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.
27: Jacob Dobbs, LB (Jr.) — Holy Cross
Dobbs was a two-star recruit in the 2019 class out of Macomb, Michigan. He chose Holy Cross over a list of FCS offers that included Brown, Dartmouth, Davidson, Fordham, Lehigh, and Youngstown State.
He didn’t waste any time becoming an impact player, starting all 13 games in 2019. Dobbs led the Crusaders with 93 tackles. He made his presence felt all over the field, adding 12 tackles for loss, six sacks, three interceptions, four passes defended, one forced fumble, and three fumble recoveries.
A Second Team All-Patriot League selection, Dobbs also earned HERO Sports Freshman All-American honors and finished 12th in voting for the Jerry Rice Award, given to the top FCS freshman.
The standout play continued in Year 2.
Named a team captain as just a sophomore, Dobbs racked up 41 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, one sack, one fumble recovery, and one interception in only four games. The 6-foot, 222-pounder was named to the All-Conference First Team along with HERO Sports Sophomore All-American accolades.
Holy Cross has made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons thanks to a strong defense led by Dobbs. The Crusaders allowed 17.0 points per game in the spring, which ranked ninth in the FCS. They are picked to win the Patriot League again, with Dobbs earning Preseason First Team honors.
