Welcome to the 2022 FCS Jersey Countdown. Leading up to the start of weekly college football odds and Week 0 games on Aug. 27, HERO Sports will name the best returning FCS player by jersey number, 99-0. Due to rosters being updated at different times for teams across the country and to keep things consistent, jersey numbers are based on last season’s rosters.
The 99-0 countdown central page can be found here.
Note: Jersey numbers are based on 2021 rosters.
67: Anderson Tomlin, OL (Sr.) — Furman
The SoCon is filled with good offensive linemen and running backs. Establishing the run is what a majority of teams want to do in the conference — six of the Top 25 FCS rushing offenses last season came from the SoCon.
One of the better offensive lineman is Furman’s Anderson Tomlin.
He earned a starting role at left tackle in the spring and was an immediate force, being named on the All-Conference First Team by the coaches. Tomlin repeated as a First Team All-SoCon performer last fall, helping the Paladins to the No. 24 FCS rushing offense (184.1 YPG).
The 6-foot-5, 296-pounder is a hulking presence on an o-line that should be even better in 2022. Furman is a sleeper team to make the playoffs after going 6-5 and 4-4 in the SoCon last year. The Paladins lost three-straight games by close margins late in the season — 17-13 to eventual quarterfinalist ETSU, 13-3 to Chattanooga (who is getting a lot of preseason love this summer), and 43-42 to Western Carolina.
Furman returns nine starters on offense, including four offensive linemen led by Tomlin and Second Team All-Conference selection Pearson Toomey.
