Don’t be surprised by how competitive an NFL team comprised of the best former FCS players looks on paper.
That’s what we’ve done with the 2021 season – build an All-FCS NFL starting lineup – and, oh, have they not just looked good on paper.
The team boasts some of the best players at their position, including Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp, linebackers Darius Leonard of the Indianapolis Colts and Foye Oluokun of the Atlanta Falcons, and San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk.
Our 2021 All-FCS NFL Team (with regular-season statistics):
Offense
QB – Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers, Eastern Illinois: 3,810 passing yards, 68.3%, 8.64 Y/A (No. 2 NFL), 39.0% 1st down rate (No. 3 NFL), 20 TDs, 10 INTs (honorable mention: Carson Wentz, Indianapolis Colts, North Dakota State)
RB – James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars, Illinois State: 767 rush yards, 4.7 ypc, 8 TDs; 31 receptions (honorable mention: Chase Edmonds, Arizona Cardinals, Fordham)
FB – Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco 49ers, Harvard: 30 receptions, 296 yards, TD; 6th straight Pro Bowl selection (honorable mention: Patrick Ricard, Baltimore Ravens, Maine)
WR – Kendrick Bourne, New England Patriots, Eastern Washington: 55 receptions, 800 yards, 5 TDs; 125 rush yards, 25-yard TD pass
WR – Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams, Eastern Washington: Receiving Triple Crown with 145 receptions, 1,947 yards and 16 TDs, 23 25+ yards (No. 1 NFL), 846 YAC (No. 1 NFL); Pro Bowl selection
TE – Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles, South Dakota State: 56 receptions, 830 yards, 4 TDs, 75% 1st down rate (42 of 56 – No. 1 NFL TEs)
OL – Terron Armstead, New Orleans Saints, Arkansas-Pine Bluff: Three-time Pro Bowler limited to eight starts at left tackle by injury
OL – Tom Compton, San Francisco 49ers, South Dakota: Graded second-highest on PFF.com’s No. 3 O-line
OL – Tytus Howard, Houston Texans, Alabama State: Starting right tackle in 2019 and ’20 excelled as pass blocker while adjusting well to 15 combined starts at left guard and left tackle
OL – JC Tretter, Cleveland Browns, Cornell: Starting center on NFL’s No. 4 rushing offense; consecutive streaks of 78 starts and 5,165 offensive snaps ended on Dec. 12
OL – Billy Turner, Green Bay Packers, North Dakota State: Starting right tackle on NFL’s No. 8 passing offense
Defense
DE – John Franklin-Myers, New York Jets, Stephen F. Austin: 35 tackles, 6 sacks (44 yards), 1 INT, 1 forced fumble
DT – Javon Hargrave, Philadelphia Eagles, South Carolina State: 63 tackles, 7.5 sacks (54.5 yards), 9 TFL; Pro Bowl addition
NT – Bilal Nichols, Chicago Bears, Delaware: 51 tackles, 3 sacks (22 yards), 5 TFL, 2 fumble recoveries (honorable mention: Michael Pierce, Minnesota Vikings, Samford)
LB – Kamu Grugier-Hill, Houston Texans, Eastern Illinois: 106 tackles, 70 solos, 8.5 stuffs (21.5 yards), 13 TFL, 2 forced fumbles
LB – Darius Leonard, Indianapolis Colts, South Carolina State: 122 tackles, 4 TFL, 8 forced fumbles (No. 1 NFL), 4 INTs, 8 passes defended; Pro Bowl selection
LB – Foye Oluokun, Atlanta Falcons, Yale: 192 tackles (No. 1 NFL), 102 solos (No. 3 NFL) 90 assists (No. 1 NFL), 2 sacks (14 yards), 4 TFL, 3 INTs, 6 passes defended
LB – Alex Singleton, Philadelphia Eagles, Montana State: 130 tackles, 4 TFL, 4 passes defended, 1 forced fumble (honorable mention: Quincy Williams, New York Jets, Murray State)
CB – James Bradberry, New York Giants, Samford: 47 tackles, 37 solos, 4 INTs, 17 passes defended (No. 4 tie NFL tie 4th), 2 fumble recoveries
CB – Taron Johnson, Buffalo Bills, Weber State: 76 tackles, 53 solos, 3 sacks (24 yards), 1 INT, 7 passes defended (honorable mention: Josh Norman, San Francisco 49ers, Coastal Carolina)
S – Nasir Adderley, Los Angeles Chargers, Delaware: 97 tackles, 67 tackles, 3 TFL, 5 passes defended
S – Jeremy Chinn, Carolina Panthers, Southern Illinois: 106 tackles, 74 solos, 6 TFL, 1 INT, 5 passes defended (honorable mention: Jaquiski Tartt, San Francisco 49ers, Samford)
Special Teams
PK – Jason Myers, Seattle Seahawks, Marist: 17 of 23 FG (73.9%), 53 long, 95 points)
P – Sam Martin, Denver Broncos, Appalachian State: 67 punts, 46.0 average, 42.8 net average (No. 3 NFL), 6.4 return average (No. 2 NFL) (honorable mention: Jordan Berry, Minnesota Vikings, Eastern Kentucky)
LS – Luke Rhodes, Indianapolis Colts, William & Mary: Pro Bowl selection
KR – Andre Roberts, Houston Texans/Los Angeles Chargers, The Citadel: 37 returns (No. 1 NFL), 1,010 yards (No. 1 NFL), 27.3 average (No. 2 NFL), 101-yard TD (honorable mention: DeAndre Carter, Washington Football Team, Sacramento State)
PR – Chester Rogers, Tennessee Titans, Grambling State: 30 returns, 293 yards, 9.8 average, 55 long
ST – Siran Neal, Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville State: 12 special teams tackles, 10 solos, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery (honorable mention: George Odum, Indianapolis Colts, Central Arkansas)
Graphic design by Matt Sisneros.