Sometimes it’s hard to envision how certain standouts will be replaced after they’re gone. Here are nine players who have stepped up to answer the call during the 2025 FCS season.
Whether it was to the NCAA transfer portal or the NFL, FCS football lost multiple stars this offseason, leaving huge shoes to fill at programs across the country.
One of the hardest jobs in college football is replacing an All-America talent, but there are programs that have done just that. Whether it’s stealing an all-conference player from a conference rival or developing a player straight from high school, multiple new FCS stars have filled in huge holes left by departing superstars.
Below are nine FCS players who have filled big shoes during the 2025 college football season.
Michael Wortham, Montana
Position: WR/KR; Height: 5-9; Weight: 190; Replaced: Junior Bergen
The Skinny: How do you replace one of the greatest return specialists in FCS history? How about landing the most versatile player in the country, which is exactly what No. 2-ranked Montana did, signing Wortham away from Eastern Washington. He does it all for the Grizzlies, but he’s made a massive impact at wide receiver, leading the team with 54 receptions for 779 yards and seven touchdowns. He ranks No. 3 nationally in all-purpose yards per game, which includes 243 rushing yards and over 500 kick return yards. Wortham has been an integral piece in helping the Grizzlies start the season 10-0, giving them a chance to secure the Big Sky title and a top-two playoff seed, which provides home field advantage through the semifinal round.
Joshua Dye, Southern Utah
Position: RB; Height: 5-11; Weight: 205; Replaced: Targhee Lambson
The Skinny: It’s never easy to replace a Walter Payton Award finalist, let alone the third-place finisher who led the FCS in regular-season rushing yards (1,922). The Thunderbirds struck gold with Dye, a UTEP transfer (yes, the same UTEP program that lost to SUU last season) who is having an All-American season at running back. He leads the FCS with 22 rushing touchdowns, while ranking No. 2 nationally in rushing yards per game (154.2). He’s posted two or more rushing touchdowns in seven games and is one of three FCS players with 100+ yards in eight games. With two games left, Dye is looking to rewrite the Southern Utah record books, where he has a chance to break multiple single-season marks.
Kente Edwards, Lafayette
Position: RB; Height: 5-9; Weight: 197; Replaced: Jamar Curtis
The Skinny: Everyone thought Lafayette was in trouble when the Leopards lost the All-American Curtis to Sacramento State, but that has not been the case. Edwards has helped the Leopards (7-3) surpass last year’s win total, and they’re 5-0 in the Patriot League and will be playing for the title on Nov. 22. Even after missing some time with an injury, Edwards has posted 1,032 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 7.8 yards per carry. He ranks No. 4 nationally in rushing yards per game (129.0) and is tied for No. 3 in rushing touchdowns.
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4 days ago Craig HaleyLanden Chambers, Central Arkansas
Position: RB; Height: 5-11; Weight: 215; Replaced: ShunDerrick Powell
The Skinny: Powell was in the top 10 of FCS all-purpose yards per game in two of the last three seasons (also top 30 in the 2023 season), and a 3,000-yard career rusher, Darius Hale, was even behind him the last two seasons at Central Arkansas. The Bears have come up with a new workhorse at running back in Chambers. The sophomore has rushed for 1,136 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games. He’s topped the 100-yard mark in seven consecutive games and eight overall, matching Dye and Monmouth’s Rodney Nelson for the most in FCS football.
Keenan Wilson, North Dakota State
Position: DT; Height: 6-1; Weight: 283; Replaced: Eli Mostaert
The Skinny: NDSU, the defending national champion, lost an All-American in the middle of their D-line, but as we’re accustomed to seeing with the Bison, a new young star was waiting behind for a breakout opportunity. After a solid freshman campaign, Wilson is thriving even more, ranking second on the team with eight tackles for loss and four sacks, adding 30 total tackles, one interception and one forced fumble.
Quincy Ivory, Jackson State
Position: Edge; Height: 6-3; Weight: 239; Replaced: Joshua Nobles
The Skinny: There weren’t many preseason questions for Jackson State heading into the season, but the 2024 Celebration Bowl-winning program needed to find out who would step up at edge after Nobles transferred to UMass. Luckily, the Tigers nailed their evaluation on Ivory, a Florida transfer who may be the favorite to win SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. He leads the team in tackles (60), TFLs (12), and sacks (6), while also posting one interception and two forced fumbles.
Jaden Mosley, Samford
Position: LB; Height: 6-2; Weight: 230; Replaced: Noah Martin
Even with Mosley putting together his breakout season last season, some could argue that he was still overshadowed by Martin, an All-American who ranked second in the Southern Conference in tackles per game. Mosley has continued to be one of the few bright spots for Samford during a tough season, leading the Bulldogs and the conference with 89 tackles, adding in 9.5 TFLs.
Justin Lamson, Montana State
Position: QB; Height: 6-2; Weight: 210; Replaced: Tommy Mellott
The Skinny: It doesn’t get any bigger than replacing last season’s Walter Payton Award winner (Mellott), which is what Lamson was tasked with this season. The FBS drop-down transfer has been excellent for the third-ranked Bobcats, completing 72.2% of his passes for 2,026 passing yards, 18 passing touchdowns and only two interceptions. Lamson is also a factor with his legs, posting 412 rushing yards and another eight scores. He’s led the Bobcats to an 8-2 record, putting them in position to earn a top-two seed in the FCS playoffs.
L.J. Phillips Jr., South Dakota
Position: RB; Height: 5-9; Weight: 225; Replaced: Charles Pierre Jr.
The Skinny: This may feel like cheating, but when South Dakota lost the All-American Pierre Jr. to a season-ending injury in the second game, many wondered who would step up for the Coyotes. It didn’t take long for Phillips, a redshirt sophomore, to introduce himself to the rest of the FCS. He exploded for 301 yards (five shy of USD’s single-game record) against Northern Colorado and hasn’t looked back since. In 11 games, he’s recorded 1,464 rushing yards (and it’s 1,391 in nine games as a starter) and 14 touchdowns, with the 133.1 per-game average ranking third in the FCS.
Top photo, from left, via South Dakota, Southern Utah and Samford Athletics. For more FCS football coverage, follow on social media at X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
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