By Deshaun Garduno
The 2026 NFL draft kicked off Thursday, April 23, in Pittsburgh, Pa., with a three-day, seven-round event. There were 257 college football players drafted. Although none of those players were drafted out of NMSU, a handful still represented our Aggies on the big stage.
Of those hundreds with their name called, four have donned the crimson and white in the City of Crosses. Those four players include tight end Eli Stowers, linebacker Keyshaun Elliott, and running backs Seth McGowan and Mike Washington Jr.
Stowers was taken in round 2, pick 54, by the Philadelphia Eagles. Stowers spent the 2023 season with the Aggies, where he was originally a backup quarterback, but later switched to tight end. After his one year with the Aggies, he transferred to Vanderbilt University and upped his productivity, which warranted him to be the second tight end taken in the draft.
From the same 2023 squad at pick 166 in the fifth round, the Chicago Bears selected Elliot, who spent two years with the Aggies. Elliot was the team’s leading tackler with 111 total tackles in the 2023 season. After that season, Elliot transferred to Arizona State University.
With pick 122 in the fourth round, the Las Vegas Raiders selected Washington Jr. He spent the 2024 season with the Aggies, where he tallied over 800 total yards. After the 2024 season, he hit the transfer portal, where he ended up at the University of Arkansas, and now will head to Las Vegas.
During that same season, the Aggies had another star running back, McGowan. The former Aggie tallied over 1,000 yards for the crimson and white. After the 2024 campaign, McGowan spent a year at the University of Kentucky, declared for the draft, and was taken in the seventh round at pick 237 by the Indianapolis Colts.
Although four former Aggies were drafted, all eyes were on one former Aggie, Diego Pavia. The former NMSU quarterback went undrafted despite a couple of stellar seasons at Vanderbilt University, which included a runner-up spot in the 2025 Heisman trophy race. He became the first Heisman finalist to go undrafted since 2014. Pavia, however, was never slated to be drafted barring something unexpected. Pavia just doesn’t fit the mold of your typical NFL quarterback. Regardless of that or the character he is, Pavia is talented, which earned him an invite to the Baltimore Ravens minicamp.
The only former Aggie to sign a free agent deal was offensive tackle Shiyazh Pete, who signed a deal with the Dallas Cowboys. A few other former Aggies received minicamp offers, including running back Star Thomas, wide receiver Jonathan Brady, and safety Myles Rowser.
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