Preview 2020: Previewing and looking ahead to the Independent season with the College Football News All-Independent Team & Top 30 players.
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– 2020 CFN All-Independent Team
– 2020 CFN Top 30 Independent Players
2020 Preseason CFN Independent Offensive Player of the Year
OT Liam Eichenberg, Sr. Notre Dame
OKAY, fine … so the Fighting Irish offensive tackle probably won’t turn out to be the best offensive star among the independent teams – but if he isn’t, he won’t be far off.
A few Notre Dame options like QB Ian Book or RB Jafar Armstrong might be flashier options, and don’t sleep on what Liberty RB Joshua Mack could do with a bigger role. Eichenberg, though, might just be the first draft pick off the board among all the options.
He’s soon going to be some NFL team’s starting left tackle.
The 6-6, 305-pounder might not be as big as some next-level types might like, but he’s great as a pass protector and he can move. He’ll also be one of the key parts to make a great-looking Irish offense go.
CFN in 60 Video: Notre Dame Preview
2020 Preseason CFN Independent Defensive Player of the Year
LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Sr.
S Kyle Hamilton made a whole lot of huge plays last year and could easily be in this spot, and statistically, others – like New Mexico State’s Rashie Hodge and BYU DT Khyiris Tonga – make a whole lot of noise.
Owusu-Koramoah is the best of the Irish defensive bunch coming into the season.
While he’s only 6-1 and 216 pounds, he’s quickly rising up the draft charts as an undersized-but-fast outside linebacker who flash into the backfield. Part safety, part outside linebacker, he made 80 tackles with 5.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss, and now he and Hamilton will spend the year wrecking a whole lot of gameplans.
2020 Independent Team Previews
Army | BYU | Liberty | New Mexico State
Notre Dame | UConn | UMass
NEXT: CFN 2020 Preseason All-Independent Team
College Football News 2020 Preseason All-Independent Team: Offense
QB – Ian Book, Sr. Notre Dame
RB – Jafar Armstrong, Jr. Notre Dame
RB – Joshua Mack, Sr. Liberty
WR – Javon McKinley, Sr. Notre Dame
WR – Ben Skowronek, Sr. Notre Dame
TE – Matt Bushman, Sr. BYU
OT – Liam Eichenberg, Sr. Notre Dame
OG – Tristen Hoge, Sr. BYU
C – Jarrett Patterson, Soph. Notre Dame
OG – Tommy Kraemer, Sr. Notre Dame
OT – Robert Hainsey, Sr. Notre Dame
College Football News 2020 Preseason All-Independent Team: Defense
DE – Daelin Hayes, Sr. Notre Dame
DT – Kurt Hinish, Sr. Notre Dame
DT – Khyiris Tonga, Sr. BYU
DE – Adetokunbo Ogundeji, Sr. Notre Dame
LB – Rashie Hodge, Sr. New Mexico State
LB – Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Sr. Notre Dame
LB – Drew White, Sr. Notre Dame
CB – TaRiq Bracy, Soph. Notre Dame
S – Cedrick Cunningham, Jr. BYU
S – Kyle Hamilton, Soph. Notre Dame
CB – Jimmy Faulks, Sr. Liberty
College Football News 2020 Preseason All-Independent Team: Special Teams
PK – Jonathan Doerer, Sr. Notre Dame
P – Zach Harding, Jr. Army
KR – Shedro Louis, Soph. Liberty
PR – Dax Milne, Jr. BYU
NEXT: CFN 2020 Preseason Top 30 Independent Players
College Football News 2020 Preseason Top 30 Independent Players
30. LB Isaiah Kaufusi, Sr. BYU
29. WR Ben Skowronek, Sr. Notre Dame
28. S Javon Scruggs, Jr. Liberty
27. S/LB Zayne Anderson, Sr. BYU
26. S Cedrick Cunningham, Jr. BYU
25. PK Jonathan Doerer, Sr. Notre Dame
24. DT Kwabena Bonsu, Jr. Army
23. DE Adetokunbo Ogundeji, Sr. Notre Dame
22. QB Zach Wilson, Jr. BYU
21. OT Brady Christensen, Jr. BYU
20. LB Kavika Fonua, Sr. BYU
19. LB Chinedu Ogbonna, Sr. UMass
18. RB Kevin Mensah, Sr. UConn
17. WR Javon McKinley, Sr. Notre Dame
16. RB Jafar Armstrong, Jr. Notre Dame
15. RB Joshua Mack, Sr. Liberty
14. DT Kurt Hinish, Sr. Notre Dame
13. LB Arik Smith, Jr. Army
12. C Jarrett Patterson, Soph. Notre Dame
11. OG Tommy Kraemer, Sr. Notre Dame
10. LB Drew White, Sr. Notre Dame
9. LB Rashie Hodge, Sr. New Mexico State
8. DE Daelin Hayes, Sr. Notre Dame
7. TE Matt Bushman, Sr. BYU
6. DT Khyiris Tonga, Sr. BYU
5. OT Robert Hainsey, Sr. Notre Dame
4. S Kyle Hamilton, Soph. Notre Dame
3. QB Ian Book, Sr. Notre Dame
2. LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Sr. Notre Dame
1. OT Liam Eichenberg, Sr. Notre Dame
