Buchanan watchlist includes MSU’s Brott, UM’s Wing

Three Big Sky Conference players — one each from Montana State, Montana and UC Davis — are among the 30 players named to the Buck Buchanan Award watchlist released Wednesday.

Montana State nose tackle Paul Brott, Montana linebacker Peyton Wing and UC Davis safety Rex Connors all made the list, which includes five 2024 finalists and two finalists from 2023. 

On Tuesday Stats Perform released its Walter Payton Award watchlist; the Buck Buchanan Award goes to the top defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision. 

Brott, a senior, was second-team all-Big Sky last season after racking up 49 tackles, including six for losses. The Billings West product is wearing MSU’s No. 41 legacy jersey this season.  

Wing, a junior transfer who spent two seasons at Portland State, was also second-team all-Big Sky at linebacker in 2024 after reaching double figures in tackles in four games. He finished with 93, including 7.5 TFLs.  

Connors, a senior safety, made 115 tackles last season, 10 of them for losses, and had two interceptions to bring his career total to eight. He was first-team all-Big Sky for a second time. 

The Buchanan Award is in its 31st season and has seen Montana and Montana State both get two winners: Dante Olson (2019) and Kroy Biermann (2007) for the Grizzlies; Caleb Schreibeis and Brad Daly won it back-to-back seasons (2012-13) for the Bobcats. 

In all seven Big Sky players have taking home the award, not counting three straight won by Cal Poly (2004-06) before the Mustangs joined the Big Sky. 

All 13 FCS conferences are represented on the watch list. This season’s recipient will be announced at the Stats Perform National Awards Presentation on Jan. 3 in Nashville. 

Central Arkansas defensive end David Walker won it last season. 

Buck Buchanan Award Watchlist

Defensive Linemen

Jake Anderson, Illinois State, R-Jr., 6-5, 290  

Toby Anene, North Dakota State, Jr., 6-4, 260 

Paul Brott, Montana State, Sr., 6-3, 290 

Lando Brown, Southern Utah, R-Sr., 5-11, 215 

Kobe Clayborne, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-0, 275 

Jack Dunkley, Duquesne, Jr., 6-4, 250 

Ckelby Givens, Southern, Sr., 6-2, 230 (2024 Finalist) 

Rasheed Lovelace, Nicholls, R-Jr., 6-3, 310 

Matt Spatny, Lehigh, Sr., 6-2, 245 

Andrew Zock, Mercer, So., 6-2, 250 

Linebackers 

Sean Allison, Drake, Sr., 6-1, 230 

James Conway, Fordham, Grad, 6-2, 235 

Shane Hartzell, Villanova, Sr., 6-0, 230 

Erick Hunter, Morgan State, Sr., 6-4, 210 (2023 Finalist) 

Logan Kopp, North Dakota State, R-Sr., 6-1, 221 (2023 Finalist) 

Tye Niekamp, Illinois State, Jr., 6-3, 240  

A.J. Pena, Rhode Island, Sr., 6-2, 243 (2024 Finalist) 

Will Shaffer, Abilene Christian, Grad, 6-0, 224 (2024 Finalist) 

Declan Williams, UIW, Sr., 6-2, 245 

Peyton Wing, Montana, Jr., 6-0, 230 

Defensive Backs

Ty Bartrum, Harvard, Sr., 6-1, 195 

Rex Connors, UC Davis, Sr., 6-1, 210 

C.J. Coombes, Wofford, So., 6-0, 208 

Tim Coutras, Tennessee Tech, Grad, 6-0, 198  

Jalen Jones, William & Mary, Sr., 6-0, 190 (2024 Finalist) 

Abu Kamara, Yale, Jr., 6-1, 208 (2024 Finalist) 

JaMichael McGoy Jr., UT Martin, R-Sr., 5-10, 170  

Tyler Morton, UIW, R-Sr., 5-10, 170 

Nahil Perkins, Samford, Grad, 6-0, 178 

Malcolm Reed, North Carolina Central, Sr., 6-3, 180