The countdown to the 2018 college football season is on. Four FCS teams are in action Aug. 25 as Duquesne takes on UMass, Prairie View faces Rice and North Carolina A&T and Jacksonville State square off in ESPN’s FCS Kickoff.
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HERO Sports is going to count down each day by highlighting the best player in FCS football who wears the jersey number of the number of days to kickoff. You can find the running list of top players here.
*Note: Jersey numbers are from the 2017 season.
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63: Ryan Hanley, senior offensive lineman — Nicholls
Nicholls' offensive line looks to be pretty solid in 2018 considering Hanley is the second Colonel to be on our countdown. Chandler Arceneaux is about to be a four-year starter who wears No. 71.
Hanley brings plenty of experience as well. He played in all 11 games as a true freshman in 2015 and started the last eight at center. The 6-foot-2, 290-pounder has since started every game, 11 in 2016 and 12 last year. Hanley was an All-Southland Conference Honorable Mention in 2016 before being named to the Second Team in 2017.
He did not allow a sack all season as a junior. And his play was so respected, he was named the team offensive MVP. That's quite the honor for a guy who doesn't have the sexy numbers on a stat sheet. Nicholls has a bunch of returning starters back after appearing in the playoffs. And the guys up front are some of those veterans.
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FCS Kickoff Countdown: The Best Player in FCS Who Wears Each Number, 1-99
CFB Countdown: The Best Player in FBS Football, 1-99