Only 28 of 110 FCS All-Americans Returning for 2026 Season

Only 28 of the 110 players named FCS Football Central All‑American in 2025 are back at the FCS level for 2026, a retention rate that leaves coaches, voters and NFL scouts recalibrating evaluations across conferences. Of the 110, 56 graduated or declared for the NFL Draft, leaving a patchwork of returning stars and new vacancies to fill.

Quarterback retention is a bright spot within the broader attrition. Of the seven All‑American quarterbacks, five are returning: Beau Brungard, Keali'i Ah Yat, Chris Parson, Devin Farrell and DJ Williams. “Of the seven FCS Football Central All‑American quarterbacks, five are returning (Brungard, Ah Yat, Parson, Farrell, Williams), one graduated (Payton), and one is currently in the transfer portal (Dickens).” That grouping preserves high-end experience at key programs and gives offenses continuity heading into spring practice windows.

The statistical depth behind those names matters. Chris Parson (Austin Peay) produced 3,003 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns and five interceptions in 2025 while adding 743 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns; his dual threat profile projects as a centerpiece for Austin Peay’s 2026 attack. Northern Arizona’s Ty Pennington threw for 3,116 yards with 19 touchdowns and four interceptions, and Idaho State’s Jordan Cooke logged 3,052 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions; both are All‑Conference honorable mentions set to return. South Dakota State’s Chase Mason completed nine-game totals of 2,005 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions while adding 174 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.

A broader quarterback census underscores contrast between top-tier retention and churn. “44 FCS quarterbacks are returning; 31 FCS quarterbacks graduated; 5 quarterbacks have transferred to another FCS program; 14 quarterbacks have transferred to an FBS program; 6 FCS quarterbacks are still in the transfer portal.” That accounting leads to the assessment that “That means that at least 71% of the Top 100 FCS quarterbacks from last season, who were eligible to return, are returning to the FCS level for the 2026 season.” Analysts also note variation by sample: a PFF Top 20 sampling yields a 66% return figure for eligible top QBs.

Conference dynamics offer more clarity. The Missouri Valley Football Conference will field stability at the position with a high percentage of starters back, while the Big Sky projects four of five All‑Big Sky quarterbacks returning, anchored by Pennington and Cooke. Roster managers will still look to the portal and incoming freshmen to replace the 56 players who left for graduation or the draft, but teams will approach that work knowing spring portal changes have curtailed midseason churn. “And with there no longer being a spring transfer portal period, coaches and fans can now breathe easier knowing who they’ll have returning for 2026.”

The business of FCS football is also affected. Fifteen top quarterbacks moved on to FBS or the draft pipeline, shifting recruiting priorities and transfer-market valuations. Still, evaluators caution against a doom narrative: “The portal has certainly hurt some of the programs in the FCS, but it's a misnomer to think that every good player is doomed to leave for greener pastures.”

For fans, the 2026 season will hinge on how programs blend returning All‑Americans like Parson, Pennington and Brungard with transfers and freshmen. Expect pre‑season polls and offensive schematics to favor teams with those proven playmakers, but also watch the portal’s remaining movement and spring camps, they will determine whether the FCS landscape tightens around established contenders or hands opportunities to emergent programs.