McKinnell: Official Ballot For The 2025 Buck Buchanan Award

I am honored to represent FCS Football Central as one of the voters for these prestigious awards and the FCS Stats Perform Top 25 poll. As I have over the past few seasons, I post my Top 25 ballot each week and will continue that transparency with my award ballot.

Each voter is asked to rank their Top 5 players from the list of finalists, with No. 1 being their top choice for the award. The winner of the 2025 Buck Buchanan Award will be announced at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Show on Jan. 3 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Below is my official ballot for the 2025 Buck Buchanan Award.

5. Caden Dowler (Montana State, S)

Montana State safety Caden Dowler (5) | Bobcat Creative Services (Montana State Athletics)

How does any ballot not have the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year? Dowler has battled injuries throughout his career, but finally capitalized when it was his time to shine, helping lead the Bobcats to another Big Sky championship.

Dowler ended the regular season with 78 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, four interceptions, four pass breakups, and two defensive touchdowns.

I value players who make the biggest plays in the biggest moments, which is exactly what Dowler did for the Bobcats. His pick-six against Montana completely changed the game, while he also posted two interceptions and a touchdown in another Top 25 win over UC Davis.

4. Kaleb Proctor (Southeastern Louisiana, DT)

One frustration I have with some voters, media outlets, and All-Conference teams is that nobody evaluates defensive tackles and edge rushers as separate positions during award season. It's a fundamental flaw in the evaluation process that leads to players like Proctor being overlooked.

Proctor has been the most dominant interior lineman at the FCS level this season. He posted 38 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and two pass breakups. He led all defensive tackles at the FCS level in pass-rush grade, while finishing as the 5th-highest-graded FCS defensive tackle.

His performance against LSU put him on the NFL's radar, finishing with five tackles, three tackles for loss, and two sacks against the Tigers. Protcor also recorded at least one sack in seven games this season.

3. Lando Brown (Southern Utah, EDGE)

Southern Utah defensive end Lando Brown (7) | Southern Utah Athletics

Even with being one of the most undersized defensive ends in the FCS, Brown made a massive impact for the Thunderbirds. He was identified as a potential breakout player before the season and lived up to the hype by being named the UAC Defensive Player of the Year.

In only 11 games, Brown posted 55 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, and 11 QBHs. He led the nation in sacks per game (1.27), posting two or more sacks in five games this season. He finished as the No. 11-graded edge rusher, according to Pro Football Focus.

2. Joshua Stoneking (Furman, EDGE)

Stoneking may have been one of the most underrated players in the FCS this season. Furman finished 6-6 overall, but Stoneking was the bright spot for the Paladins throughout the year. It was an unexpected breakout year for the sophomore, who entered the year with one career tackle for loss.

In 12 games, Stoneking recorded 79 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. He posted at least one tackle for loss in 11 of 12 games, while also finishing with at least one sack in eight games. He ended the year as the 13th-ranked FCS edge rusher, according to Pro Football Focus.

Stoneking was the FCS regular season leader in sacks (14.5) and tackles for loss (23). He accounted for 56% of Furman's total sacks this year, while accounting for over 30% of the team's tackles for loss. Most notably, he ended the season with a dominant performance against Clemson, posting three tackles for loss and one sack.

1. Andrew Zock (Mercer, EDGE)

Mercer defensive lineman Andrew Zock (0) | Mercer Athletics

My pick for the 2025 Buck Buchanan Award is Mercer defensive end Andrew Zock. He was also named the SoCon Defensive Player, beating out Stoneking, who was No. 2 on my ballot. Yes, the statistics may point towards Stoneking, but the film will say Zock is the best defensive player in the FCS.

In only 11 games, Zock finished the regular season with 41 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 22 QBHs, and three pass breakups. He was the 3rd-highest-graded edge rusher in the FCS, according to Pro Football Focus. He ranked No. 2 nationally in TFLs per game (1.82) and ranked 6th in total sacks.

Even after his Freshman All-American season, Zock found a way to take his game to the next level. One key factor in putting him over Stoneking and Brown was Zock's ability to be a superstar on a championship team. Succeeding as a key player on a championship team gave Zock another edge over other top candidates.

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