Welcome to the 2022 FCS Jersey Countdown.
Leading up to 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.
83: CJ Turner, WR (Sr.) — Southeastern Louisiana University
Turner has been a major factor over the last few seasons for an explosive offense. SLU ranked No. 12 in scoring offense (36.6 PPG) in 2019, No. 6 in the 2021 spring (39.6 PPG), and No. 1 last season (45.1 PPG).
A two-star recruit from LaPlace, Louisiana, Turner chose the Lions over offers from Idaho, Grambling State, Kent State, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, Nicholls, North Alabama, Texas State, and Troy. After a 2018 freshman season that saw him catch 36 passes for 422 yards and two TDs, Turner emerged as a top WR threat in the country in 2019.
His ability to stretch the field, make contested catches, and make plays after the catch led to a special season.
The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder caught 78 passes for 963 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Turner’s best performance came in a 45-44 win in the first round against Villanova when he had 11 catches for 173 yards and two TDs. His second TD catch was the game-winner. The next week, he put up 148 yards and a score on nine receptions in a loss at Montana.
Turner had big numbers again during the spring season. In just six games, he recorded 44 receptions for 534 yards and five TDs and was named on the All-Southland Conference First Team.
Turner played in only six games last fall before an injury sidelined him. He still had 27 catches for 464 yards and five TDs. His talent shined in a 45-42 loss to FBS Louisiana Tech, tallying 131 yards and a TD on eight receptions.
Turner is up to 2,383 career receiving yards and 19 TDs despite playing in limited games in the 2021 spring and fall seasons. He’s ready to put up big-time numbers this year with a full slate of games. SLU does lose Walter Payton Award-winning QB Cole Kelley to the NFL. But the Lions are developing into a solid and consistent program, reaching the second round of the playoffs in 2019 and 2021 with two different starting QBs. And six-foot-5 Cephus Johnson III, who started his career at FBS South Alabama (where he threw for 900 yards and five TDs in 2019) before transferring to SLU for the 2020-21 season, is a strong candidate to take the reins and keep SLU as a playoff team.
