July 13, 2007

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (Sports Network)--The preseason magazines are coming out, and the polls and All-America teams will follow shortly. Maybe summer is just past the halfway point, but the rabid football fans can already smell the Labor Day weekend tailgates and visits to FBS heavyweights on the horizon.

The Sports Network's preseason player rankings compiled by FCS editor Matt Dougherty offer yet another sign of the rapidly approaching season. North Dakota State's Mike Dragosavich is listed as No. 1 punter in the Football Championship Subdivision, while several other Great West players were ranked high at their respective positions heading into 2007.

Ranking at No. 2 at their respective positions include NDSU's Nate Safe (offensive tackle), Cal Poly's Stephen Field (center), Mitch Erickson of South Dakota State (offensive guard) and John Faletoese of UC Davis (defensive tackle). Other Great West players ranked by the publication are South Dakota State's Parker Douglass (No. 4 at kicker) and Chris Wagner (No. 4 at tight end); Cal Poly's James Noble (No. 7 at running back) and Ramses Barden (No. 5 at wide receiver); and North Dakota State's Joe Mays (No. 5 at linebacker. NDSU quarterback Steve Walker was listed at No. 7 in a look at the quarterbacks earlier this summer.

"Dragosavich rarely had to see the field for the Bison," wrote Dougherty, "but he made the most of his 30 punts by averaging 46.2 yards per kick and placing 14 balls inside the 20."

Here's a peak at some of the best returning players at every other position in the FCS:

Running Backs

1. Kevin Richardson, Appalachian State (Sr., 5-9, 190)

2. Donald Chapman, UT-Martin (Sr., 5-10, 215)

3. Lex Hilliard, Montana (Sr., 6-0, 245)

4. Mike McLeod, Yale (Jr., 5-11, 200)

5. Omar Cuff, Delaware (Sr., 5-10, 195)

6. Jordan Scott, Colgate (Jr., 5-11, 200)

7. James Noble, Cal Poly (Jr., 5-6, 180)

8. Herb Donaldson, Western Illinois (Jr., 5-11, 220)

9. Maurice Murray, Northeastern (Sr., 6-0, 220)

10. Eugene Holloman, James Madison (Sr., 5-11, 170)

Fullbacks

1. Jerome Felton, Furman (Sr., 6-0, 250)

2. Blake Burton, Texas State (Jr., 6-0, 230)

3. Joe Casey, Rhode Island (Jr., 5-10, 210)

4. Bobby McClintock, Portland State (So., 5-10, 230)

Wide Receivers

1. Alex Watson, Northern Arizona (Sr., 5-10, 180)

2. Jerome Simpson, Coastal Carolina (Sr., 6-3, 185)

3. Micah Rucker, Eastern Illinois (Sr., 6-6, 225)

4. Bruce Hocker, Duquesne (Sr., 6-4, 205)

5. Ramses Barden, Cal Poly (Jr., 6-6, 230)

6. Duvaughn Flagler, Gardner-Webb (Sr., 6-1, 210)

7. Clyde Edwards, Grambling State (Sr., 5-10, 175)

8. Eric Allen, Montana (Sr., 6-3, 210)

9. Shaheer McBride, Delaware State (Sr., 6-3, 190)

10. Larry Shipp, Tennessee Tech (Sr., 5-9, 185)

Tight End

1. Blake Martin, Sam Houston State (Sr., 6-3, 235)

2. Brad Listori, Massachusetts (Sr., 6-4, 245)

3. Louis Irizarry, Youngstown State (Sr., 6-5, 255)

4. Chris Wagner, South Dakota State (Sr., 6-7, 255)

5. Shaun Fitzpatrick, Northern Arizona (Jr., 6-2, 240)

Offensive Guards

1. Kerry Brown, Appalachian State (Sr., 6-6, 290)

2. Mitch Erickson, South Dakota State (Sr., 6-6, 290)

3. Colin Dow, Montana (Jr., 6-5, 310)

4. Brad Samsa, Youngstown State (Jr., 6-3, 280)

5. Matt Alfred, Eastern Washington (Sr., 6-3, 300)

Offensive Tackles

1. Chad Rinehart, UNI (Sr., 6-5, 310)

2. Nate Safe, North Dakota State (Sr., 6-5, 310)

3. Matt Austin, Massachusetts (Sr., 6-5, 285)

4. Cody Balogh, Montana (Sr., 6-7, 325)

5. Brandon Hale, Sam Houston State (Sr., 6-3, 325)

Centers

1. Brennan Carvalho, Portland State (Sr., 6-1, 310)

2. Stephen Field, Cal Poly (Jr., 6-1, 280)

3. John Reese, Lehigh (Sr., 6-1, 275)

4. Billy Krause, UT Martin (Sr., 6-2, 285)

Defensive Ends

1. Bryan Smith, McNeese State (Sr., 6-3, 220)

2. Kroy Biermann, Montana (Sr., 6-3, 240)

3. Kendall Langford, Hampton (Sr., 6-6, 295)

4. Brian Johnston, Gardner-Webb (Sr., 6-5, 280)

5. Rudolph Hardie, Howard (Sr., 6-1, 270)

Defensive Tackles

1. Mychal Savage, Youngstown State (Jr., 6-2, 290)

2. John Faletoese, UC Davis (Jr., 6-3, 290)

3. Mark Huygens, UNI (Jr., 6-6, 280)

4. Geoffrey Woods, Tennessee Tech (Sr., 5-11, 285)

5. Brandt Hollander, Yale (Sr., 6-3, 280).

Linebackers

1. Donald Thomas, Eastern Illinois (Sr., 5-10, 240)

2. Jason Hatchell, Massachusetts (Sr., 6-1, 225)

3. Mike Gallihugh, Colgate (Sr., 6-0, 200)

4. Kye Stewart, Illinois State (Sr., 6-0, 210)

5. Joe Mays, North Dakota State (Sr., 5-11, 245)

6. Andrew Jones, Furman (Sr., 5-11, 235)

7. Colin Disch, Albany (Sr., 6-1, 220)

8. Jada Ross, Charleston Southern (Sr., 5-11, 220)

9. James Terry, Youngstown State (Sr., 6-2, 230)

10. Gian Villante, Hofstra (Sr., 6-2, 225)

Safeties

1. Tony LeZotte, James Madison (Sr., 6-0, 200)

2. Corey Lynch, Appalachian State (Sr., 6-0, 200)

3. Bobbie Williams, Bethune-Cookman (Sr., 6-1, 180)

4. Jamelle Juneau, McNeese State (Sr., 6-2, 215)

5. Jarmaul George, Southern (Sr., 6-1, 190)

Cornerbacks

1. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee State (Sr., 6-2, 170)

2. Brandon Jackson, Georgia Southern (Jr., 6-0, 185)

3. Casey Gough, Holy Cross (Sr., 6-0, 200)

4. Austin Holmes, Furman (Sr., 5-8, 185)

5. Ricky Wilson, Northern Arizona (Sr., 5-11, 180)

Punters

1. Mike Dragosavich, North Dakota State (Sr., 6-5, 215)

2. Benjamin Dato, Fordham (Sr., 6-3, 195)

3. Chris MacDonald, Texas State (Sr., 6-4, 215)

4. Wesley Taylor, Florida A & M (Sr., 5-7, 170)

5. Dan Zeidman, Idaho State (Sr., 6-1, 205)

Kickers

1. Rob Zarrilli, Hofstra (Sr., 6-0, 195)

2. Blake Bercegay, McNeese State (Jr., 6-2, 180)

3. Steve Morgan, Brown (Sr., 6-0, 170)

4. Parker Douglass, South Dakota State (Sr., 5-8, 170)

5. Dan Carpenter, Montana (Sr., 6-2, 205)

Returners

1. Steven Whitehead, McNeese State (Sr., 5-8, 170)

2. Craig Turner, Southern Illinois (Sr., 5-10, 195)

3. Jesse Burton, UT Martin (Sr., 5-10, 185)

4. LC Baker, James Madison (Sr., 5-7, 155)

5. Ulysses Banks, Alabama A & M (So., 5-10, 195)