10 early FCS prospects to know for 2019 NFL Draft

(STATS) - UC Davis wide receiver Keelan Doss didn't leave the 2017 STATS FCS Awards Banquet with top hardware, but he told people he would see them again after next season.

Former NFL players in attendance who marveled over Doss' highlight clips didn't doubt it.

Doss is one of the top FCS senior prospects for the 2019 NFL draft. The countdown basically started after the selection of Mr. Irrelevant at this year's three-day extravaganza Saturday night.

Doss, the third-place finisher in the 2017 STATS Walter Payton Award voting, has the size (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) and skill set (physicality, excellent hands and leaping ability) to play in the NFL. He racked up 115 catches for 1,499 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games as a junior, leading Division I players with 10.5 receptions per game.

"The offseason is about putting in consistent work over and over again," Doss said. "It leads me to this point. The coaches, they put me in the right position every single game and got me the ball. It's just fun to go out there and make plays."

Scouts are starting to get familiar with the 2019 FCS draft prospects. Here are nine more who join Doss as candidates next year:

Larry Allen III, OL, Harvard - Son of NFL Hall of Fame offensive tackle Larry Allen was out of school last season, but will return as a senior in 2018.

Bruce Anderson, RB, North Dakota State - Gamebreaker scored nine touchdowns in the national champion Bison's four playoff games.

Emmanuel Butler, WR, Northern Arizona - Will team again with junior-eligible quarterback prospect Case Cookus after missing most of last season with a shoulder injury.

Daniel Cooney, OT, San Diego, OT - Combines 6-8, 315-pound size with the ability to finish off defenders, but will have to prove himself coming out of the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League (teammate Jamal Agnew was drafted last year).

Davion Davis, WR/RS, Sam Houston State - Speedy wideout ranked No. 2 in the FCS with 21 touchdowns last season.

Deion Harris, CB, North Dakota - Returns from a year off because of an Achilles injury suffered last July. Can shut down wide receivers with his 6-2 size.

Rashad Robinson, CB, James Madison - Boasts a strong skill set, including good speed and excellent hands, to cover well in man-to-man.

Rob Rolle, FS, Villanova - The lanky Rolle tied for the FCS high with seven interceptions in 2016, but was sidelined by an ACL tear last year.

Easton Stick, QB, North Dakota State - Stick is experienced in a pro-style offense and has a 34-3 record as a starter after winning the most outstanding player award at the 2017 national championship game.