(Stats Perform) - FCS prospects heading toward a potential NFL career like having a rather large chip on their shoulder, often feeling they have to prove themselves more than FBS counterparts.

Many are used to it after making the transition from high school to the FCS … and not the FBS.

"Maybe (higher-level colleges) didn't believe in the size, maybe the athleticism wasn't supreme (for FCS players coming out of high school)," former Dayton tight end Adam Trautman said. "But work ethic and all that, like once (FCS prospects) got to college and their bodies blew up …"

Trautman considers himself to be one of the late-bloomers. NFL scouts have caught up with him, though, eyeing the 2019 first-team FCS All-American as one of the first draft picks from the subdivision. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound playmaker has generally drawn second- and third-round grades for the draft, which begins Thursday night and runs for three days. He would be Dayton's first draft pick since 1977.

School officials say all NFL teams and 98 total scouts visited campus last fall to get a closer look at Trautman. He became the first tight end to be named offensive player of the year in the Pioneer Football League, which originated in 1993. His soft hands and large catch radius led to him catching 14 touchdowns as a senior, and 171 passes for 2,295 yards and 31 touchdowns in his career.

Athlon Sports wrote Trautman "provides some exciting upside. The potential is there for him to develop into a well-rounded, quality starter."

"Just the multiple things you can do with the position," Trautman said. "Especially now, you see in the NFL with guys like (Kansas City's Travis) Kelce and (Philadelphia's Zach) Ertz. You can be such a big game-changer. At the point of attack in the run game, you can spring big runs, just create lanes for your guys. And then in the pass game, you can be the biggest mismatch nightmare for really anyone."