It took until Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft and 208 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft for a member of the Michigan State football team to get drafted, but once the Washington Commanders got on the clock with the 209th pick, the Spartans' draft streak extended to five years.
The Commanders selected senior center Matt Gulbin, and just two picks later, the Baltimore Ravens selected redshirt junior punter Ryan Eckley with the 211th pick.
In his one and only season in East Lansing, Gulbin was voted a team captain and played every snap in the 11 games he started. He finished the season as an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by the media after allowing just five sacks.
Eckley, on the other hand, spent four years at MSU and forwent his senior season to declare for the NFL Draft. The redshirt junior had one of the greatest punting seasons in Big Ten history — he was named the 2025 Big Ten Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year and earned All-America and first-team All-Big Ten honors. He finished his career with a 47.6-yard punting average, ranking No. 1 in school and Big Ten history.
Gulbin and Eckley become the first Spartans to be drafted since guard Luke Newman, who was selected by the Chicago Bears with the 195th pick in the sixth round of last year's draft. Eckley becomes the second punter drafted from MSU since 2023, following Bryce Baringer, who was selected by the New England Patriots in the sixth round with the 192nd pick.
Though only two Spartans were drafted across seven rounds, four other players signed as undrafted free agents to NFL teams' active 90-man offseason rosters.
Senior tight end Jack Velling signed with the Atlanta Falcons, senior wide receiver Omari Kelly signed with the Bears, senior defensive back Malik Spencer signed with the Commanders, and redshirt senior running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver signed with the Ravens.
