KINGSTON, R.I. - Rhode Island Football linebacker Rohan Davy was named to the preseason watch list for the 2026 Buck Buchanan Award, per a release by Stats Perform on Tuesday morning. 

The junior was one of 30 players in the country named to the preseason watch list for the award, presented annually to the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.

The Briggs Chaney, Md. native earned Second Team All-CAA Football honors last season and Third Team All-American honors from FCS Football Central. He started all 14 games for Rhode Island and was second on the team in tackles (101), tackles for loss (13), and sacks (7). Davy was a critical piece of a Rhode Island defense that allowed just 21.1 points per game in 2025, the second best mark in CAA Football.

The Buck Buchanan Award is in its 32nd season and named for legendary defensive lineman Junious "Buck" Buchanan, who starred at Grambling State as part of his Hall of Fame career. Past Buchanan recipients include Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis and Jared Allen. Mercer's Andrew Zock was the 2025 winner. All 13 FCS conferences are represented on the watch list, which includes five past finalists.

The full preseason watch list is below:

Defensive Linemen 
Camden Byrd, Richmond, R-Sr., 6-3, 245 (Patriot League)
Andrew Huff, Lamar, Sr., 6-2, 230 (Southland Conference)
Mirko Jaksic, Dayton, R-Jr., 6-2, 284 (Pioneer Football League)
Lance Rucker, North Dakota, Sr., 6-3, 230 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
*Joshua Stoneking, Furman, R-Jr., 6-3, 258 (Southern Conference)
Michael Wells, Youngstown State, Sr., 6-3, 250 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Linebackers 
Brodie Carroll, Elon, R-Jr., 6-1, 240 (CAA Football)
Jake Dalmado, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr., 6-0, 215 (Southland Conference)
Mikey D'Amato, Cal Poly, Sr., 6-0, 230 (Big Sky Conference)
Rohan Davy, Rhode Island, Jr., 5-10, 205 (CAA Football)
*Eli Ennis, Stephen F. Austin, R-Sr., 6-2, 220 (Southland Conference)
Anthony Ferrelli, Stony Brook, R-Sr., 6-0, 225 (CAA Football)
Jordan Franklin, South Carolina State, R-Jr., 6-2, 205 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Cullen McShane, South Dakota State, Jr., 6-2, 230 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
*Tye Niekamp, Illinois State, Sr., 6-3, 240 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Kaden Smith, Eastern Kentucky, Jr., 6-2, 222 (United Athletic Conference)
Peyton Wing, Montana, Sr., 6-0, 229 (Big Sky Conference)
Steve Zayachkowsky, Charleston Southern, Sr., 5-10, 215 (Ohio Valley Conference)
Defensive Backs 
Rex Connors, UC Davis, Sr., 6-1, 220 (Big Sky Conference)
*Caden Dowler, Montana State, Sr., 6-0, 205 (Big Sky Conference)
Damien Henderson, Harvard, Sr., 6-0, 180 (Ivy League)
Christopher Jean, Central Connecticut State, R-Jr., 5-10, 180 (NEC Football)
Jaylon Jenkins, Eastern Washington, R-Jr., 6-1, 192 (Big Sky Conference)
Jaeden Jones, Monmouth, Jr., 6-0, 190 (CAA Football)
*Abu Kamara, Yale, Sr., 6-1, 208 (Ivy League)
Ken Moore Jr., Western Carolina, R-Sr., 5-10, 160 (Southern Conference)
Nick Peltekian, Lehigh, 5th Year, 6-0, 215 (Patriot League)
Dylan Rowsey, Murray State, Sr., 6-1, 195 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Ta'Shaun Sims, Alabama State, Jr., 6-0, 188 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Trey Watkins, LIU, R-Sr., 6-0, 184 (NEC Football)