When Jalen Royals was taken by the Kansas City Chiefs during the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft, a four-draft drought came to an end for Utah State.
The Aggies had gone five years — four drafts — between NFL draft picks in Jordan Love (to the Green Bay Packers in 2020) and Royals, the longest drought the program has endured since the early to mid-2000s.
Now that the drought is over, can USU get back to having players regularly drafted into the NFL? If so, who could be next?
Here are some players who could be the Aggies’ next NFL draft pick, if not in 2026 than perhaps in 2027 or 2028.
Utah State returners who could be the next Aggies draft pick
Ike Larsen
Arguably the best-known player on Utah State’s roster, Ike Larsen is someone many have expected to become an NFL pick when his career in Logan comes to an end.
Larsen is a rare playmaker on defense and special teams, with 17 pass breakups, nine interceptions, a forced fumble and five blocked kicks in his career.
When at his best, Larsen has been a menace in the Aggies’ secondary, making plays on the ball that few can. Also, his ability to make game-changing plays on special teams — the blocked kicks — only helps his case to be a future pro. Larsen’s playmaking ability — in pressure situations, no less — is elite.
Larsen can, however, take unnecessary risks and will be out of position at times. He also isn’t the most consistent tackler, often a result of him trying to make a dynamic play on the ball. Last season, per Pro Football Focus, Larsen was USU’s fifth-best safety among players who played at least 80 snaps on defense.
Larsen doesn’t have the prototypical NFL frame for a safety either — he’s listed at 5-foot-10, 195 pounds.
Still, what Larsen can do when at his best is rare. Rare enough that NFL teams could come calling, especially if he has a bounce-back senior season.
George Maile
A four-star prospect (at guard) coming out of Bingham High in South Jordan, Utah, George Maile hasn’t quite lived up to his potential — yet. At Baylor he played in 13 games over two seasons, as a reserve guard or on special teams. He transferred to Utah State ahead of his sophomore season in 2024
It took time for Maile to come on for Utah State, but by the end of the season he was one of the Aggies’ best linemen.
Listed at 6-foot-3, 305 pounds, Maile was, per PFF, Utah State’s best pass-blocking guard last season, better even than Wyatt Bowles, who just signed a free agent deal with the Los Angeles Rams.
His run-blocking needs to improve, but as a rising junior Maile has time to get better and make good on his potential. Maybe not in time to be drafted in 2026, but 2027 could be a real possibility.
There are other offensive linemen at Utah State who could end up in the pros, guys like Tavo Motu’apuaka, Jake Eichorn and Jr Sia. Maile arguably has the most pro potential out of any of them, though.
Derrick Jameson
Derrick Jameson barely scratched the surface of his potential last season, his first year with USU. Playing behind Rahsul Faison and Herschel Turner at running back for most of the year, Jameson didn’t make too much of an impact his first year at the FBS level.
Still, the junior college transfer showed some flashes late in the season. Though it was on limited snaps (40), Jameson rated as the Aggies’ second-best running back year, per PFF. He actually rated better than Faison — who is now at South Carolina — in pass and run blocking, as well as receiving.
And it shouldn’t be forgotten that Jameson averaged 9.3 yards per carry last season and started his Aggie career with a 72-yard touchdown run.
Listed at 6-feet, 210 pounds, Jameson will probably be third on the Utah State depth chart to start the 2025-26 season, behind Miles Davis and Javen Jacobs. It wouldn’t be a shock for Jameson to carve out a significant role, though, and on a sheer talent basis Jameson could be a player that an NFL team would take a flier on when his time at Utah State is over.
William Holmes
This is entirely about athleticism, size and potential, all things the NFL loves (see the Broncos’ Caleb Lohner selection) even at the expense of proven production.
William Holmes is still new to football, having taken up the sport only recently after a professional baseball career. He was a true freshman in 2024, despite already being in his 20s, and he is still incredibly raw as a football player.
Listed at 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, though, Holmes was described as the most athletic Aggie on last year’s team. Currently slated to play edge, he has an incredible amount of potential.
Based mostly on his athleticism since he is still learning the game, Holmes was USU’s second-highest rated defensive end last season behind only Cian Slone, according to PFF. Holmes showed promise as a pass rusher and dropping into pass coverage.
He still has a lot of room to grow and a lot of development is needed, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Holmes become the next Aggie taken in the NFL draft, be it in 2027 or 2028. Physically, he is every bit the tantalizing pro prospect.
Utah State newcomers who could be the next Aggies draft pick
Tymere Burton
Tymere Burton hasn’t play a down of football at the FBS level. A junior college transfer, Burton has the chance to become the next great Aggie defender, though.
A top-10 juco prospect at linebacker, Burton has prototypical size — he is listed at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds.
More than just that, he has real athleticism at the linebacker position and could see considerable playing time this season as a sophomore.
Plenty of great and highly productive linebackers have gone through Utah State over the years, but many were undersized, at least as far as the NFL is concerned.
Burton is not. He looks the part and if he can live up to the lofty rankings and hype, he could become a game-breaker at Utah State and after that an NFL draft pick.
Brevin Hamblin
The NFL loves size and athleticism. There is a reason basketball players become NFL players. Size and athleticism will get you far in the NFL or at worst can get you an opportunity that would be denied to someone smaller, even if they were more productive.
Brevin Hamblin has size.
Listed at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, Hamblin is among the tallest Aggies on the 2025-26 roster, on either side of the ball.
Given his height alone, Hamblin could prove a menace in pass coverage and as a pass rusher.
The former Syracuse High product has also proven to be a highly productive linebacker.
In two seasons spent at Utah Tech, Hamblin racked up 139 tackles, including five for loss and a sack, and had three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one blocked kick.
Most of that production came last year, his sophomore season.
FBS football isn’t FCS football, but it is a lot closer than many like to admit. That Hamblin has proven productive and has the size that he has makes him a potential pro.
Javen Jacobs
Bronco Mendenhall did not mince words when he talked about Javen Jacobs earlier this year. Mendenhall believes that New Mexico’s trajectory as a team last season was seriously altered when Jacobs went down with an injury against Utah State.
It isn’t difficult to see why Mendenhall feels that way.
Jacobs was a very productive running back through five games last season, averaging nearly seven yards per carry. It wasn’t just what he did on the ground, though. Jacobs also was a weapon in the passing game for the Lobos, averaging nearly eight yards per reception.
That Jacobs was a difference maker for New Mexico wasn’t too surprising. The former Arizona State Sun Devil was the top prospect in Arizona coming out of high school. The potential has always been there for him.
Listed at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, Jacobs has all the hallmarks of becoming a bell cow running back for Utah State. Being a running back means he has to be elite to become an NFL draft pick, but it isn’t difficult to imagine Jacobs becoming that. He was one of the best running backs in the Mountain West Conference last year before he got hurt and he has two years of eligibility remaining.
