Sharpe Named Finalist For Buck Buchanan Award
11/26/2024 10:00:00 AM | Football
MARTIN, Tenn. – University of Tennessee at Martin linebacker Jaylon Sharpe is regarded as one of the best defensive players in the country after being named a finalist for the prestigious Buck Buchanan Award by Stats Perform.
The 2024 Buck Buchanan Award celebrates its 30th anniversary season and is 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.
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.
Sharpe posted the best season of his Skyhawk career after tying for the Big South-OVC Football Association lead with 14.5 tackles for loss – totaling 49 yards of loss – while ranking as the ninth best single-season performance in program history. Overall he tallied 75 total tackles – including 37 solo and 38 assisted stops – while posting two sacks. He also contributed in the pass game where he recorded two interceptions and three pass breakups.
2024 Buck Buchanan Award Finalists
DEFENSIVE LINE
Finn Claypool, Drake, R-Jr., 6-1, 232 (Pioneer Football League)
Ckelby Givens, Southern, Jr., 6-2, 230 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Mi'Quise Grace, South Dakota, R-So., 6-4, 255 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Jeremiah Grant, Richmond, R-Sr., 6-2, 245 (CAA Football)
Brody Grebe, Montana State, Sr., 6-2, 248 (Big Sky Conference)
Keyshawn James-Newby, Idaho, Sr., 6-2, 240 (Big Sky Conference)
Matt Jaworski, Fordham, Sr., 6-5, 260 (Patriot League)
Brayden Manley, Mercer, So., 6-2, 245 (Southern Conference)
Eli Mostaert, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 287 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Josiah Silver, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-2, 243 (CAA Football)
David Walker, Central Arkansas, Sr., 6-3, 260 (United Athletic Conference)
Elijah Williams, Morgan State, Sr., 6-3, 270 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
LINEBACKER
Ben Bogle, Southern Illinois, So., 6-2, 225 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Mike DeNucci, Lehigh, Grad, 6-0, 225 (Patriot League)
Eli Ennis, Nicholls, Jr., 6-2, 205 (Southland Conference)
Cabel Francl, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 195 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Blake Gotcher, Northwestern State, Jr., 6-1, 225 (Southland Conference)
Andrew Jones, Grambling State, R-Jr., 6-2, 220 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Gideon Lampron, Dayton, R-So., 5-11, 215 (Pioneer Football League)
Noah Martin, Samford, Sr., 6-1, 232 (Southern Conference)
David Meyer, UC Davis, R-Jr., 6-1, 230 (Big Sky Conference)
Bryce Norman, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-0, 220 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
A.J. Pena, Rhode Island, Jr., 6-2, 243 (CAA Football)
Will Shaffer, Abilene Christian, R-Sr., 6-0, 240 (United Athletic Conference)
Jaylon Sharpe, UT Martin, Gr., 6-3, 240 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Brandon Tucker Jr., East Texas A&M, R-So., 5-10, 225 (Southland Conference)
DEFENSIVE BACK
Mason Chambers, UIW, Sr., 6-0, 210 (Southland Conference)
Kimal Clark, Central Connecticut State, Jr., 5-10, 200 (Northeast Conference)
Kenny Gallop Jr., Howard, Grad, 6-0, 214 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Jalen Jones, William & Mary, Jr., 6-0, 190 (CAA Football)
Abu Kamara, Yale, So., 6-1, 208 (Ivy League)
Jalen McClelland, Tennessee State, R-Jr., 6-0, 180 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Hayden McDonald, Columbia, Sr., 5-9, 180 (Ivy League)
TJ Moore, Mercer, Sr., 6-0, 185 (Southern Conference)
Saiku White, Lafayette, Sr., 6-1, 209 (Patriot League)
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.
The 2024 Buck Buchanan Award celebrates its 30th anniversary season and is 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.
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.
Sharpe posted the best season of his Skyhawk career after tying for the Big South-OVC Football Association lead with 14.5 tackles for loss – totaling 49 yards of loss – while ranking as the ninth best single-season performance in program history. Overall he tallied 75 total tackles – including 37 solo and 38 assisted stops – while posting two sacks. He also contributed in the pass game where he recorded two interceptions and three pass breakups.
2024 Buck Buchanan Award Finalists
DEFENSIVE LINE
Finn Claypool, Drake, R-Jr., 6-1, 232 (Pioneer Football League)
Ckelby Givens, Southern, Jr., 6-2, 230 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Mi'Quise Grace, South Dakota, R-So., 6-4, 255 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Jeremiah Grant, Richmond, R-Sr., 6-2, 245 (CAA Football)
Brody Grebe, Montana State, Sr., 6-2, 248 (Big Sky Conference)
Keyshawn James-Newby, Idaho, Sr., 6-2, 240 (Big Sky Conference)
Matt Jaworski, Fordham, Sr., 6-5, 260 (Patriot League)
Brayden Manley, Mercer, So., 6-2, 245 (Southern Conference)
Eli Mostaert, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 287 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Josiah Silver, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-2, 243 (CAA Football)
David Walker, Central Arkansas, Sr., 6-3, 260 (United Athletic Conference)
Elijah Williams, Morgan State, Sr., 6-3, 270 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
LINEBACKER
Ben Bogle, Southern Illinois, So., 6-2, 225 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Mike DeNucci, Lehigh, Grad, 6-0, 225 (Patriot League)
Eli Ennis, Nicholls, Jr., 6-2, 205 (Southland Conference)
Cabel Francl, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 195 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Blake Gotcher, Northwestern State, Jr., 6-1, 225 (Southland Conference)
Andrew Jones, Grambling State, R-Jr., 6-2, 220 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Gideon Lampron, Dayton, R-So., 5-11, 215 (Pioneer Football League)
Noah Martin, Samford, Sr., 6-1, 232 (Southern Conference)
David Meyer, UC Davis, R-Jr., 6-1, 230 (Big Sky Conference)
Bryce Norman, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-0, 220 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
A.J. Pena, Rhode Island, Jr., 6-2, 243 (CAA Football)
Will Shaffer, Abilene Christian, R-Sr., 6-0, 240 (United Athletic Conference)
Jaylon Sharpe, UT Martin, Gr., 6-3, 240 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Brandon Tucker Jr., East Texas A&M, R-So., 5-10, 225 (Southland Conference)
DEFENSIVE BACK
Mason Chambers, UIW, Sr., 6-0, 210 (Southland Conference)
Kimal Clark, Central Connecticut State, Jr., 5-10, 200 (Northeast Conference)
Kenny Gallop Jr., Howard, Grad, 6-0, 214 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Jalen Jones, William & Mary, Jr., 6-0, 190 (CAA Football)
Abu Kamara, Yale, So., 6-1, 208 (Ivy League)
Jalen McClelland, Tennessee State, R-Jr., 6-0, 180 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Hayden McDonald, Columbia, Sr., 5-9, 180 (Ivy League)
TJ Moore, Mercer, Sr., 6-0, 185 (Southern Conference)
Saiku White, Lafayette, Sr., 6-1, 209 (Patriot League)
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.
Players Mentioned
LB
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