Buck Buchanan Award names their 25 Finalists for Best Defensive Player in FCS football
Buck Buchanan Award is one of the best awards in the country for a small school football player. A part of the 2018 STATS FCS legacy awards, the Buck Buchanan Award, presented to the national defensive player of the year in college football’s Division I subdivision, has sent past winners such as Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis, Jared Allen, Arthur Moats and Kyle Emanuel on to NFL careers.
A national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will select the winners. Voting is based on the regular season.
BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD
FCS Defensive Player of the Year – 25 Finalists
- Nasir Adderley, S, Sr. – Delaware
- B.J. Blunt, LB, Sr. – McNeese
- De’Arius Christmas, LB, Sr. – Grambling State
- Thomas Costigan, LB, Sr. – Bryant
- Jabril Cox, LB, So. – North Dakota State
- Cam Gill, LB, Jr. – Wagner
- Ahmad Gooden, DE, Sr. – Samford
- Anthony Gore Jr., LB, Sr. – Kennesaw State
- Darin Greenfield, DE, Jr. – South Dakota
- Robbie Grimsley, S, Sr. – North Dakota State
- Zach Hall, LB, Jr. – Southeast Missouri
- Darryl Johnson Jr., DE, Jr. – North Carolina A&T
- Isaiah Mack, DT, Sr. – Chattanooga, DT
- Nick Miller, LB, Sr. – Penn
- Mason Moe, LB, Sr. – UC Davis
- Jimmy Moreland, CB, Sr. – James Madison
- Dante Olson, LB, Jr. – Montana
- Nasir Player, DL, Jr. – ETSU
- Troy Reeder, LB, Sr. – Delaware
- Derick Roberson, LB, Sr. – Sam Houston State
- Khalen Saunders, DT, Sr. – Western Illinois
- Sterling Sheffield, LB, Sr. – Maine
- Isiah Swann, CB, Jr. – Dartmouth
- Will Warner, S, Jr. – Drake
- Nick Wheeler, LB, Jr. – Colgate
NFL Draft Diamonds was created to assist the underdogs playing the sport. We call them diamonds in the rough. My name is Damond Talbot, I have worked extremely hard to help hundreds of small school players over the past several years, and will continue my mission. We have several contributors on this site, and if they contribute their name and contact will be in the piece above. You can email me at nfldraftdiamonds@gmail.com