As a Stats Perform FCS Top 25 media poll voter and national awards voter, I think it’s important to be transparent about my voting and reasoning.
I’ll publish my weekly Top 25 ballot every Sunday or Monday, and I’ll also provide a midseason update on who I have my eye on for major awards like the Walter Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year) and the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year).
Here are my preseason favorites for the Buck Buchanan Award.
5t. Erick Hunter, Morgan State LB
Hunter is an elite defender on a legit Morgan State defense. With great range at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Hunter impacts the game in a multitude of ways, which will catch the eye of voters.
Last fall in just 10 games, he recorded 75 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, three sacks, seven quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions. Hunter graded out as PFF’s No. 5 FCS linebacker.
5t. Riley Wilson, Montana LB
Voters for this award tend to like splash stats like tackles for loss and sacks. Expect Wilson to rack up plenty of those as he plays on the edge of Montana’s defense, which lives in the opposition’s backfield.
Wilson battled through an injury early last year, his first in Montana’s system after transferring from Hawaii. By the end of the year, he was a force and an All-Big Sky selection. Wilson totaled 53 tackles, 15 TFLs, 8.5 sacks, and six quarterback hurries as just a sophomore.
4. Adam Bock, South Dakota State LB
When healthy, Bock is a top-tier defensive player in the FCS, as shown in last season’s national championship game. He returned for his sixth year this fall, eyeing a full season of health after missing chunks of 2022 and 2023.
Bock looks to replicate his 2021 campaign when he racked up 125 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, and eight passes defended. In his career, Bock has 344 total tackles.
3. Cole Wisniewski, North Dakota State S
Wisniewski is a potential Day 2 NFL Draft prospect. The 6-foot-4 and 219-pounder made plays all over the field last year from his safety spot after transitioning from linebacker.
Wisniewski had 92 tackles, two TFLs, eight interceptions, 239 interception return yards, and five pass breakups while owning the No. 1 PFF grade out of all FCS and FBS safeties. A defensive end or linebacker has won this award every year since 2003. But with Wisniewski’s combination of tackles and interceptions, plus becoming known as one of the top safeties in all of college football, he could break that trend.
2024 Preseason Preview Central
2. Micah Davey, McNeese LB
Davey is a tackling machine. He’s the top returner from the 2023 Buck Buchanan Award voting results, finishing No. 7.
He totaled 153 tackles, seven TFLs, two sacks, four quarterback hurries, and three pass breakups in only 10 games last fall. Davey’s 15.3 tackles per game led the FCS. He was consistently dominant, recording double-digit tackles in every contest, including 13 against Florida.
1. David Walker, Central Arkansas DE
Walker is getting plenty of NFL Draft buzz as an elite pass-rusher. As mentioned above, voters love TFLs and sacks. The last four Buck Buchanan Award winners were edge players.
Walker eyes his third-straight dominant season for UCA. He’s a two-time Conference Defensive Player of the Year (2022 ASUN, 2023 UAC), plus has finished No. 3 in the 2022 Buck Buchanan Award voting while finishing No. 25 last fall.
In 2022, Walker totaled 66 tackles, 22 TFLs, and 12 sacks. Last fall, he tallied 57 tackles, 18 TFLs, and 8.5 sacks.
