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.
52: Jackson Hankey, LB (Jr.) — North Dakota State
The 2019 NDSU defense, which ranked No. 1 in the FCS with 12.3 points allowed per game, had plenty of star power with All-Americans like Jabril Cox, James Hendricks and Derrek Tuszka.
But it was sophomore and first-year starter Jackson Hankey who led the defense with 127 tackles while adding nine tackles for loss.
Hankey’s total tackles were the ninth most in the FCS and the third-most in NDSU’s Division I history. His best performance of the season came in a nail-biting national championship win against James Madison, where Hankey racked up 17 tackles.
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound North Dakota native earned HERO Sports Sophomore All-American honors.
