat-line with eight pass breakups 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 tested exceptionally well at Pro Day with elite finishes in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and broad jump.

Kejon Owens, RB, FIU

5’10”, 203 pounds

Pro Day measurements: 4.71-second 40-yard dash; 30.5-inch vertical; 9-foot-8-inch broad jump; 4.64-second shuttle; 7.48-second 3-cone drill, 15 bench press reps

Owens is the reigning CUSA Offensive Player of the Year, fresh off finishing 10th in the FBS in rushing with 1,334 yards. The focal point of the FIU offense added 11 touchdowns and produced 6.3 yards per carry in 2025, all while securing 18 receptions out of the backfield. Owens served all five years of his college career with the Panthers and increased his utilization each season in Miami. His 2025 breakthrough translated to team success as FIU claimed its first winning season since 2018. Owens eclipsed 120 yards on five occasions last fall, 160 yards on three occasions, and peaked with 195 in a nationally televised weeknight upset over WKU.