McGoy Named to 2025 Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List
7/30/2025 11:45:00 AM | Football
MARTIN, Tenn. – Stats Perform has announced a 30-player preseason watch list for the 2025 Buck Buchanan Award, presented annually to the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football, by selecting University of Tennessee at Martin cornerback JaMichael McGoy, Jr.
A 2024 first-team OVC-Big South selection, McGoy has steadily become one of the nation's top defensive backs. The Chattanooga, Tenn. native ranked third nationally with 1.5 pass breakups per game while leading the Association with 18 pass breakups. The dynamic ballhawk also hauled in three interceptions – including one featured on SportsCenter Top 10 with a one-handed snag against nationally ranked New Hampshire in the first round of the FCS playoffs. In total, he tallied 43 total tackles and three tackles for loss.
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 on the watch list, which includes seven past finalists. This season's recipient will be announced at the Stats Perform National Awards Banquet on Jan. 3, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee.
The 2025 Buck Buchanan Award preseason watch list:
Defensive Linemen
Jake Anderson, Illinois State, R-Jr., 6-5, 290 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Toby Anene, North Dakota State, Jr., 6-4, 260 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Paul Brott, Montana State, Sr., 6-3, 290 (Big Sky Conference)
Lando Brown, Southern Utah, R-Sr., 5-11, 215 (United Athletic Conference)
Kobe Clayborne, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-0, 275 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Jack Dunkley, Duquesne, Jr., 6-4, 250 (Northeast Conference)
Ckelby Givens, Southern, Sr., 6-2, 230 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Rasheed Lovelace, Nicholls, R-Jr., 6-3, 310 (Southland Conference)
Matt Spatny, Lehigh, Sr., 6-2, 245 (Patriot League)
Andrew Zock, Mercer, So., 6-2, 250 (Southern Conference)
Linebackers
Sean Allison, Drake, Sr., 6-1, 230 (Pioneer Football League)
James Conway, Fordham, Grad, 6-2, 235 (Patriot League)
Shane Hartzell, Villanova, Sr., 6-0, 230 (CAA Football)
Erick Hunter, Morgan State, Sr., 6-4, 210 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Logan Kopp, North Dakota State, R-Sr., 6-1, 221 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Tye Niekamp, Illinois State, Jr., 6-3, 240 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
A.J. Pena, Rhode Island, Sr., 6-2, 243 (CAA Football)
Will Shaffer, Abilene Christian, Grad, 6-0, 224 (United Athletic Conference)
Declan Williams, UIW, Sr., 6-2, 245 (Southland Conference)
Peyton Wing, Montana, Jr., 6-0, 230 (Big Sky Conference)
Defensive Backs
Ty Bartrum, Harvard, Sr., 6-1, 195 (Ivy League)
Rex Connors, UC Davis, Sr., 6-1, 210 (Big Sky Conference)
C.J. Coombes, Wofford, So., 6-0, 208 (Southern Conference)
Tim Coutras, Tennessee Tech, Grad, 6-0, 198 (OVC-Big South Football Association)
Jalen Jones, William & Mary, Sr., 6-0, 190 (CAA Football)
Abu Kamara, Yale, Jr., 6-1, 208 (Ivy League)
JaMichael McGoy Jr., UT Martin, R-Sr., 5-10, 170 (OVC-Big South Football Association)
Tyler Morton, UIW, R-Sr., 5-10, 170 (Southland Conference)
Nahil Perkins, Samford, Grad, 6-0, 178 (Southern Conference)
Malcolm Reed, North Carolina Central, Sr., 6-3, 180 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
The Buck Buchanan Award was first presented in 1995. More players can join the watch list before a national media panel selects the winner after the regular season from a group of finalists.
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 Banquet.
A 2024 first-team OVC-Big South selection, McGoy has steadily become one of the nation's top defensive backs. The Chattanooga, Tenn. native ranked third nationally with 1.5 pass breakups per game while leading the Association with 18 pass breakups. The dynamic ballhawk also hauled in three interceptions – including one featured on SportsCenter Top 10 with a one-handed snag against nationally ranked New Hampshire in the first round of the FCS playoffs. In total, he tallied 43 total tackles and three tackles for loss.
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 on the watch list, which includes seven past finalists. This season's recipient will be announced at the Stats Perform National Awards Banquet on Jan. 3, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee.
The 2025 Buck Buchanan Award preseason watch list:
Defensive Linemen
Jake Anderson, Illinois State, R-Jr., 6-5, 290 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Toby Anene, North Dakota State, Jr., 6-4, 260 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Paul Brott, Montana State, Sr., 6-3, 290 (Big Sky Conference)
Lando Brown, Southern Utah, R-Sr., 5-11, 215 (United Athletic Conference)
Kobe Clayborne, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-0, 275 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Jack Dunkley, Duquesne, Jr., 6-4, 250 (Northeast Conference)
Ckelby Givens, Southern, Sr., 6-2, 230 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Rasheed Lovelace, Nicholls, R-Jr., 6-3, 310 (Southland Conference)
Matt Spatny, Lehigh, Sr., 6-2, 245 (Patriot League)
Andrew Zock, Mercer, So., 6-2, 250 (Southern Conference)
Linebackers
Sean Allison, Drake, Sr., 6-1, 230 (Pioneer Football League)
James Conway, Fordham, Grad, 6-2, 235 (Patriot League)
Shane Hartzell, Villanova, Sr., 6-0, 230 (CAA Football)
Erick Hunter, Morgan State, Sr., 6-4, 210 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Logan Kopp, North Dakota State, R-Sr., 6-1, 221 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Tye Niekamp, Illinois State, Jr., 6-3, 240 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
A.J. Pena, Rhode Island, Sr., 6-2, 243 (CAA Football)
Will Shaffer, Abilene Christian, Grad, 6-0, 224 (United Athletic Conference)
Declan Williams, UIW, Sr., 6-2, 245 (Southland Conference)
Peyton Wing, Montana, Jr., 6-0, 230 (Big Sky Conference)
Defensive Backs
Ty Bartrum, Harvard, Sr., 6-1, 195 (Ivy League)
Rex Connors, UC Davis, Sr., 6-1, 210 (Big Sky Conference)
C.J. Coombes, Wofford, So., 6-0, 208 (Southern Conference)
Tim Coutras, Tennessee Tech, Grad, 6-0, 198 (OVC-Big South Football Association)
Jalen Jones, William & Mary, Sr., 6-0, 190 (CAA Football)
Abu Kamara, Yale, Jr., 6-1, 208 (Ivy League)
JaMichael McGoy Jr., UT Martin, R-Sr., 5-10, 170 (OVC-Big South Football Association)
Tyler Morton, UIW, R-Sr., 5-10, 170 (Southland Conference)
Nahil Perkins, Samford, Grad, 6-0, 178 (Southern Conference)
Malcolm Reed, North Carolina Central, Sr., 6-3, 180 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
The Buck Buchanan Award was first presented in 1995. More players can join the watch list before a national media panel selects the winner after the regular season from a group of finalists.
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 Banquet.
Players Mentioned
CB
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