Oshae Baker Named to Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List
Preseason honors continue to roll in as University of Tennessee at Martin defensive back Oshae Baker has been named to the preseason watch list for the prestigious 2024 Stats Perform FCS Buck Buchanan Award.
The 2024 Buchanan Award will be presented after the season to the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football. The award is named for legendary defensive lineman Junious “Buck” Buchanan, who starred at Grambling State as part of his Hall of Fame career.
All 13 FCS conferences are represented on the watch list, which includes 10 past finalists. Baker joins Southeast Missouri linebacker Bryce Norman and Eastern Illinois linebacker Elijawah Tolbert.
A native of Sanford, Fla., Baker is a four-year starter for the Skyhawks while seeing action at cornerback and safety along with assuming punt return duties. With Baker in the secondary, the Skyhawks have won three consecutive conference championships and 28 victories while posting a 15-2 record against league foes since 2021. He has accumulated 168 total tackles along with 15 tackles for loss while notching 26 pass breakups and six interceptions.
2024 Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List
Defensive Linemen
Finn Claypool, Drake, R-Jr., 6-1, 232 (Pioneer Football League) – 2023 Finalist
Ckelby Givens, Southern, Jr., 6-2, 230 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Brody Grebe, Montana State, Sr., 6-2, 248 (Big Sky Conference) – 2023 Finalist
Eli Mostaert, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 287 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Elijah Ponder, Cal Poly, R-Sr., 6-3, 245 (Big Sky Conference)
Josiah Silver, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-2, 243 (CAA Football)
David Walker, Central Arkansas, Sr., 6-3, 260 (United Athletic Conference) – 2022 and 2023 Finalist
Linebackers
Amir Abdullah, Illinois State, Sr., 6-3, 215 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) – 2023 Finalist
Adam Bock, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 225 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) – 2021 Finalist
James Conway, Fordham, Sr., 6-2, 225 (Patriot League)
Micah Davey, McNeese, R-Jr., 6-2, 239 (Southland Conference) – 2023 Finalist
Erick Hunter, Morgan State, Sr., 6-4, 210 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) – 2023 Finalist
Logan Kopp, North Dakota State, Jr., 6-1, 217 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) – 2023 Finalist
Noah Martin, Samford, Sr., 6-1, 232 (Southern Conference)
Bryce Norman, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-0, 220 (Big South-OVC Football Association) – 2022 Finalist
Ken Standley, Mercer, Sr., 5-11, 225 (Southern Conference)
Elijawah Tolbert, Eastern Illinois, Sr., 6-1, 240 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Riley Wilson, Montana, Jr., 6-2, 224 (Big Sky Conference)
Defensive Backs
