14 NJCAA Alumni Selected in 2026 NFL Draft
Charlotte, NC – The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) had 14 former student-athletes selected in the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23-25. The draft was held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and there were 257 total picks across seven rounds. Continue reading for a feature on a few of the draftees and a full list.
In the Numbers
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The 14 NJCAA alumni were selected by 14 different NFL teams
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Eight NJCAA member institutions were represented. Iowa Western Community College led the way with six former student-athletes hearing their name called. Snow College (UT) had two.
Markel Bell | Holmes (MS) | Philadelphia Eagles
After two seasons at Holmes Community College, Bell emerged as one of the nation's top junior college players. Bell helped stabilize a Bulldogs' offense that improved from a 1-8 overall record in 2021 to an 11-7 overall mark during his two seasons at Holmes. He received All-Region and All-Conference accolades as an offensive lineman in 2023. Bell transferred to Miami where he anchored the left side of the Hurricanes' offensive line. In 2025, he was named to the midseason watch list for the Joe Moore Award honoring the nation's top offensive line.
Keionte Scott | Snow (UT) | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Scott, a 2021 NJCAA Division I Co-Defensive Player of the Year, continued to dominate defensively after two seasons at Snow College. The defensive back was a two-time NJCAA First Team All-America honoree and served as a team captain both years. In 2021, Scott was a consistent presence for the Badger defense which allowed only 13.7 points per game and 211.8 yards per game. He helped Snow earn a spot in the inaugural NJCAA Division I Football Playoff. Scott went on to Auburn where he started at nickel for three seasons before transferring to Miami in 2025. Scott was named a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award honoring the nation's top defensive back in 2025.
Kaden Wetjen | Iowa Western | Pittsburgh Steelers
A two-time NJCAA All-America selection, Kaden Wetjen, developed into one of the best return specialists in college football after spending the 2020 and 2021 seasons at Iowa Western Community College. Wetjen recorded 1,593 all-purpose yards for the Reivers and returned four punts for touchdowns. Across both seasons, he averaged 20.1 yards per kickoff return and 15.4 yards per punt return. Wetjen transferred to Iowa where he became the first two-time winner of The Jet Award, which is awarded annually to the best return specialist in college football.
Justin Jefferson | Pearl River (MS) | Cleveland Browns
Following two foundational seasons at Pearl River Community College, Jefferson grew into a vital starter for the Alabama Crimson Tide. As a sophomore, Jefferson ranked in the top-25 in NJCAA Division I in assisted tackles (3rd – 55), tackles per game (12th – 9.6), total tackles (15th – 86), and tackles for loss (25th – 12). Jefferson received All-Conference honors as a sophomore and was named NJCAA Defensive Player of the Week as a freshman after posting 15 total tackles, two sacks, and 3.5 tackles for loss against No. 1 ranked Jones College.
Malik Benson | Hutchinson (KS) | Las Vegas Raiders
Benson wrote his name in the history books during the 2021 and 2022 seasons at Hutchinson Community College. The wide receiver is the only Hutchinson player in program history to be a two-time NJCAA All-America First Team honoree. Benson still holds the top spot in the Blue Dragon record book for career receiving yards (2,207) and career yards per reception (21.6). He also ranks second in career receiving touchdowns (21) and third in career receptions (103). After his time at Hutchinson, Benson spent one season each at Alabama, Florida State, and Oregon in which he earned an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention recognition in 2025.
| NJCAA Alumni Selected in the 2026 NFL Draft | ||||||
| NAME | NJCAA INSTITUTION | POSITION | ROUND | PICK | NFL TEAM | |
| Markel Bell | Holmes (MS) | OL | 3 | 68 | Philadelphia Eagles | |
| Keionte Scott | Snow (UT) | CB | 4 | 116 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | |
| Kaden Wetjen | Iowa Western | WR | 4 | 121 | Pittsburgh Steelers | |
| Will Lee III | Iowa Western | CB | 4 | 129 | Carolina Panthers | |
| Colbie Young | Lackawanna (PA) | WR | 4 | 140 | Cincinnati Bengals | |
| Justin Jefferson | Pearl River (MS) | LB | 5 | 149 | Cleveland Browns | |
| Bobby Jamison-Travis | Iowa Western | DT | 6 | 186 | New York Giants | |
| Malik Benson | Hutchinson (KS) | WR | 6 | 195 | Las Vegas Raiders | |
| Alex Harkey | Tyler (TX) | OL | 6 | 206 | Los Angeles Chargers | |
| Anterio Thompson | Iowa Western | DT | 6 | 208 | Atlanta Falcons | |
| Namdi Obiazor | Iowa Western | LB | 6 | 212 | New England Patriots | |
| Jordan van den Berg | Iowa Western | DT | 6 | 213 | Chicago Bears | |
| Seth McGowan | Butler (KS) | RB | 7 | 237 | Indianapolis Colts | |
| Dallen Bentley | Snow (UT) | TE | 7 | 256 | Denver Broncos | |
About NJCAA
Since 1938, the NJCAA has served as the premier governing body for two-year collegiate athletics, providing student-athletes with opportunities to prepare, compete, succeed, and achieve in both their academic and athletic disciplines. The NJCAA is the second-largest national intercollegiate athletic organization in the United States, with over 500 member schools and 3,400 teams competing in 28 different sports. Each year, the NJCAA sponsors 57 national championships and invitationals.
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