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.