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It’s a special year for the Buck Buchanan Award, which celebrates its 30th anniversary season of recognizing the FCS national defensive player of the year. The recipient will emerge from 35 finalists and take his place among the award’s distinguished list of past winners.
Stats Perform has announced a list of 35 finalists for the 2024 Buck Buchanan Award, celebrating its 30th anniversary season and presented 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. Past recipients include Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis, Jared Allen and Arthur Moats.
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 Banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.
2024 Buck Buchanan Award Finalists
Defensive Line
Finn Claypool, Drake, R-Jr., 6-1, 232 (Pioneer Football League)
42 tackles (25 solos), 16.5 TFL (76 yards), 9 sacks (50 yards), 1 FF, 1 FR, 9 QBH (10 games)
Ckelby Givens, Southern, Jr., 6-2, 230 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
63 tackles (38 solos), 24.5 TFL (89 yards), 9 sacks (36 yards), 12 QBH, 3 FF, 1 PBU (11 games)
Mi’Quise Grace, South Dakota, R-So., 6-4, 255 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
51 tackles (30 solos), 17 TFL (73 yards), 9.5 sacks (52 yards), 2 FF, 2 FR (TD), 9 QBH, 1 PBU (11 games)
Jeremiah Grant, Richmond, R-Sr., 6-2, 245 (CAA Football)
45 tackles (31 solos), 16.5 TFL (108 yards), 12.5 sacks (98 sacks), 2 FF, 1 FR, 6 QBH, 2 PBU (12 games)
Brody Grebe, Montana State, Sr., 6-2, 248 (Big Sky Conference)
28 tackles (16 solos), 7.5 TFL (39 yards), 6 sacks (36 yards), 1 FF, 6 QBH, 3 PBU (10 games)
Keyshawn James-Newby, Idaho, Sr., 6-2, 240 (Big Sky Conference)
54 tackles (30 solos), 13.5 TFL (84 yards), 9.5 sacks (70 yards), 2 FF, 10 QBH, 1 PBU (11 games)
Matt Jaworski, Fordham, Sr., 6-5, 260 (Patriot League)
60 tackles (34 solos), 16.5 TFL (57 yards), 2 sacks (17 yards), 4 PBU, 1 FF, 1 BK (12 games)
Brayden Manley, Mercer, So., 6-2, 245 (Southern Conference)
32 tackles (13 solos), 14.5 TFL (54 yards), 8 sacks (41 yards), 1 FF, 2 FR (TD), 2 PBU (11 games)
Eli Mostaert, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 287 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
44 tackles (24 solos), 9.5 TFL (30 yards), 5 sacks (25 yards), 4 QBH (12 games)
Josiah Silver, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-2, 243 (CAA Football)
58 tackles (32 solos), 17.5 TFL (83 yards), 11.5 sacks (71 yards), 1 FF, 4 QBH (12 games)
David Walker, Central Arkansas, Sr., 6-3, 260 (United Athletic Conference)
68 tackles (45 solos), 23 TFL (121 yards), 10.5 sacks (91 yards), 4 FF, 8 QBH, 6 PBU (12 games)
Elijah Williams, Morgan State, Sr., 6-3, 270 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
54 tackles (32 solos), 15 TFL (120 yards), 11 sacks (112 yards), 1 FF, 1 FR, 2 QBH, 1 BK (12 games)
Linebacker
Ben Bogle, Southern Illinois, So., 6-2, 225 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
87 tackles (28 solos), 16.5 TFL (78 yards), 5.5 sacks (50 yards), 1 FR, 2 INT, 2 PBU, 3 QBH (12 games)
Mike DeNucci, Lehigh, Grad, 6-0, 225 (Patriot League)
80 tackles (27 solos), 10 TFL (59 yards), 5.5 sacks (48 yards), 2 QBH, 3 PBU (11 games)
Eli Ennis, Nicholls, Jr., 6-2, 205 (Southland Conference)
111 tackles (53 solos), 7.5 TFL (26 yards), 2 sacks (19 yards), 3 FF, 2 FR, 3 INT, 3 PBU, 5 QBH (12 games)
Cabel Francl, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 195 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
64 tackles (31 solos), 7 TFL (19 yards), 1 sack (9 yards), 4 QBH, 4 PBU (12 games)
Blake Gotcher, Northwestern State, Jr., 6-1, 225 (Southland Conference)
162 tackles (56 yards), 10 TFL (31 yards), 4.5 sacks (24 yards), 2 FF, 1 INT, 2 PBU (12 games)
Andrew Jones, Grambling State, R-Jr., 6-2, 220 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
112 tackles (49 solos), 17 TFL (61 yards), 2 sacks (16 yards), 1 FF, 1 FR (TD), 1 QBH (12 games)
Gideon Lampron, Dayton, R-So., 5-11, 215 (Pioneer Football League)
99 tackles (56 solos), 23.5 TFL (93 yards), 6.5 sacks (49 yards), 2 FF, 2 FR, 4 QBH, 2 BK (11 games)
Noah Martin, Samford, Sr., 6-1, 232 (Southern Conference)
114 tackles (61 solos), 10 TFL (25 yards), 2 sacks (11 yards), 2 FF, 1 FR, 2 INT (TD), 2 QBH (11 games)
David Meyer, UC Davis, R-Jr., 6-1, 230 (Big Sky Conference)
104 tackles (63 solos), 6.5 TFL (13 yards), 0.5 sack (1 yard), 4 INT (TD), 1 QBH, 1 PBU (12 games)
Bryce Norman, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-0, 220 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
125 tackles (54 solos), 13.5 TFL (73 yards), 5.5 sacks (53 yards), 2 FF, 6 QBH, 4 PBU (12 games)
A.J. Pena, Rhode Island, Jr., 6-2, 243 (CAA Football)
70 tackles (39 solos), 18 TFL (91 yards), 10.5 sacks (77 yards), 2 FR, 5 QBH, 2 PBU (12 games)
Will Shaffer, Abilene Christian, R-Sr., 6-0, 240 (United Athletic Conference)
108 tackles (48 solos), 6.5 TFL (16 yards), 2 sacks (8 yards), 1 FR, 1 QBH, 5 PBU (12 games)
Jaylon Sharpe, UT Martin, Gr., 6-3, 240 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
75 tackles (37 yards), 14.5 TFL (49 yards), 2 sacks (4 yards), 1 FR, 2 INT (TD), 3 PBU, 3 QBH (12 games)
Brandon Tucker, East Texas A&M, R-So., 5-10, 225 (Southland Conference)
141 tackles (69 solos), 15 TFL (65 yards), 3.5 sacks (25 yards), 2 FF, 2 FR, 6 QBH, 2 PBU (12 games)
Defensive Back
Mason Chambers, UIW, Sr., 6-0, 210 (Southland Conference)
77 tackles (34 solos), 1.5 TFL (2 yards), 1 FF, 1 FR, 2 INT (TD), 7 PBU (12 games)
Kimal Clark, Central Connecticut State, Jr., 5-10, 200 (Northeast Conference)
109 tackles (59 solos), 3 TFL (4 yards), 0.5 sacks (1 yard), 1 FR (TD), 3 PBU (12 games)
Kenny Gallop Jr., Howard, Grad, 6-0, 214 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
77 tackles (52 solos), 7 TFL (28 yards), 3 sacks (15 yards) 1 FF, 1 FR, 3 QBH, 4 PBU (11 games)
Jalen Jones, William & Mary, Jr., 6-0, 190 (CAA Football)
48 tackles (30 solos), 2 TFL (4 yards), 2 FF, 1 FR, 2 INT, 20 PBU (12 games)
Abu Kamara, Yale, So., 6-1, 208 (Ivy League)
84 tackles (67 solos), 2 TFL (3 yards), 1 sack (2 yards), 3 FF, 1 FR, 2 INT, 5 PBU, 3 QBH (10 games)
Jalen McClendon , Tennessee State, R-Jr., 6-0, 180 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
53 tackles (45 solos), 1 TFL (4 yards), 1 INT, 12 PBU (12 games)
Hayden McDonald, Columbia, Sr., 5-9, 180 (Ivy League)
68 tackles (38 solos), 5 INT, 7 PBU (10 games)
TJ Moore, Mercer, Sr., 6-0, 185 (Southern Conference)
54 tackles (38 solos), 0.5 TFL (1 yard), 7 INT (TD), 11 PBU, 2 QBH (12 games)
Saiku White, Lafayette, Sr., 6-1, 209 (Patriot League)
87 tackles (50 solo), 1.5 TFL (2 yards), 3 INT, 3 PBU (11 games)
In addition to the Buck Buchanan Award, 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 awards banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.
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