Who are the best players among the Independents going into the 2022 college football season? They’re highlighted in the CFN 2022 Preseason All-Independent team and top 30 players.
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2022 Preseason CFN Independent Offensive Player of the Year
TE Michael Mayer, Jr. Notre Dame
No, he’s not the receiver or big play target Brock Bowers of Georgia is, and there are plenty of other great tight ends coming into the season, but the 6-4, 251-pound veteran will get more than his share of the spotlight as one of the season’s biggest stars.
The future NFL starter caught 71 passes for 840 yards and seven touchdowns last season after making 42 in 2020. Now it’s salary drive time as he pushes to be a high first round draft pick with his physical style, blocking, and pass catching skills. He can do it all.
2022 Preseason CFN Independent Defensive Player of the Year
LB Andre Carter, Jr. Army
Yeah, yeah, yeah, a slew of Notre Dame defensive players probably should be fighting it out for this spot – Isaiah Foskey is fantastic; he’s the better pro prospect and more talented overall player – but Army’s special pass rusher gets the top nod assuming he can come close to matching the production of last year.
Who led the nation in sacks? Alabama’s Will Anderson had the most, but it was Carter who had the most sacks per game – 1.19 compared to 1.17 – to go along with his 44 tackles, four forced fumbles, and 18.5 tackles for loss.
No, he didn’t play an SEC schedule like Anderson, and he didn’t deal with the slate that Foskey had to, but he came up with big plays against Wisconsin and in the bowl win over Missouri, and the production was steady. Expect him to keep it all going as the star of an Army team with a defense to match the deadly rushing attack from the other side – almost.
College Football News 2022 Preseason All-Independent Team: Offense
QB Jaren Hall, Jr. BYU
RB Ellis Merriweather, Sr. UMass
RB Tyrell Robinson, Jr. Army
WR Caleb Snead, Sr. Liberty
WR Puka Nacua, Jr. BYU
TE Michael Mayer, Jr. Notre Dame
OT Blake Fisher, Soph. Notre Dame
OG Clark Barrington, Jr. BYU
C Cam Reddy, Sr. Liberty
OG Jarrett Patterson, Sr. Notre Dame
OT Blake Freeland, Jr. BYU
College Football News 2022 Preseason All-Independent Team: Defense
DE TreShaun Clark, Jr. Liberty
DT Jacob Lacy, Sr. Notre Dame
DT Jayson Ademilola, Sr. Notre Dame
DE Isaiah Foskey, Jr. Notre Dame
LB JD Bertrand, Jr. Notre Dame
LB Andre Carter, Jr. Army
LB Keenan Pili, Jr. BYU
CB Cam Hart, Sr. Notre Dame
S Brandon Joseph, Sr. Notre Dame
S Javon Scruggs, Sr. Liberty
CB Clarence Lewis, Jr. Notre Dame
College Football News 2022 Preseason All-Independent Team: Special Teams
PK Ethan Albertson, Jr. New Mexico State
P Ryan Rehkow, Soph BYU
KR Brian Brewton, Soph. UConn
PR Hobbs Nyberg, Soph. BYU
CFN 2022 Team Previews
Army | BYU | Liberty | New Mexico State
Notre Dame | UConn | UMass
Independent Predictions For Every Game
CFN Preview 2022
Bowl Projections | Preseason Rankings
College Football News 2022 Preseason Top 30 Independent Players
30. Kaleb Hayes, CB Sr. BYU
29. Trevor Brohard, LB Sr. New Mexico State
28. TreShaun Clark, DE Jr. Liberty
27. Joe Alt, OT Soph. Notre Dame
26. Caleb Snead, WR Sr. Liberty
25. Chris Tyree, RB Jr. Notre Dame
24. Marquel Broughton, S Sr. Army
23. Jack Kiser, LB Sr. Notre Dame
22. Jakobi Buchanan, FB Sr. Army
21. Blake Fisher, OT Soph. Notre Dame
20. Tyrell Robinson, RB Jr. Army
19. Chris Ojoh, LB Sr. New Mexico State
18. Josh Wallace, CB Jr. UMass
17. Clarence Lewis, CB Jr. Notre Dame
16. Puka Nacua, WR Jr. BYU
15. Ellis Merriweather, RB Sr. UMass
14. Payton Wilgar, LB Jr. BYU
13. Jackson Mitchell, LB Soph. UConn
12. Keenan Pili, LB Jr. BYU
11. Tyler Buchner, QB Soph. Notre Dame
10. JD Bertrand, LB Jr. Notre Dame
9. Javon Scruggs, S Sr. Liberty
8. Cam Hart, CB Sr. Notre Dame
7. Jaren Hall, QB Jr. BYU
6. Blake Freeland, OT Jr. BYU
5. Jarrett Patterson, C/OG Sr. Notre Dame
4. Brandon Joseph, S Sr. Notre Dame
3. Michael Mayer, TE Jr. Notre Dame
2. Isaiah Foskey, DE Jr. Notre Dame
1. Andre Carter, LB Jr. Army
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CFN 2022 Team Previews
Army | BYU | Liberty | New Mexico State
Notre Dame | UConn | UMass
Independent Predictions For Every Game
CFN Preview 2022
Bowl Projections | Preseason Rankings