VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota senior linebacker Brock Mogensen is one of 30 finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award given annually to the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football presented by FedEx Ground.
 
Now in its 29^th season, the Buchanan Award is named for legendary defensive lineman Junious "Buck" Buchanan who starred at Grambling State as part of his Hall of Fame career. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced at the FCS National Award Banquet on Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas – the eve of the FCS national championship game.
 
Mogensen is the fourth-leading tackler in South Dakota history with 389 career stops, which ranks third among active FCS players. He is a candidate for MVFC Defensive Player of the Year and is destined to be a three-time all-Valley performer.
 
Mogensen led the Valley with 85 tackles in conference play. His 103 tackles on the season rank 20^th nationally. He is the leader of a defense that held seven of 10 FCS opposing offenses to seven points or fewer. Included in Mogensen's totals are one sack, one interception and 2.5 tackles-for-loss.
 
Mogensen is the third Coyote to be named a finalist for the award. Linebacker Tyler Starr finished ninth in the voting following the 2012 season and defensive end Darin Greenfield was 20^th in the voting following the 2018 campaign.
 
Buchanan Award Finalists
Defensive Linemen
Terrell Allen, Tennessee State
Finn Claypool, Drake
Daylan Dotson, UT Martin
Ty French, Gardner-Webb
Brody Grebe, Montana State
Thor Griffith, Harvard
Anton Juncaj, Albany
Nate Lynn, William & Mary
Eric O'Neill, Long Island
Steven Parker, Incarnate Word
Jay Person, Chattanooga
David Walker, Central Arkansas
 
Linebackers
Amir Abdullah, Illinois State
Colton Adams, Alabama State
Logan Blake, Eastern Kentucky
Micah Davey, McNeese
Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross
Braxton Hill, Montana
Jalyx Hunt, Houston Christian
Erick Hunter, Morgan State
Dylan Kelly, Albany
Logan Kopp, North Dakota State
Isaiah Major, Florida A&M
Brock Mogensen, South Dakota
Winston Reid, Weber State
Billy Shaeffer, Lafayette
Tristan Wheeler, Richmond
 
Defensive Backs
Kenny Gallop Jr., Howard
PJ Jules, Southern Illinois
Lance Wise Jr., Mercer