Zock Crowned With 2025 Buck Buchanan Award

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A dominant season on the gridiron translated to a permanent mention among some of the best defensive players in NCAA Division I history on Saturday evening when sophomore defensive end Andrew Zock was named as the recipient of the 2025 Buck Buchanan Award which is presented annually to to the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.

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.

Zock is the 15th defensive end to win the Buchanan Award — the most of any position — since the award debuted in 1995. Edge-rushers have won the Buchanan Award in each of the last six seasons — every season in the 2020 decade. He is the first player from Mercer to be lauded with the honor, and just the second player in Southern Conference history to don the honor.

Coakley, a former linebacker for Appalachian State, was named the award's recipient following the 1995 and 1996 seasons.

Zock collected 15 out of a possible 56 first-place votes on the way to topping the list of 30 finalists with 133 total points. Furman defensive end Joshua Stoneking finished second with 119 points (10 first-place votes) and Fordham linebacker James Conway was third with 78 points.

Zock, one of just four consensus all-Americans in Mercer football history (Ty James, Lance Wise Jr., TJ Moore), obliterated single-season school records for tackles for loss (20.0), sacks (11.5) and quarterback hurries (23), while also tallying 46 tackles (24 solo), four pass break-ups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Having logged at least one sack in seven contests, and multiple tackles for loss in as many outings, he concluded the season as the nation's second-best edge defender with a grade of 90.4 percent.

Players Mentioned

Andrew Zock

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