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.
The full 99-1 countdown/schedule can be found here.
*Note: Jersey numbers are based on 2019 rosters.
71: Drew Himmelman, OL (Sr.) — Illinois State
Himmelman makes tall people look not tall.
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.
Himmelman was a HERO Sports Freshman All-American, Sophomore All-American and a 2019 Third Team All-American. The MVFC named him on the All-Newcomer Team in 2017, then on the Second Team and finally on the First Team last year. He graded out at over 90 percent last season.
He was a terrific basketball player in high school and received an offer from Northern Illinois. But Himmelman told HERO Sports back in 2018 that he knew football was what he wanted to play in college. Illinois State was his only scholarship offer while Iowa offered him a preferred walk-on spot.
The Geneseo, Illinois (population roughly 6,500) native has developed his raw abilities tremendously with the Redbirds. An overlooked high school recruit with a huge frame and a basketball background? There have been many NFL Draft picks from the FCS with the same story.
And Himmelman could be next. Draft Scout has him as the eighth-best tackle for the 2021 NFL Draft.
