PITTSBURGH – Duquesne junior defensive lineman Jack Dunkley has been named to the 2025 Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List, as announced by Stats Perform. The award is presented annually to the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.
Dunkley is one of 30 players named to the preseason list and represents the Northeast Conference as the lone honoree from the league. Now in its 31st season, the Buck Buchanan Award is named for legendary defensive lineman Junious "Buck" Buchanan, who starred at Grambling State and enjoyed a Hall of Fame professional career. Past recipients include NFL standouts Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis and Jared Allen. Central Arkansas' David Walker won the award last season.
FULL WATCH LIST
Dunkley, a first-team All-NEC selection in 2024, tied for the conference lead with 12.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. He averaged 0.86 sacks per game, ranking 12th nationally in the FCS, and was the only NEC defender to force three fumbles — a total that ranked sixth in the nation. The Penndel, Pa. native recorded a sack in four of the final five games of the season, including a career-best 3.0 in a win over Robert Morris, and posted at least one tackle for loss in nine of 11 games. He also led the Dukes with eight quarterback hurries and totaled 27 tackles.
As a true freshman in 2023, Dunkley delivered a game-changing strip sack in the fourth quarter of a one-score matchup during the de facto NEC title game, helping the Dukes clinch an outright conference championship and FCS playoff berth.
He is Duquesne's first Buchanan Award Watch List honoree since former All-American and current Pittsburgh Steeler Christian Kuntz was named a finalist in 2016.
All 13 FCS conferences are represented on this year's watch list, which includes seven returning finalists. More players may join the list throughout the season, with a national media panel selecting the winner following the regular season. The award will be presented at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Banquet on Jan. 3, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn.
The Dukes enter the 2025 campaign as back-to-back NEC regular-season champions, earning an outright title and FCS playoff bid in 2023 and sharing the crown in 2024. Duquesne opens the season Aug. 30 against Pitt at Acrisure Stadium.
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