NDSU FB’s Jabril Cox Named to Buck Buchanan Award Watch List
Cox finished fourth in the voting last year
FARGO, N.D. – (NDSU Athletics) North Dakota State linebacker Jabril Cox is among the 25 players named Thursday, Aug. 1, to the preseason watch list for the STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award, presented annually to the top defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision.
Cox, a junior from Kansas City, Mo., finished fourth in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award last season after being selected as Defensive Player of the Year in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. He was a first team FCS All-America selection by HERO Sports and Phil Steele, and second team by the Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, and STATS FCS.
Cox led the Bison defense and ranked 10th in the MVFC with 91 total tackles in 2018. He finished with 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, four interceptions, three breakups and seven quarterback hurries. He returned interceptions for touchdowns in back-to-back games against North Alabama (43 yards) and Delaware (36 yards) and made a season-high 10 tackles in the NCAA second round playoff win over Montana State.
Cox was the MVFC’s Newcomer and Freshman of the Year in 2017 and finished sixth that year in the national vote for the Jerry Rice Award honoring the FCS Freshman of the Year. He has played in all 30 career games including 21 consecutive starts and has 166 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and five interceptions in his first two seasons.
North Dakota State has had eight finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award including Joe Mays in 2007, Marcus Williams in 2012 and 2013, Colten Heagle in 2014, Nick DeLuca in 2017 and Robbie Grimsley in 2018. NDSU defensive end Kyle Emanuel was the 2014 Buck Buchanan Award winner.
More players can join the watch list during the 2019 season. A national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will select the winner following the regular season.
2019 STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List
Bryson Armstrong, Kennesaw State, LB, R-Jr., 5-11, 212
Marlon Bridges, Jacksonville State, S, R-Sr., 6-0, 2000
Jabril Cox, North Dakota State, LB, R-Jr., 6-3, 233
Abu Daramy-Swaray, Colgate, CB, Sr., 5-10, 190
Cam Gill, Wagner, LB, Sr., 6-2, 230
Darin Greenfield, South Dakota, DE, R-Sr., 6-3, 240
Jonas Griffith, Indiana State, LB, R-Sr., 6-4, 230
Zach Hall, Southeast Missouri, LB, Sr., 6-0, 230
Adrian Hope, Furman, LB, R-So., 6-1, 210
Sully Laiche, Nicholls, DE, Sr., 6-2, 270
Da’Jon Lee, Saint Francis, LB, Sr., 6-2, 235
Franklin “Mac” McCain III, North Carolina A&T, CB, R-Jr., 5-11, 173
Solomon Muhammad, Alcorn State, LB, Sr., 6-1, 235
Dante Olson, Montana, LB, R-Sr., 6-3, 237
Aaron Patrick, Eastern Kentucky, DE, R-Sr., 6-4, 245
Manny Patterson, Maine, CB, Sr., 5-10, 180
Nasir Player, ETSU, DE, R-Sr., 6-5, 271
Rashad Robinson, James Madison, CB, R-Sr., 5-11, 185
Tyree Robinson, ETSU, S, Jr., 5-11, 184
Christian Rozeboom, South Dakota State, LB, Sr., 6-2, 225
Isiah Swann, Dartmouth, CB, Sr., 6-0, 190
Chris Terrell, Central Arkansas, DE, R-Sr., 6-3, 270
Dorian Walker, Kennesaw State, FS, R-Sr., 6-0, 181
Will Warner, Drake, S, R-Jr., 6-3, 201
Nick Wheeler, Colgate, DE, Sr., 6-2, 255
