With roughly 200 former FCS college football players on NFL rosters and practice squads during the 2022 season, it’s easy to put together a superb starting lineup.
That’s what we’ve done – build an All-FCS NFL starting lineup, which includes some of the top players at various positions.
Some players made for easy selections by earning All-Pro or Pro Bowl status. Injuries, though, put a damper on some players’ seasons, although Super Bowl 56 MVP Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams still made the cut on the All-FCS NFL team. However, Indianapolis Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard, who ranked second in tackles over the 2018-21 seasons, was limited to just three games and did not make the team despite his elite ability.
Following is The Analyst’s 2022 All-FCS NFL Team with regular-season statistics plus a handful of honorable mention selections:
Offense
QB: Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers, Eastern Illinois – 11 games/10 starts: 207 of 308 (67.2%, No. 5 in NFL), 2,437 yards, 16 TDs, 4 INTs, 7.91 Y/A (No. 4 in NFL), 37.0% 1st down rate (No. 5 in NFL), 18 sacks
RB: Jerick McKinnon, Kansas City Chiefs, Georgia Southern – 17 games: 72 carries, 291 rushing yards, TD; 56 receptions, 512 yards, 9 TDs (tied NFL single-season record for RB), 553 YAC (No. 7 in NFL); 239 KOR yards
FB: Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco 49ers, Harvard – 16 games/12 starts: 7 carries, 26 yards, TD; 19 receptions, 200 yards, TD; 7th straight Pro Bowl selection (Honorable Mention: Patrick Ricard, Baltimore Ravens, Maine – 4th Pro Bowl selection)
WR: Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams, Eastern Washington – 9 starts: 75 receptions, 812 yards, 6 TDs, 37.0% 1st down rate, 4 25+ yards, 402 YAC
WR: Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers, North Dakota State – 14 games/11 starts: 41 receptions, 611 yards, 7 TDs, 68.3% 1st down rate (No. T14 in NFL), 6 25+ yards, 247 YAC; 7 carries, 80 yards, 2 TDs
TE: Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles, South Dakota State – 12 starts: 55 receptions, 702 yards, 3 TDs, 72.7% 1st down rate (No. 1 among NFL TEs), 4 25+ yards, 437 YAC (No. 3 among NFL TEs)
OL: Terron Armstead, Miami Dolphins, Arkansas-Pine Bluff – 13 starts: 4 penalties, 1 sack allowed over 687 offensive snaps; 4th Pro Bowl selection
OL: Tytus Howard, Houston Texans, Alabama State – 17 starts: 5 false starts, 3 sacks allowed over 997 offensive snaps
OL: Braxton Jones, Chicago Bears, Southern Utah – 17 starts: 12 penalties, 7 sacks allowed over 1,033 offensive snaps
OL: Nick Leverett, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, North Carolina Central/Rice – 11 games/10 starts: 2 penalties, 7 sacks allowed over 761 offensive snaps
OL: Cole Strange, New England Patriots, Chattanooga – 17 starts: 5 penalties, 4.5 sacks allowed over 982 offensive snaps
Defense
DE: Shelby Harris, Seattle Seahawks, Illinois State – 15 starts: 44 tackles, 2 sacks (17 yards), 5 TFL, 6 QB hurries, 4 passes defended
DE: John Franklin-Myers, New York Jets, Stephen F. Austin – 17 starts: 39 tackles, 5 sacks (39 yards), 4 TFL, 19 QB hurries, 1 pass defended
DT: Javon Hargrave, Philadelphia Eagles, South Carolina State – 17 starts: 60 tackles, 11 sacks for 75 yards (both No. 4 among NFL DTs), 10 TFL, 16 QB hurries, 1 forced fumble, 2 passes defended
LB: Kaden Elliss, New Orleans Saints, Idaho – 17 games/11 starts: 74 tackles, 7 sacks (41.5 yards), 7 TFL, 10 QB hurries, 2 forced fumbles, 2 passes defended
LB: Foye Oluokun, Jacksonville Jaguars, Yale – 17 starts: 184 tackles and 102 solos (both No. 1 in NFL), 2 sacks (12 yards), 12 TFL, 9 QB hurries, 2 forced fumbles, 5 passes defended
LB: Alex Singleton, Denver Broncos, Montana State – 17 games/12 starts: 152 tackles (No. 9 in NFL), 6 TFL, 3 QB hurries, 1 forced fumble, 3 passes defended
LB: Quincy Williams, New York Jets, Murray State – 15 starts: 106 tackles, 3 sacks (21 yards), 12 TFL, 6 QB hurries, 1 pass defended
CB: James Bradberry, New York Giants, Samford – 17 starts: 44 tackles, 2 TFL, 3 INTs (TD), 17 passes defended (No. 3 in NFL); All-Pro second team
CB: Taron Johnson, Buffalo Bills, Weber State – 16 games/15 starts: 98 tackles (No. 2 among NFL CBs), 67 solos (No. 3 among NFL CBs), 6 TFL, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT, 9 passes defended (Honorable Mention: DaRon Bland, Dallas Cowboys, Sacramento State/Fresno State)
S: Nasir Adderley, Los Angeles Chargers, Delaware – 16 games/15 starts: 61 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 INTs, 4 passes defended (Honorable Mention: Jeremy Chinn, Carolina Panthers, Southern Illinois)
S: Ryan Neal, Seattle Seahawks, Southern Illinois – 14 games/10 starts: 66 tackles, 4 TFL, QB hurry, INT, 8 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles
Special Teams
PK: Jason Myers, Seattle Seahawks, Marist – 17 starts: 143 points (No. 1 among NFL PKs), 34 of 37 FG (91.9%), 56 long; 41 of 42 PATs (97.6%); 2nd Pro Bowl selection
P: Sam Martin, Buffalo Bills, Appalachian State – 16 starts: 45 punts, 47.7 average, 41.3 net average, 67 long (Honorable Mention: Jamie Gillan, New York Giants, Arkansas-Pine Bluff)
LS: Luke Rhodes, Indianapolis Colts, William & Mary – 17 starts: 2021 Pro Bowler has missed only one game in last six regular seasons
KR: Jamal Agnew, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Diego – 15 games: 21 returns, 547 yards, 26.0 average, 54 long
PR: Kalif Raymond, Detroit Lions, Holy Cross – 17 games: 20 returns, 264 yards, 13.2 average, 47 long for TD; All-Pro second team (Honorable Mention: DeAndre Carter, Los Angeles Chargers, Sacramento State)
ST: George Odum, San Francisco 49ers, Central Arkansas – 17 games: 21 special teams tackles and 15 solos (both No. 1 in NFL), 1 forced fumble; All-Pro second team (Honorable Mention: Caleb Johnson, Jacksonville Jaguars, HCU)