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
66: Nash Jensen, OL (Sr.) — North Dakota State
Back-to-back selections for an NDSU big man, which is fitting as the Bison have a strong tradition up front. The program currently has four former offensive linemen on NFL rosters — Dillon Radunz, Zack Johnson, Joe Haeg, and Billy Turner.
Jensen is a physical presence at 6-foot-4 and 327 pounds. If you think that’s big, he arrived at NDSU in 2017 weighing 349 pounds. Jensen, a two-star recruit out of Minnesota, chose the Bison over offers from Illinois State, Montana State, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, and FBS programs Georgia State, New Mexico, and Wyoming, according to 247Sports.
After a couple of years of development, Jensen earned a starting role in 2019 at left guard. He started all 16 games as NDSU rushed for a school-record of 4,601 yards. Jensen received HERO Sports Sophomore All-American honors.
Heading into the 2020 fall season, which was ultimately postponed to the spring, HERO Sports named him a preseason Second Team All-American. Jensen went on to start all 10 games — one in the fall and nine in the spring.
