FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State linebacker James Kaczor has been named to the 2021 Buck Buchanan Award watch list announced Thursday, Aug. 5. The award is presented annually by Stats Perform to the top defensive player in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.
Kaczor, a senior from St. Cloud, Minn., was first team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference and second team FCS All-America last spring. He was NDSU’s second leading tackler with 70 total stops and had 2.0 tackles for loss, two pass breakups and three quarterback hurries.
There are 35 players on the preseason watch list. More players can join the list during the regular season, and a national media panel will select the winner following it.
North Dakota State has had nine finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award, including 2014 winner Kyle Emanuel.
2021 Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List
Defensive Linemen
Jared Brinkman, Northern Iowa (2020-21 finalist)
Isaiah Chambers, McNeese (2020-21 finalist)
DJ Coleman, Jacksonville State
Mike Greene, James Madison (2020-21 finalist)
Malik Hamm, Lafayette
Jahari Kay, Sam Houston (2020-21 finalist)
Jordan Lewis, Southern (2020-21 recipient)
Shaundre Mims, Charleston Southern
Kobie Turner, Richmond
Linebackers
Troy Andersen, Montana State
Logan Backhaus, South Dakota State
Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham (2020-21 finalist)
Willie Eubanks III, The Citadel (2019 finalist)
Tre Jones, Central Connecticut State
James Kaczor, North Dakota State
La’akea Kaho’ohanohano-Davis, Southern Utah (2020-21 finalist)
Titus Leo, Wagner (2020-21 finalist)
Jace Lewis, Montana
Forrest Rhyne, Villanova
Stone Snyder, VMI (2020-21 finalist)
Jeremiah Tyler, Princeton
Tre Walker, Idaho (2020-21 finalist)
Tristan Wheeler, Richmond (2020-21 finalist)
Defensive Backs
Anthony Adams, Portland State (2019 finalist)
Markquese Bell, Florida A&M
Qua Brown, Southern Illinois
Anthony Budd, Monmouth
Decobie Durant, South Carolina State
Brandon Easterling, Dayton (2019 finalist)
Chris Edmonds, Samford (2020-21 finalist)
Marcis Floyd, Murray State
Nicario Harper, Jacksonville State (2020-21 finalist)
Kordell Jackson, Austin Peay (2019 and 2020-21 finalist)
Ferlando Jordan, Southeastern Louisiana
Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston
