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CFN Preseason All-Independent Football Team, Top 30 Players: Preview 2022

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 | BYULiberty | New Mexico State
Notre DameUConn | 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

CFN 2022 Team Previews
Army | BYULiberty | New Mexico State
Notre DameUConn | UMass
Independent Predictions For Every Game
CFN Preview 2022
Bowl Projections | Preseason Rankings

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