BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Two Patriot League football student-athletes were selected to the 2026 Buck Buchanan Award Watch List when it was announced by Stats Perform. The Buck Buchanan Award is presented annually to the national defensive player of the year at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level.
Richmond’s Camden Byrd (Gr., DL) and Lehigh’s Nick Peltekian (5th, DB) were selected to the 30-member preseason watch list after receiving 2026 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America accolades from Stats Perform.
Byrd, a 2025 Second Team All-Patriot League selection, recorded 11.5 tackles for loss (TFLs) and 8.5 sacks last season and is the League’s returning leader in both categories. The Ashland, Va. native also ranked second in the League and 15th in the FCS with three forced fumbles.
Peltekian, a two-time All-Patriot League selection, was limited to nine games last season due to injury, but recorded five tackles and a first-half interception in the regular-season finale against Lafayette to help the Mountain Hawks clinch their second straight League title.
All 13 FCS conferences are represented on the 30-member watch list, which includes five past finalists. The 2026 season marks the 32nd season the Buck Buchanan Award, named for legendary Grambling State defensive lineman Junious “Buck” Buchanan, has been awarded to the national defensive player of the year in the FCS.
30 FCS Defensive Standouts Named to 2026 Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List | Opta Analyst
2026 Stats Perform Buck Buchanan Award Watch List
Camden Byrd, Richmond, Gr., DL
Nick Peltekian, Lehigh, 5th-year, DB
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The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.