The FCS might technically be the second-tier of Division I college football, but by now, most fans of the game should know FCS players continue to prove their worth – usually with a chip on their collective shoulder. The secret about FCS players has been out for a long time.
Carson Wentz, Jimmy Garoppolo and Tarik Cohen are just a few of the latest FCS players to have success in the NFL, and 19 players from the FCS ranks were drafted in the 2018 NFL Draft. Will that number increase in the 2019?
Perhaps, in the meantime, here are five FCS players to watch this season.
Dominick Bragalone, RB, Lehigh
At 5-foot-11, 230 pounds, Bragalone is a bruising back who can pack a wallop. His 1,388 rushing yards were tops among all FCS players in 2017. His 18 rushing touchdowns were tied for No. 1. In three seasons for the Mountain Hawks, Bragalone has rushed for 3,567 yards and 39 touchdowns. Don’t be surprised if the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year makes his way onto on an NFL roster.
Darrious Carter, DE, James Madison
Carter, who began his career at Virginia, enjoyed a break out second season with the Dukes in 2017. The athletic end tied for the team lead with 8 1/2 sacks, had 14 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles. At 6-5, 240, Carter is a solid specimen who could probably make a successful tight end on the other side of the ball for James Madison if ever needed.
Keelan Doss, WR, UC Davis
After toying with the idea of entering the NFL Draft, Doss opted to return for his senior season. He led all FCS players with 115 receptions and was second with 1,499 receiving yards last year. Doss has the size and speed to make an NFL roster, and his career 13.5 yards per catch average doesn’t hurt his cause to thrive at the next level.
Devlin Hodges, QB, Samford
The two-time SoCon Player of the Year has enjoyed a remarkable run over the past two seasons. During that span, Hodges has thrown for 8,071 yards with 67 touchdowns and 19 interceptions while completing an impressive 68.2 percent of his passes. He needs 4,195 yards to break Steve McNair’s all-time FCS record for career passing yards (14,496). It will be interesting to see if Hodges gets a serious shot to latch on with an NFL club.
Christian Rozeboom, LB, South Dakota State
Rozeboom was hard to miss on the field, and it’s because of the long hair sticking out from underneath his helmet in past years. For a second consecutive season, Rozeboom led the Jackrabbits in tackles in 2017, and has 259 over those two campaigns. He’s also intercepted two passes in each of the last two seasons, so Rozeboom has a knack for finding the football.
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