Insider notes on Conference USA: Grading top prospects ft. Missouri State's Jacob Clark, Delaware's Caleb Fauria, and more

Conference USA is struggling to remain relevant as an FBS football league. They filled open spots in the conference with lower-division programs after an exodus of schools to the American Athletic Conference last year, adding Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State and Sam Houston State. Another pair of FCS programs, Missouri State and Delaware, enter the league this year. This has all added up to ruin in the NFL Draft, as just a single player from Conference USA was selected last April. The outlook for 2025 is not much better.

The top prospect in the league on my board is a seventh-year senior from Missouri State who threw a single pass on the FBS level back in 2019, when he played at Minnesota. Jacob Clark is a nice-sized pocket passer with a smooth, fluid delivery. He’s patient, poised and delivers a catchable ball. Clark is accurate in the short as well as intermediate field, and his play in 2025, especially his ability to hit on deep passes, will determine whether or not he’s drafted next April.

Redshirt sophomore BJ Tolo of New Mexico State is an athletic zone-blocking guard who shows a lot of skill on the move. He’s a short, wide-bodied lineman who lacks growth potential, but the ability to block in motion is attractive.

Western Kentucky, one of the more competitive programs in the conference, has a history of success with quarterbacks they’ve brought in from the FCS level, and they hope to do it again with Maverick McIvor. Incredibly productive the past three seasons at Abilene Christian, McIvor is smart, accurate and moves the offense down the field. He’s small and has a style similar to former WKU signal caller Bailey Zappe, a 2022 fourth-round pick of the New England Patriots who is presently on the Kansas City Chiefs roster. While I have a free agent grade on McIvor, several scouts I’ve spoken with believe he is a fifth-round prospect.

Caleb Fauria of Delaware is an athletic tight end with next-level size and decent speed. He gives a lot of effort blocking and displays a lot of agility in his game. Fauria must improve the consistency of his hands and increase his pass-catching production, as he caught just 12 passes last season. He is the son of former NFL tight end Christian Fauria.

C-USA Prospects
Rnd	Grade	Full Name	School	Pos	#	Yr
6th	3.32	Jacob Clark	Missouri State	QB	12	7Sr
6th	3.32	BJ Tolo	New Mexico State	G	61	3So
FA	3.22	Maverick McIvor	Western Kentucky	QB	10	6Sr
FA	3.18	Caleb Fauria	Delaware	TE	12	6Sr
FA	3.06	Gavin Wimsatt	Jacksonville State	QB	2	4Sr
FA	3.03	Jairus Mack	Western Kentucky	WR	14	5Sr
FA	3.03	Kolbe Fields	Louisiana Tech	ILB	10	5Sr
FA	3.02	Matthew Henry	Western Kentucky	WR	17	5Sr
FA	3.02	Blake Thompson	Louisiana Tech	S	0	5Sr
FA	3	Fintan Brose	Delaware	G	54	6Sr
FA	3	Elijah Green	Sam Houston State	RB	21	6Sr
FA	3	Brylan Green	Liberty	S	15	4Sr