Welcome to the 2020 FCS Jersey Countdown.
Throughout the May-August months, HERO Sports is going to name the best returning FCS player by jersey number, 99-1. Due to rosters being updated at different times for teams across the country and to keep things consistent, jersey numbers are based on the 2019 season.
PAST JERSEY COUNTDOWNS
Best FCS Players, 99-1
Note: Jersey numbers are based on 2019 rosters.
99: Malik Hamm, Lafayette
Hamm kicks off the Jersey Countdown at No. 99 for the second year in a row. Now a junior, the 6-foot-3 and 260-pounder has already had an illustrious career for the Leopards. … READ MORE
98: Kobie Turner, Richmond
Top tacklers on a football team are usually reserved for guys in the back seven of a defense. Not 275-pound defensive lineman. But that wasn’t the case for Richmond’s Kobie Turner in 2019. … READ MORE
97: Brevin Allen, Campbell
Allen was looked at to contribute more as a sophomore last year. And he delivered. He saw game action in 10 games as a freshman and had some bright spots. But last year was a coming-out party for the 6-foot-4, 255-pounder. … READ MORE
96: Amandre Williams, Montana State
In his debut season with the Bobcats, Williams totaled 65 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, five sacks, three quarterback hurries and two interceptions. … READ MORE
95: Joseph Wallace, Sam Houston State
Wallace arrived at SHSU after starting seven games for Texas Tech in 2018. The former three-star recruit made an immediate impact for the Bearkats and started all 12 games. … READ MORE
94: Jevon Leon, Sam Houston State
The 6-foot-3, 250-pounder had 38 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks on the season. His TFLs and sacks were the most among FCS freshmen. … READ MORE
93: Jermaine McDaniel, North Carolina A&T
The rich got richer when Jermaine McDaniel transferred from Appalachian State to NC A&T. With a tradition of strong defense, the Aggies added an elite pass-rushing talent with the 6-foot-3, 235-pounder. … READ MORE
92: Mike Greene, James Madison
Greene raised his play to an All-CAA Third Team level last season, starting all 16 games and accounting for 53 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and six QB hurries. … READ MORE
91: Jared Schiess, Weber State
Last year was a big one for Jared, which saw him start all 15 games and record 55 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. The 6-foot-3, 300-pounder earned All-Big Sky First Team honors as part of a top defense in the FCS. … READ MORE
90: Trace Mascorro, Sam Houston State
He started in every game for the Bearkats last year, totaling 41 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. Mascorro was named the Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year and also earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team. … READ MORE
89: Garett Maag, North Dakota
Big things are in store for Maag in 2020, not only because of the progression he’s made in two seasons at UND, but because he’ll now be looked at as the go-to receiver. … READ MORE
88: Tyler Hudson, Central Arkansas
The Bears owned one of the most explosive passing attacks in the FCS last year. Leading the way as their top target was freshman Tyler Hudson. … READ MORE
87: Noah Gindorff, North Dakota State
Gindorff has the size and athleticism to be an elite tight end in the FCS. The ability to run block and also be a threat in the red zone is an offensive coordinator’s dream. … READ MORE
86: LJ Wesneski, Albany
Jeff Undercuffler had one of the best FCS freshman seasons ever for a quarterback as he led the subdivision with 41 touchdown passes in 2019. A big, reliable target for him was tight end LJ Wesneski. … READ MORE
85: Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim, Alabama A&M
Finishing 2019 with 59 receptions for 1,004 yards and 11 touchdowns, Ibrahim was named the SWAC Freshman of the Year and was on the All-Conference First Team as well. HERO Sports recognized him as a Freshman All-American. … READ MORE
84: Pierre Williams, Sacramento State
Williams had a team-high 931 receiving yards and seven touchdowns off of 54 catches. This came after a redshirt freshman season where he had 31 catches for 553 yards and five touchdowns. … READ MORE
83: CJ Turner, Southeastern Louisiana
The Southeastern Louisiana passing attack was electric to watch in 2019, ranking second in the FCS with 354.4 passing yards per game. While the weapons were aplenty, CJ Turner was the No. 1 pass-catcher with 78 receptions for 963 yards. … READ MORE
82: LeCharles Pringle, Alcorn State
The 6-foot, 185-pounder caught 48 passes for 828 yards and 14 touchdowns. The 14 receiving TDs were the most in the SWAC and tied for the fourth-most in the FCS. … READ MORE
81: Adrian Hope, Furman
In his two seasons combined, Hope has 72 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, 21.5 sacks and five forced fumbles. He already ranks third in Furman history for career sacks. … READ MORE
80: Isaiah Weston, Northern Iowa
Last year, Weston came back and proved he’s a top wide receiver in the FCS. The 6-foot-4, 208-pounder had 43 receptions for 1,053 yards and 10 touchdowns. … READ MORE
79: Dontae Keys, North Carolina A&T
Out of his 725 snaps, he graded out at 85 percent and gave up just three sacks with 19 knockdown blocks. His play earned him All-MEAC Second Team honors. … READ MORE
78: Conlan Beaver, Montana
A big part of Montana’s improving offensive line has been the consistency of left tackle Conlan Beaver. … READ MORE
77: Liam Fornadel, James Madison
Fornadel has had a significant presence on JMU’s offensive line since his freshman season in 2017. He has played in all 44 games from 2017-2019 and is now one of the top offensive lineman in the FCS entering 2020. … READ MORE
76: Spencer Brown, Northern Iowa
Brown is a behemoth on the UNI offensive line. Standing 6-foot-9 and weighing 321 pounds, his Twitter handle @TooTallo_o is fitting. … READ MORE
75: Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State
Dillon Radunz is as good as it gets at left tackle in the FCS. And he’s also being viewed as one of the best tackles in all of college football. … READ MORE
74: Aaron Grzymkowski, Towson
The 6-foot-3, 300-pound mauler is already a two-time All-Conference performer. He was named on the All-CAA Third Team as a sophomore and was on the Second Team last year. … READ MORE
73: Tim Coleman, Richmond
After redshirting in 2017, Coleman has started 23 straight games at left tackle. The 6-foot-4, 305-pounder earned All-CAA Second Team honors last year. … READ MORE
72: Mason Scheidegger, South Dakota
Scheidegger has been rock-solid for the Coyotes, starting all 36 games in the last three seasons. … READ MORE
71: Drew Himmelman, Illinois State
Standing 6-foot-10 and weighing 315 pounds, Himmelman has held down the left tackle spot for the Redbirds since his redshirt freshman season in 2017. He’s been recognized as one of the top FCS offensive lineman in each of his three seasons played. … READ MORE
70: Danny Garza, Prairie View A&M
Garza has been a staple on Prairie View A&M’s offensive line since his freshman season. He’s a three-year starter entering his senior year and has played both guard and center. … READ MORE
69: J’Von Brown, Central Connecticut State
The 6-foot-3, 320-pound guard is a two-time All-NEC First Team selection and was a 2018 Second Team All-American. … READ MORE
68: Eric Wilson, Harvard
Wilson emerged as a top offensive lineman in the Ivy League last season. After playing in all 10 games for the second straight season, Wilson earned Second Team All-Conference honors. … READ MORE
67: Cordell Volson, North Dakota State
The 6-foot-6, 312-pound North Dakota native was named a HERO Sports Second Team All-American and earned a spot on the All-MVFC First Team. … READ MORE
66: Nash Jensen, North Dakota State
Jensen stepped into the starting lineup last season as a third-year sophomore and provided a big presence at left guard. He started all 16 games and earned HERO Sports Sophomore All-American honors. … READ MORE
65: Paul Grattan, Villanova
Grattan earned First Team All-CAA honors as Villanova allowed just 1.08 sacks per game, which ranked 10th in the FCS and first in the CAA. … READ MORE
64: P.J. Burkhalter, Nicholls
He was named on five different All-American teams, four of which were the First Team. Burkhalter also earned All-Southland First Team honors along with being named the Southland Offensive Lineman of the Year. … READ MORE
63: Brian Foley, Holy Cross
Foley has been a mainstay at left tackle for Holy Cross these last two seasons, earning back-to-back First Team All-Patriot League honors. … READ MORE
62: Chris Dye, Kennesaw State
KSU finished No. 1 in the subdivision with 342.4 rushing yards per game, 20 more than the No. 2 team (Davidson). Dye was a huge part in the success, starting 10 games and earning First Team All-Big South honors. … READ MORE
61: Evan Hecimovich, Dartmouth
The Big Green had just one returning starter on the offensive line entering 2019. Not only did Hecimovich step into the center position as a first-year starter, he converted positions on the offensive line to take over that role. … READ MORE
60: John Burk, Lafayette
Burk is a two-year starter entering his senior season. He’s started all 23 games for the Leopards, playing right guard in 2018 before sliding over to right tackle last year. … READ MORE
59: ZeVeyon Furcron, Southern Illinois
The left guard paved the way for two 1,000-yard rushers in 2019 — D.J. Davis and Javon Williams Jr. — as SIU ranked 12th in the FCS with 233.4 rushing yards per game. … READ MORE
58: Chris Ojoh, Eastern Washington
Ojoh burst onto the FCS scene during the second half of the 2018 season. He was inserted into the starting lineup mid-October and stayed there the rest of the season, playing his best ball during EWU’s run to the national title game. … READ MORE
57: Jacob Roberts, North Carolina A&T
NC A&T’s tradition of strong defense continued in 2019, and a big reason why was the emergence of freshman linebacker Jacob Roberts. … READ MORE
56: Myles Cecil, Cal Poly
He has combined for 74 tackles, 2.5 sacks and six tackles for loss in his first two seasons starting for the Mustangs. … READ MORE
55: Jordan Hill, Harvard
Hill is a back-to-back All-Ivy League selection, being named to the Second Team in 2018 and the First Team last year. … READ MORE
54: Kyin Howard, North Carolina A&T
Howard led the team with 79 tackles while adding 8.5 tackles for loss. He earned All-MEAC Second Team honors. … READ MORE
53: Blake Mitchell, Austin Peay
The 6-foot-1, 289-pounder earned First Team All-OVC honors as the Govs averaged 34.5 points per game while allowing just one sack per game. … READ MORE
52: Jackson Hankey, North Dakota State
It was sophomore and first-year starter Jackson Hankey who led the defense with 127 tackles while adding nine tackles for loss. … READ MORE
51: Taylor Tuiasosopo, Montana State
Tuiasosopo is a three-year starter at guard entering his senior season. He earned Third Team All-Big Sky Conference honors last season. … READ MORE
50: Andrew Dale, North Carolina Central
Last year, Dale was voted on the All-Conference Third Team, allowing only two sacks and owning a blocking grade of 81 percent. … READ MORE
49: Nick Bisceglia, Robert Morris
A 2019 All-NEC First Team selection, Bisceglia went 33-for-33 in PATS and made 12 of 16 field-goal attempts. … READ MORE
48: Chris Kolarevic, Northern Iowa
The 6-foot-1, 230-pounder went on to finish the season with 79 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. He was twice named the MVFC Defensive Player of the Week and earned All-Conference Second Team honors. … READ MORE
47: Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham
At 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, Greenhagen is a physical linebacker that disrupts offenses all over the field. In just two seasons, he has racked up a combined 188 total tackles, 33.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks. … READ MORE
46: Dalton Kincaid, San Diego
He took his game to another level last season, hauling in 44 passes for 835 yards and eight touchdowns. Kincaid was named on the All-Pioneer Football League Second Team, a HERO Sports Sophomore All-American and was an AP All-American Third Team selection. … READ MORE
45: Levi Metheny, Albany
His growth continued last year, where the 6-foot, 239-pound linebacker led the team with 120 total tackles and led the CAA with 63 solo tackles. … READ MORE
44: Jared Brinkman, Northern Iowa
Brinkman has the size and strength to eat up blocks. The former high school heavyweight state champion wrestler also has the agility to be extremely productive. … READ MORE
43: Forrest Rhyne, Villanova
The 6-foot-1, 225-pounder finished 2019 with a team-high 116 total tackles. Rhyne also had 14.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, earning First Team All-CAA honors. … READ MORE
42: Bryson Armstrong, Kennesaw State
In three seasons, the former two-star high school recruit has racked up 284 total tackles, 34.5 TFLs, 17 sacks, five interceptions, 16 passes defended, five forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. … READ MORE
41: Luis Aguilar, Northern Arizona
Aguilar made all 52 extra points and nailed 22-of-25 field goals. He set the school record with his 88 percent FG percentage and his 118 points scored. … READ MORE
40: Keonte Hampton, Jackson State
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker stepped up his play even more last year. Hampton racked up 106 total tackles, 13 TFLs and 4.5 sacks.
39: Jack Cochrane, South Dakota
As a team captain, Cochrane finished tied for first in the conference for the most regular-season tackles, racking up 106. He also had seven tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions.
38: Trenton Gordon, Stephen F. Austin
Gordon has had a huge presence on SFA’s defense since stepping foot on campus in 2017.
37: DaRon Bland, Sacramento State
The Modesto, Calif. native had his breakout season last year. He totaled 43 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and eight pass breakups. Bland earned First Team All-Big Sky honors and was named the team’s most Outstanding Defensive Back.
36: Alex Ramsey, The Citadel
There have been plenty of notable FCS transfers this offseason. Right near the top of the list is Ramsey transferring within the SoCon from VMI to The Citadel.
35: Conner Mortensen, Weber State
He led Weber State’s standout defense in tackles last year with 104, including 9.5 tackles for loss. Mortensen was one of several first-year starters to help the Wildcats to their third straight conference title and a semifinal appearance.
34: Jace Lewis, Montana
Jace Lewis put together a fantastic 2019 season where he totaled 131 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and six quarterback hurries.
33: Elijah Dotson, Sacramento State
Last year, Dotson thrived in first-year head coach Troy Taylor’s offense. The 6-foot, 185-pounder had 742 yards rushing and seven touchdowns along with 70 receptions for 702 yards and four touchdowns.
32. Ailym Ford, Chattanooga
The 2019 SoCon freshman of the year, Ford ran for 1,081 yards and nine touchdowns.
31. Percy Agyei-Obese, James Madison
A 2020 preseason All-American, Agyei-Obese had a breakthrough year last season, rushing for 1,216 yards and 19 touchdowns.
30. Jah-Maine Martin, North Carolina A&T
Martin rushed for 1,446 yards and 23 touchdowns last season. He is a preseason All-American.
29. Mac McCain III, North Carolina A&T
McCain has battled injuries, but he has multiple All-Conference and All-American honors. The cornerback is an NFL Draft prospect.
28. Julien Gums, Nicholls
A 2019 First Team All-Conference selection and Sophomore All-American, Gums rished for 1,232 yards and 16 touchdowns.
27. Donovan Williams, Sam Houston State
The former three-star recruit stepped up in a big way last year as a sophomore, rushing for 925 yards and 14 touchdowns.
26. Glenn Cunningham, Fordham
Cunningham has been a dominant force at linebacker since his freshman season. He is a three-time All-Patriot League selection and was named a HERO Sports Freshman and Sophomore All-American. … READ MORE
25. Michael Tutsie, North Dakota State
Tutsie proved he was the next in line of great Bison strong safeties last year, finishing second on the team with 105 total tackles and leading the MVFC with seven interceptions. … READ MORE
24. Brandon Easterling, Dayton
Junior safety Brandon Easterling had an eye-opening 2019 season. He totaled 140 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions, 10 passes defended and three forced fumbles. … READ MORE
23. Ferlando Jordan, Southeastern Louisiana
Last year, Jordan exploded onto the national scene with his play. He totaled 13 passes defended and had five interceptions. Three of those were pick-sixes. … READ MORE
22. Isaiah Ifanse, Montana State
The 2017 Washington Gatorade Player of the Year, Ifanse was a huge recruiting get for the Bobcats. The three-star recruit out of Bellevue lived up to expectations when he hit the field as a true freshman in 2018. … READ MORE
21. Marcus Knight, Montana
Knight set school records for rushing TDs (23), total TDs (25) and points scored in a season (150). … READ MORE
20. Pierre Strong, South Dakota State
Strong is going to be the best running back in the FCS when games are played this academic year. He may have been the top back last season before being sidelined mid-November with an injury. … READ MORE
19. Xavier Smith, Florida A&M
Smith has quickly gone from a walk-on to a top receiver in the MEAC and one of the best in the FCS. … READ MORE
18. Samuel Akem, Montana
Akem had a breakthrough redshirt sophomore season in 2018, being named a HERO Sports Sophomore All-American and earning a spot on the All-Big Sky Conference Second Team. … READ MORE
17. Robby Hauck, Montana
Last season, Hauck totaled 129 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, one interception, three passes defended and two forced fumbles. … READ MORE
16. Brandon Rainey, The Citadel
The 2020 HERO Sports preseason All-American First Team “athlete” is coming off of a season where he rushed for 900 yards and 17 touchdowns off of 240 attempts. He also went 62-for-122 passing for 1,114 yards and 13 touchdowns with four interceptions. … READ MORE
15. Troy Andersen, Montana State
The most versatile player in college football, Andersen is an All-American-level player whereever he is at on the field.
14. Anthony Adams, Portland State
Adams is a preseason First Team All-American after racking up 24 passes defended and five interceptions last year.
13. Kordell Jackson, Austin Peay
Along with All-OVC First Team honors, Jackson was named to six different All-American First Teams. … READ MORE
12. Daniel Smith, Villanova
After winning the starting job with Nova, Smith went 236-396 passing for 3,274 yards, 35 TDs and 10 interceptions. The dual-threat QB also ran for 457 yards and 12 TDs. … READ MORE
11. DeAngelo Wilson, Austin Peay
Wilson burst onto the national scene last year, breaking multiple school records: receptions (89), receiving yards (1,564), touchdown receptions (15) and receiving yards per game (104.3). … READ MORE
