Welcome to the 2021 FCS Jersey Countdown.
Leading up to Week 0 games on Aug. 28, HERO Sports is going to name the best returning FCS player by jersey number, 99-0. Due to rosters being updated at different times for teams across the country and to keep things consistent, jersey numbers are based on the 2020 fall-2021 spring season.
The 99-0 countdown central page can be found here.
Note: Jersey numbers are based on 2020 fall-2021 spring rosters
87: McCallan Castles, TE (So.) — UC Davis
Castles will wear No. 81 this upcoming season.
Castles was a huge recruiting prospect out of South Lake Tahoe, California. Rated the 14th-best tight end in the country in the 2018 recruiting class and a four-star recruit by 247, Castles had offers from California, Arizona State, Colorado, Duke, Nevada, Oregon State, San Diego State, Utah, and Washington State.
He committed to and signed with Cal, where Castles appeared in four combined games in 2018 and 2019.
Castles decided to transfer and chose UC Davis. In his debut season this spring, the 6-foot-5 and 240-pounder caught 12 passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns in five games. He was named to the All-Big Sky First Team and earned HERO Sports Sophomore All-American honors.
This spring was also the debut of quarterback Hunter Rodrigues, who threw for 931 yards, eight TDs, and four interceptions. Expect the connection between Rodrigues and Castles to hit another level in the fall.
UC Davis likes to utilize the tight ends in its offense. Wes Preece was a 2019 All-American and three-time All-Conference TE from 2017-2019. Castles has taken over that role for the Aggies.
