The Buck Buchanan
Award honors the national defensive player of the year in FCS
college football. The 2025 recipient will emerge from 30
finalists and take his place among a distinguished list of past
winners.
Stats Perform has announced a standout list of 30 finalists for
the 2025 Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented to the national
defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college
football.
The award, in its 31st season, is named for legendary defensive
lineman Junious “Buck” Buchanan, who starred at Grambling State as
part of his Hall of Fame career. Past Buchanan recipients include
Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis and Jared Allen. Central Arkansas’
David Walker was last season’s winner.
All 13 FCS conferences are represented by a finalist. The
winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be
announced at the
Stats Perform FCS National Awards Show on Jan. 3 in Nashville,
Tennessee.
2025 Buck Buchanan Award Finalists
Defensive
Linemen
Lando Brown, Southern Utah,
R-Sr., 5-11, 215 (United Athletic Conference)
55 tackles (30 solo), 18.0 TFL (97 yards), 14.0 sacks (89), 11
QBH (11 games)
David Hoage, West Georgia,
Grad, 6-3, 250 (United Athletic Conference)
62 tackles (33 solo), 20.0 TFL (116 yards), 8.5 sacks (79), 1
PBU, 7 QBH, 3 FF (11 games)
Robert Holz, Gardner-Webb,
Sr., 6-3, 255 (OVC-Big South Football Association)
53 tackles (23 solo), 16.5 TFL (66 yards), 11.0 sacks (59), 2
FF, 11 QBH (12 games)
Quincy Ivory, Jackson State,
Sr., 6-3, 239 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
64 tackles (31 solo), 13.5 TFL (71 yards), 6.0 sacks (39), 2 FF,
1 FR, 1 INT, 5 QBH (11 games)
Kaleb Proctor, Southeastern
Louisiana, Sr., 6-3, 280 (Southland Conference)
38 tackles (17 solo), 12.0 TFL (63 yards), 8.0 sacks (55 yards),
4 QBH, 2 PBU (12 games)
Jacob Psyk, UC Davis, Grad,
6-3, 265 (Big Sky Conference)
46 tackles (34 solo), 15.0 TFL (50 yards), 9.0 sacks (39), 3 FF,
2 FR, 5 QBH, 3 PBU, 1 BK (11 games)
Joshua Stoneking, Furman,
R-So., 6-3, 264 (Southern Conference)
79 tackles (42 solo), 23.0 TFL (132 yards), 14.5 sacks (97
yards), 2 FF, 9 QBH, 2 PBU, 1 BK (12 games)
Andrew Zock, Mercer, So., 6-2,
250 (Southern Conference)
41 tackles (23 solo), 20.0 TFL (109 yards), 11.5 sacks (89), 2
FF, 1 FR, 22 QBH, 3 PBU (11 games)
Linebackers
Sean Allison, Drake, Sr., 6-0,
235 (Pioneer Football League)
120 tackles (59 solo), 8.0 TFL (14 yards), 2.0 sacks (7), 2 INT,
3 PBU (11 games)
Luke Banbury, William &
Mary, Grad, 6-2, 230 (CAA Football)
137 tackles (70 solo), 5.5 TFL (17 yards), 2.0 sacks (12), 1 FR,
1 QBH, 6 PBU (12 games)
James Conway, Fordham, Grad,
6-2, 235 (Patriot League)
159 tackles (72 solo), 8.0 TFL (27 yards), 5.0 sacks (22), 1 FF,
1 INT, 3 PBU (12 games)
Theron Gaines, Tennessee Tech,
Sr., 6-1, 237 (OVC-Big South Football Association)
86 tackles (40 solo), 13.5 TFL (43 yards), 6.5 sacks (28), 1 INT
(TD), 2 PBU, 7 QBH, 2 FR (1 TD), 1 FF (12 games)
Shane Hartzell, Villanova,
Sr., 6-0, 230 (CAA Football)
71 tackles (42 solo), 13.0 TFL (50 yards), 6.0 sacks (33), 8
QBH, 1 PBU (11 games)
Erick Hunter, Morgan State,
Sr., 6-4, 220 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
102 tackles (53 solo), 14.0 TFL (55 yards), 4.0 sacks (34), 3
FF, 1 INT, 5 QBH, 3 PBU, 1 TD/1 safety (12 games)
Logan Kopp, North Dakota
State, R-Sr., 6-1, 221 (Missouri Valley Football
Conference)
64 tackles (35 solo), 9.0 TFL (27), 3.0 sacks (19), 1 FR, 4 QBH,
2 PBU (12 games)
Rashon Myles Jr., Abilene
Christian, Jr., 6-1, 220 (United Athletic Conference)
104 tackles (50 solo), 8.0 TFL (32 yards), 2.5 sacks (16), 5 FR,
1 INT, 3 PBU (12 games)
Tye Niekamp, Illinois State,
Jr., 6-3, 240 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
126 tackles (12.0 yards), 12.0 TFL (23 yards), 1 FF, 1 FR, 4
QBH, 6 PBU, 1 safety (12 games)
Tyler Ochojski, Lehigh, Sr.,
6-2, 230 (Patriot League)
56 tackles (35 solo), 12.0 TFL (90 yards), 10.0 sacks (84), 1
FF, 1 FR, 7 QBH, 4 PBU (12 games)
A.J. Pena, Rhode Island, Sr.,
6-2, 243 (CAA Football)
61 tackles (31 solo), 17.5 TFL (79 yards), 9.5 sacks (64), 1 FF,
11 QBH, 3 PBU (12 games)
Jaydon Southard, Stephen F.
Austin, Sr., 6-1, 225 (Southland Conference)
110 tackles (48 solo), 10.5 TFL (40 yards), 2.5 sacks (22
yards), 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 INT, 3 QBH, 2 PBU (11 games)
Jack Stoll, Central
Connecticut State. 6-0, 230 (NEC Football)
86 tackles (50 solo), 15.5 TFL (41 yards), 1 PBU 1 BK (12
games)
Defensive Backs
Ty Bartrum, Harvard, Sr., 6-1,
200 (Ivy League)
72 tackles (20 solo), 0.5 TFL (1 yard), 1 FF, 1 INT, 1 QBH, 3
PBU (10 games)
Kimal Clark, Indiana State,
Sr., 5-10, 195 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
145 tackles (59 solo), 4.5 TFL (25 yards), 2.0 sacks (21), 2 FF,
2 FR, 1 QBH, 5 PBU (12 games)
Caden Dowler, Montana State,
Jr., 6-0, 205 (Big Sky Conference)
78 tackles (50 solo), 5.5 TFL (16 yards), 1.0 sack (6), 2 FF, 4
INT (2 TDs), 4 PBU (12 games)
Jalen Jones, William &
Mary, Sr., 6-0, 195 (CAA Football)
39 tackles (26 solo), 1.5 TFL (3 yards), 2 INTs, 10 PBU, 2 QBH
(11 games)
Abu Kamara, Yale, Jr., 6-1,
208 (Ivy League)
65 tackles (32 solo), 6.0 TFL (26 yards), 3.5 sacks (23), 1 FF,
3 FR (1 TD), 2 INT (1 TD), 1 QBH, 8 PBU, 1 BK (10 games)
Kasyus Kurns, Tarleton State,
Sr., 5-10, 170 (United Athletic Conference)
26 tackles (15 solo), 2.0 TFL (4 yards), 1 FR, 5 INT, 1 QBH, 3
PBU (10 games)
Maximus Pulley, Wofford, 5th
Year, 5-11, 200 (Southern Conference)
85 tackles (41 solo), 2.5 TFL (4 yards), 1 FF, 1 FR, 5 INT (2
TDs), 5 PBU, 1 BK (11 games)
Nate Robinson Jr., Marist,
So., 6-1, 200 (Pioneer Football League)
64 tackles (30 solo), 1.5 TFL (2), 1 FR, 4 INT, 11 PBU (12
games)
Jarod Washington, South
Carolina State, Sr., 6-2, 188 (Mid-Eastern Athletic
Conference)
32 tackles (29 solo), 1.0 TFL (3 yards), 1 FF, 2 INT (1 TD), 20
PBU (12 games)
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), HBCU National Player
of the Year and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be
presented at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Show.
For more FCS coverage,
follow on social media at X, Facebook, Instagram
and Bluesky.
