No Big Sky players drafted; 7 UDFAs

It wasn’t a banner three days for the Football Championship Subdivision, and especially for the Big Sky Conference, as far as the 2024 NFL Draft was concerned.

Of the 12 FCS players drafted by NFL teams, none came from the Big Sky. 

In fact as of Saturday Sam Herder of herosports.com listed just six Big Sky players landing with teams as undrafted free agents. Montana safety Nash Fouch signed as an UDFA on Sunday. 

Three signees are from the Idaho Vandals: receiver Hayden Hatten (Seattle Seahawks); receiver Jermaine Jackson (New Orleans Saints) and long snapper Hogan Hatten (Detroit Lions).

Weber State linebacker Winston Reid was signed by the Cleveland Browns and Sacramento State had two players signed: receiver Marshel Martin went to the New York Jets, and the Denver Broncos grabbed cornerback Caleb Nelson.

Meanwhile Montana State tight end Treyton Pickering, a six-man player in his days at Sunburst, was invited to the New York Giants’ rookie camp. Griz punter Travis Benham will also head to the Big Apple after landing a minicamp invite from the New York Jets.

Skylinesportsmt.com pointed out another free agent signee with Bobcat ties: Quarterback Casey Bauman began his college career at MSU — he started three games in 2019 — before transferring to Division II Augustana in Illinois. Bauman, who threw for 2,878 yards and 29 touchdowns for the 11-2 Vikings last fall, was signed by the Los Angeles Chargers.

While the Big Sky was perhaps overlooked, the Missouri Valley Conference made hay. National champion South Dakota State, in addition to seeing offensive lineman Mason McCormick (fourth round, Steelers) and running back Isaiah Davis (fifth round, Jets) drafted, had six players sign UDFA contracts.