Welcome to Year 9 of the FCS Jersey Countdown.
HERO Sports counts down the number of days until Week 0 by naming 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.
Below is the running list of players honored.
FCS Jersey Countdown
Jersey numbers are based on 2025 rosters
RELATED: FCS Preseason Preview Central
99: South Dakota State DE Dawson Ripperda
-2026 Senior
-6’4” 255 lbs
-2023 transfer from Northern Illinois
-2024: 23 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks
-2025: 43 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 6 QB hurries
-2025 PFF No. 43 FCS edge
98: North Dakota DT Montre Samuels-Parker
-2026 Senior
-5’11” 258 lbs
-2024 transfer from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M
-2025: 29 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 sack, 4 QB hurries
-2025: Led UND’s interior DL (No. 5 FCS rushing defense) with 625+ snaps
97: Rhode Island DL Case Mankins
-2026 Senior
-6’3” 245 lbs
-2023: Appeared in 10 games as a true freshman
-2024: 24 tackles, 4 TFLs, 1.5 sacks
-2025: 55 tackles, 5 TFLs, 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 QB hurries, 5 pass breakups
-2025 PFF No. 32 FCS DT
-2025 All-CAA 3rd Team
96: Yale DT Jaylin Tate
-2026 Senior
-6’4″ 290 lbs
-2025: 510+ snaps, 32 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks
-2025 All-Ivy League Honorable Mention
95: Furman DE Joshua Stoneking
-2026 Junior
-6’3″ 258 lbs
-2025: 79 tackles, 23 TFLs, 14.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 9 QB hurries
-PFF No. 6 FCS edge
-All-SoCon 1st Team
-6x 1st Team All-American
-No. 2 in Buck Buchanan Award voting
-FCS ADA National Defensive Player of the Year
94: Southern Illinois DT Amir Dwight
-2026 Junior
-6’1” 272 lbs
-2024: Played 270+ snaps as a redshirt freshman (13 tackles)
-2025: 355+ snaps, 20 tackles, 4 TFLs, 3 sacks, 4 QB hurries
-2025 PFF No. 28 FCS DT
93: Cal Poly DT Manaalii Danielson
-2026 Sophomore
-6’2” 255 lbs
-2025: 380+ snaps as a true freshman, 16 tackles, 3 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, 7 QB hurries, 2 pass breakups
-2025 PFF No. 24 FCS DT
92: Illinois State DL Travis Jones
-2026 Junior
-6’3″ 285 lbs
-2025: 405+ snaps, 21 tackles, 2 TFLs, 2 sacks, 5 QB hurries
-Key part in ISU’s Top 25 rush defense
91: The Citadel DL Chris Benton
-2026 Senior
-6’0″ 250 lbs
-35 career games played
-2023 SoCon All-Freshman Team
-2025: 420+ snaps, 26 tackles, 5 TFLs, 5 sacks, 5 QB hurries
-2025 All-SoCon 2nd Team
90: UC Davis DT Trent Carrade
-2026 Senior
-6’3″ 280 lbs
-2025: 670+ snaps, 26 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 4 sacks, 2 QB hurries, 2 pass breakups
89: Montana State TE Rocky Lencioni
-2026 Sophomore
-6’3” 240 lbs
-2025: 19 catches, 206 yards, 6 TDs
-2025 PFF No. 2 FCS TE
-2025 Phil Steele Freshman All-American
88: South Dakota State TE Greyton Gannon
-2026 Senior
-6’4” 235 lbs
-2025: 33 catches, 372 yards, 3 TDs
-2025 All-MVFC 1st Team
-2025 AP All-American Honorable Mention
87: William & Mary TE Sean McElwain
-2026 Senior
-6’5″ 230 lbs
-2x All-CAA
-2023: 22 catches, 312 yards
-2024: 20 catches, 361 yards, 5 TDs
-2024 All-CAA Honorable Mention
-2025: 7 games before injury, 12 catches, 186 yards, 3 TDs
-2025 All-CAA 3rd Team
86: Cornell TE Ryder Kurtz
-2026 Senior
-6’5″ 233 lbs
-2x All-Ivy League
-2x All-American
-2024: 36 catches, 441 yards, 4 TDs
-2024 All-Ivy League Honorable Mention
-2024 AP All-American Honorable Mention
-2025: 44 catches, 523 yards, 4 TDs
-2025 PFF No. 11 FCS TE
-2025 All-Ivy League 2nd Team
-2025 3-time All-American selection
85: Columbia WR Titus Evans
-2026 Senior
-6’2” 200 lbs
-2025: 46 catches, 584 yards, 6 TDs
-2025 PFF No. 42 FCS WR
84: Bucknell WR Sam Milligan
-2026 Senior
-6’3” 220 lbs
-2024: 19 catches, 281 yards, 5 TDs
-2025: 56 catches, 975 yards, 10 TDs
-2025 PFF No. 5 FCS WR
-2025 All-Patriot League 2nd Team
83: Villanova WR Braden Reed
-2026 Sophomore
-5’9″ 180 lbs
-2025: 34 catches, 518 yards, 3 TDs; 20 punt returns, 298 yards, 14.9 avg
-2025 All-CAA 3rd Team (PR)
-2025 Freshman All-American (PR)
82: South Dakota State TE Coleman Kuntz
-2026 Senior
-6’3” 240 lbs
-2025 transfer from Sac State
-2025: Limited to 6 games due to injury, 7 catches, 82 yards, 1 TD
-2024: 25 catches, 191 yards, 2 TDs
-2023: 20 catches, 236 yards, 4 rushing TDs
81: Austin Peay WR Jaden Robinson
-Wearing No. 8 in 2026
-2026 Junior
-6’1″ 191 lbs
-2025 transfer from Kennesaw State
-2025: 43 catches, 579 yards, 6 TDs
80: West Florida TE Jake Robinette
-2026 Senior
-6’6″ 245 lbs
-2025: 13 catches, 199 yards, 4 TDs
-2025 All-Gulf South Conference 1st Team
-2025 D2CCA All-Region 1st Team
