After much debate, HERO Sports presents its 2020 FCS Preseason All-American teams — three teams deep.
It recognizes returning stars and is also a bit predictive (that’s why top players who were injured last year are included).
In some instances, we added an extra spot because we felt it was deserved or could be situational on the field. We also recognized the unsung heroes of the Special Teams units.
Here are the 2020 FCS Preseason All-American teams, as selected by senior writers Brian McLaughlin and Sam Herder:
NOTE: AP – All-Purpose; ATH – Dual-threat QB; RS – Return Specialist; ST – Special teams standout
RELATED: Preseason Top 25
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
POS PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR QB Trey Lance North Dakota State Soph. QB Kevin Thomson Sacramento State Sr. RB Karl Mofor Albany Sr. RB Jah-Maine Martin North Carolina A&T Sr. RB Pierre Strong Jr. South Dakota State Jr. OL Drew Himmelman Illinois State Sr. OL Liam Fornadel James Madison Sr. OL PJ Burkhalter Nicholls Sr. OL Dillon Radunz North Dakota State Sr. OL Cordell Volson North Dakota State Sr. WR DeAngelo Wilson Austin Peay Sr. WR Samori Toure Montana Sr. WR Cade Johnson South Dakota State Sr. TE Dalton Kincaid San Diego Jr. AP Shane Simpson Towson Sr. ATH Brandon Rainey The Citadel Sr.
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
POS PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR DL Romeo McKnight Illinois State Sr. DL Kobie Turner Richmond Jr. DL Elerson Smith Northern Iowa Sr. DL Jermaine McDaniel North Carolina A&T Jr. LB Bryson Armstrong Kennesaw State Sr. LB Jace Lewis Montana Sr. LB Forrest Rhyne Villanova Sr. LB Ryan Greenhagen Fordham Jr. DB Kordell Jackson Austin Peay Sr. DB Brandon Easterling Dayton Sr. DB Robby Hauck Montana Jr. DB Anthony Adams Portland State Jr. DB Ferlando Jordan Southeastern Louisiana Jr. ATH Troy Andersen Montana State Sr.
FIRST TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
POS PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR P Chris Faddoul Florida A&M Sr. PK Luis Aguilar Northern Arizona Sr. LS Colton Menges Alcorn State Sr. PR Montrell Washington Samford Sr. KR Lonnie Moore IV Monmouth Sr. ST D’Angelo Amos James Madison Sr.
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
POS PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR QB Jeff Undercuffler Albany Soph. QB Eric Barriere Eastern Washington Sr. QB Bailey Zappe Houston Baptist Sr. RB Percy Agyei-Obese James Madison Sr. RB Marcus Knight Montana Jr. RB Josh Davis Weber State Jr. OL J’Von Brown Central Connecticut Sr. OL Paul Grattan Villanova Sr. OL Ty Whitworth Weber State Sr. OL Nash Jensen North Dakota State Jr. OL Kyle Nunez Stony Brook Jr. WR Changa Hodge Villanova Sr. WR Xavier Smith Florida A&M Jr. WR Isaiah Weston Northern Iowa Jr. TE Colton Dowell UT Martin Jr. AP Elijah Dotson Sacramento State Sr. ATH Daniel Smith Villanova Sr.
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
POS PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR DL Mike Greene James Madison Sr. DL Jared Brinkman Northern Iowa Sr. DL Trace Mascorro Sam Houston State Sr. DL Roderick Perry South Carolina State Sr. LB Levi Metheny Albany Sr. LB Deshawn Stevens Maine Sr. LB Colby Campbell Presbyterian Sr. LB Adrian Hope Furman Jr. DB Robert Rochell Central Arkansas Sr. DB Devin Taylor Illinois State Sr. DB Michael Tutsie North Dakota State Jr. DB Kedrick Whitehead Delaware Jr.
SECOND TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
POS PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR P DJ Arnson Northern Arizona Sr. PK Trey Tuttle Weber State Sr. LS Bradey Sorenson South Dakota State Sr. PR Mike Roussos Columbia Jr. KR Quay Holmes ETSU Jr. ST Elijah Solomon Villanova Soph.
THIRD TEAM OFFENSE
POS PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR QB Felix Harper Alcorn State Sr. QB Breylin Smith Central Arkansas Jr. FB Clint Ratkovich Western Illinois Sr. RB Wesley Dugger Davidson Sr. RB Devin Wynn Furman Sr. RB Julius Chestnut Sacred Heart Jr. OL Blake Mitchell Austin Peay Sr. OL Keenan Forbes Florida A&M Sr. OL Liam Dobson Maine Sr. OL Spencer Brown Northern Iowa Sr. OL Colby Thomas Sam Houston State Sr. OL Lewis Kidd Montana State Sr. WR Lujuan Winningham Central Arkansas Jr. WR Izaiah Gathings Gardner-Webb Jr. WR Brandon Porter Northern Arizona Jr. WR Pierre Williams Sacramento State Jr. TE Chris James Chattanooga Sr. AP Alex Ramsey The Citadel Sr. ATH EJ Perry Brown Sr.
THIRD TEAM DEFENSE
POS PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR DL Josephus Smith Austin Peay Sr. DL Amandre Williams Montana State Sr. DL Shaundre Mims Charleston Southern Jr. DL DJ Coleman Jacksonville State Jr. DL Malik Hamm Lafayette Jr. LB Chris Ojoh Eastern Washington Sr. LB Glenn Cunningham Fordham Sr. LB Willie Eubanks III The Citadel Sr. LB Keonte Hampton Jackson State Jr. DB Shawn Steele Arkansas Pine Bluff Sr. DB Christian Uphoff Illinois State Sr. DB Darion Dunn McNeese Sr. DB Xavior Williams Northern Iowa Sr. DB Jaquan Amos Villanova Sr.
THIRD TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
POS PLAYER SCHOOL YEAR P Brady Schutt South Dakota Sr. PK Ethan Ratke James Madison Sr. LS Robert Soderholm VMI Jr. KR Malik Flowers Montana Jr. ST Bronson Yoder William & Mary Soph.