2024 Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List

To begin a special season for the Buck Buchanan Award, a preseason watch list of candidates indicates a deep, talented field will compete to be the FCS national defensive player of the year.

The 30th anniversary season of the Stats Perform FCS Buck Buchanan Award kicks off with a 30-player preseason watch list.

The 2024 Buchanan Award will be presented after the season to the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football. The award is named for legendary defensive lineman Junious “Buck” Buchanan, who starred at Grambling State as part of his Hall of Fame career.

All 13 FCS conferences are represented on the watch list, which includes 10 past finalists.

2024 Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List

Defensive Linemen

Finn Claypool, Drake, R-Jr., 6-1, 232 (Pioneer Football League) – 2023 Finalist

Ckelby Givens, Southern, Jr., 6-2, 230 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)

Brody Grebe, Montana State, Sr., 6-2, 248 (Big Sky Conference) – 2023 Finalist

Eli Mostaert, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 287 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)

Elijah Ponder, Cal Poly, R-Sr., 6-3, 245 (Big Sky Conference)

Josiah Silver, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-2, 243 (CAA Football)

David Walker, Central Arkansas, Sr., 6-3, 260 (United Athletic Conference) – 2022 and 2023 Finalist

Linebackers

Amir Abdullah, Illinois State, Sr., 6-3, 215 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) – 2023 Finalist

Adam Bock, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 225 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) – 2021 Finalist

James Conway, Fordham, Sr., 6-2, 225 (Patriot League)

Micah Davey, McNeese, R-Jr., 6-2, 239 (Southland Conference) – 2023 Finalist

Erick Hunter, Morgan State, Sr., 6-4, 210 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) – 2023 Finalist

Logan Kopp, North Dakota State, Jr., 6-1, 217 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) – 2023 Finalist

Noah Martin, Samford, Sr., 6-1, 232 (Southern Conference)

Bryce Norman, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-0, 220 (Big South-OVC Football Association) – 2022 Finalist

Ken Standley, Mercer, Sr., 5-11, 225 (Southern Conference)

Elijawah Tolbert, Eastern Illinois, Sr., 6-1, 240 (Big South-OVC Football Association)

Riley Wilson, Montana, Jr., 6-2, 224 (Big Sky Conference)

Defensive Backs

Oshae Baker, UT Martin, Sr., 5-10, 200 (Big South-OVC Football Association)

Kendall Bohler, Florida A&M, R-Sr., 6-0, 193 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)

Kimal Clark, Central Connecticut State, Jr., 5-10, 200 (Northeast Conference)

Rex Connors, UC Davis, Jr., 6-1, 203 (Big Sky Conference)

Caleb Curtain, Elon, R-Jr., 6-1, 191 (CAA Football)

Kenny Gallop Jr., Howard, Grad, 6-0, 214 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) – 2023 Finalist

Tyler Morton, Nicholls, Sr., 5-10, 165 (Southland Conference)

Isaiah Reed, Brown, Sr., 6-0, 180 (Ivy League)

Isas Waxter, Villanova, Sr., 6-2, 215 (CAA Football)

Saiku White, Lafayette, Sr., 6-0, 201 (Patriot League)

TaMuarion Wilson, Central Arkansas, Sr., 6-2, 205 (United Athletic Conference)

Cole Wisniewski, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-4, 217 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)

More players can join the watch list before a national media panel selects the winner after the regular season from a group of finalists. Past Buchanan recipients include Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis, Jared Allen and Arthur Moats.

Also this season, the Walter Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman Player of the Year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Year), Urban Edge Network HBCU+ Player of the Year and FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be presented at the Stats Perform national awards banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.

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