With football season just around the corner, three standout HBCU players have earned spots on the preseason watchlist for the Buck Buchanan Award. Southern University defensive lineman Ckelby Givens, Morgan State linebacker Erick Hunter, and North Carolina Central defensive back Malcolm Reed are representing black college football this season. One of them could follow in Isaiah Land's footsteps as the next HBCU player to claim this prestigious honor.

The Buck Buchanan Award, established in 1995, honors the top defensive player in FCS football. Named after Grambling State alum Buck Buchanan, who played under legendary coach Eddie Robinson, the award celebrates his legacy. Buchanan is one of four Grambling Tigers inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Aside from Isaiah Land, who won the award in 2021 while playing for Florida A&M, North Carolina A&T defensive end Chris McNeil claimed the honor in 1997, followed by Bethune-Cookman defensive back Rashean Mathis five years later. All three players certainly have a claim on winning the award based on their stellar play last season.

During the 2024 season, Ckelby Givens started all 13 games, recording 73 tackles, an FCS-leading 27.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, 13 quarterback hurries, and three forced fumbles. He tied for sixth place in the Buck Buchanan Award voting, earned third-team All-American honors, and was named SWAC Player of the Year. Givens also became a 2024 Buck Buchanan Award finalist.

Erick Hunter was a standout player on Morgan State's highly respected defense. At the start of the season, he earned spots on the BOXTOROW 2024 HBCU Preseason All-American team, the Preseason All-MEAC First Team, and the Phil Steele FCS Preseason All-American Second Team. Despite missing a significant portion of the season due to injury, he still made a notable impact. In the final game against Howard, he recorded seven tackles and a sack. Hunter also secured his place in Morgan State's history, ranking ninth on the all-time tackles list with 196 career tackles.

Also out of the MEAC, Malcolm Reed also had a standout year that earned him significant Buck Buchanan Award buzz. Last season, he racked up 60 tackles (34 solo), 11 pass deflections, two interceptions, and one fumble recovery.

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