BOZEMAN — Stats Perform named Montana State junior Caden Dowler among 30 finalists for the 2025 Buck Buchanan Award, the organization announced on Tuesday.
The Buck Buchanan Award is presented annually to the top defensive player in Division I FCS college football.
Dowler, who looks to become the third Bobcat to win the award, is one of two Big Sky players on the list. He joins UC Davis defensive end Jacob Psyk. He is one of nine defensive backs and one of seven underclassmen. Two Bobcats, defensive ends Brad Daly (2013) and Caleb Schreibeis (2012), previously won the Buck Buchanan Award.
A Billings West product, Dowler has already made history this week, becoming the first Bobcat named Big Sky player of the week in three consecutive weeks. He logged six tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown in Montana State’s 31-28 win at Montana on Saturday to seal his third straight award.
He finished the regular season as the team leader with four interceptions and 78 tackles, and also broke up four passes, forced two fumbles and registered 5.5 tackles-for-loss with one sack.
The Buck Buchanan Award, along with the Walter Payton Award for offensive player of the year, the Jerry Rice Award for freshman of the year and the Eddie Robinson Award for coach of the year, is presented on Jan. 3 at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Show in Nashville, Tenn.
2025 Buck Buchanan Award Finalists
Defensive Linemen
Lando Brown, Southern Utah, R-Sr., 5-11, 215 (United Athletic Conference)
55 tackles (30 solo), 18.0 TFL (97 yards), 14.0 sacks (89), 11 QBH (11 games)
David Hoage, West Georgia, Grad, 6-3, 250 (United Athletic Conference)
62 tackles (33 solo), 20.0 TFL (116 yards), 8.5 sacks (79), 1 PBU, 7 QBH, 3 FF (11 games)
Robert Holz, Gardner-Webb, Sr., 6-3, 255 (OVC-Big South Football Association)
53 tackles (23 solo), 16.5 TFL (66 yards), 11.0 sacks (59), 2 FF, 11 QBH (12 games)
Quincy Ivory, Jackson State, Sr., 6-3, 239 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
64 tackles (31 solo), 13.5 TFL (71 yards), 6.0 sacks (39), 2 FF, 1 FR, 1 INT, 5 QBH (11 games)
Kaleb Proctor, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr., 6-3, 280 (Southland Conference)
38 tackles (17 solo), 12.0 TFL (63 yards), 8.0 sacks (55 yards), 4 QBH, 2 PBU (12 games)
Jacob Psyk, UC Davis, Grad, 6-3, 265 (Big Sky Conference)
46 tackles (34 solo), 15.0 TFL (50 yards), 9.0 sacks (39), 3 FF, 2 FR, 5 QBH, 3 PBU, 1 BK (11 games)
Joshua Stoneking, Furman, R-So., 6-3, 264 (Southern Conference)
79 tackles (42 solo), 23.0 TFL (132 yards), 14.5 sacks (97 yards), 2 FF, 9 QBH, 2 PBU, 1 BK (12 games)
Andrew Zock, Mercer, So., 6-2, 250 (Southern Conference)
41 tackles (23 solo), 20.0 TFL (109 yards), 11.5 sacks (89), 2 FF, 1 FR, 22 QBH, 3 PBU (11 games)
Linebackers
Sean Allison, Drake, Sr., 6-0, 235 (Pioneer Football League)
120 tackles (59 solo), 8.0 TFL (14 yards), 2.0 sacks (7), 2 INT, 3 PBU (11 games)
Luke Banbury, William & Mary, Grad, 6-2, 230 (CAA Football)
137 tackles (70 solo), 5.5 TFL (17 yards), 2.0 sacks (12), 1 FR, 1 QBH, 6 PBU (12 games)
James Conway, Fordham, Grad, 6-2, 235 (Patriot League)
159 tackles (72 solo), 8.0 TFL (27 yards), 5.0 sacks (22), 1 FF, 1 INT, 3 PBU (12 games)
Theron Gaines, Tennessee Tech, Sr., 6-1, 237 (OVC-Big South Football Association)
86 tackles (40 solo), 13.5 TFL (43 yards), 6.5 sacks (28), 1 INT (TD), 2 PBU, 7 QBH, 2 FR (1 TD), 1 FF (12 games)
Shane Hartzell, Villanova, Sr., 6-0, 230 (CAA Football)
71 tackles (42 solo), 13.0 TFL (50 yards), 6.0 sacks (33), 8 QBH, 1 PBU (11 games)
Erick Hunter, Morgan State, Sr., 6-4, 220 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
102 tackles (53 solo), 14.0 TFL (55 yards), 4.0 sacks (34), 3 FF, 1 INT, 5 QBH, 3 PBU, 1 TD/1 safety (12 games)
Logan Kopp, North Dakota State, R-Sr., 6-1, 221 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
64 tackles (35 solo), 9.0 TFL (27), 3.0 sacks (19), 1 FR, 4 QBH, 2 PBU (12 games)
Rashon Myles Jr., Abilene Christian, Jr., 6-1, 220 (United Athletic Conference)
104 tackles (50 solo), 8.0 TFL (32 yards), 2.5 sacks (16), 5 FR, 1 INT, 3 PBU (12 games)
Tye Niekamp, Illinois State, Jr., 6-3, 240 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
126 tackles (12.0 yards), 12.0 TFL (23 yards), 1 FF, 1 FR, 4 QBH, 6 PBU, 1 safety (12 games)
Tyler Ochojski, Lehigh, Sr., 6-2, 230 (Patriot League)
56 tackles (35 solo), 12.0 TFL (90 yards), 10.0 sacks (84), 1 FF, 1 FR, 7 QBH, 4 PBU (12 games)
A.J. Pena, Rhode Island, Sr., 6-2, 243 (CAA Football)
61 tackles (31 solo), 17.5 TFL (79 yards), 9.5 sacks (64), 1 FF, 11 QBH, 3 PBU (12 games)
Jaydon Southard, Stephen F. Austin, Sr., 6-1, 225 (Southland Conference)
110 tackles (48 solo), 10.5 TFL (40 yards), 2.5 sacks (22 yards), 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 INT, 3 QBH, 2 PBU (11 games)
Jack Stoll, Central Connecticut State. 6-0, 230 (NEC Football)
86 tackles (50 solo), 15.5 TFL (41 yards), 1 PBU 1 BK (12 games)
Defensive Backs
Ty Bartrum, Harvard, Sr., 6-1, 200 (Ivy League)
72 tackles (20 solo), 0.5 TFL (1 yard), 1 FF, 1 INT, 1 QBH, 3 PBU (10 games)
Kimal Clark, Indiana State, Sr., 5-10, 195 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
145 tackles (59 solo), 4.5 TFL (25 yards), 2.0 sacks (21), 2 FF, 2 FR, 1 QBH, 5 PBU (12 games)
Caden Dowler, Montana State, Jr., 6-0, 205 (Big Sky Conference)
78 tackles (50 solo), 5.5 TFL (16 yards), 1.0 sack (6), 2 FF, 4 INT (2 TDs), 4 PBU (12 games)
Jalen Jones, William & Mary, Sr., 6-0, 195 (CAA Football)
39 tackles (26 solo), 1.5 TFL (3 yards), 2 INTs, 10 PBU, 2 QBH (11 games)
Abu Kamara, Yale, Jr., 6-1, 208 (Ivy League)
65 tackles (32 solo), 6.0 TFL (26 yards), 3.5 sacks (23), 1 FF, 3 FR (1 TD), 2 INT (1 TD), 1 QBH, 8 PBU, 1 BK (10 games)
Kasyus Kurns, Tarleton State, Sr., 5-10, 170 (United Athletic Conference)
26 tackles (15 solo), 2.0 TFL (4 yards), 1 FR, 5 INT, 1 QBH, 3 PBU (10 games)
Maximus Pulley, Wofford, 5th Year, 5-11, 200 (Southern Conference)
85 tackles (41 solo), 2.5 TFL (4 yards), 1 FF, 1 FR, 5 INT (2 TDs), 5 PBU, 1 BK (11 games)
Nate Robinson Jr., Marist, So., 6-1, 200 (Pioneer Football League)
64 tackles (30 solo), 1.5 TFL (2), 1 FR, 4 INT, 11 PBU (12 games)
Jarod Washington, South Carolina State, Sr., 6-2, 188 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
32 tackles (29 solo), 1.0 TFL (3 yards), 1 FF, 2 INT (1 TD), 20 PBU (12 games)
