Harris Earns Spot On 2017 Buck Buchanan Award Watch List

NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State standout defensive back Davontae Harris is one of several first-time nominees that join an impressive list of mix of returning finalists to form the deep, talented watch list for the 2017 STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award, announced Friday.

The Buchanan Award, which is given to the FCS Defensive Player of the Year, was first awarded in 1995 and has sent past winners such as Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis, Jared Allen, Arthur Moats and Kyle Emanuel on to the NFL. Northern Iowa defensive end Karter Schult was the 2016 recipient.

Harris is the first Redbird defender to be named to the list since 2013, when All-American Colton Underwood was a finalist for the second year in a row. Former ISU linebacker Pat Meehan was the last Redbird to earn national player of the year watch list recognition, when he named to the 2015 STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year Watch List.

Harris is the seventh Redbird player to be named to the national defensive player of the year watch list. Illinois State Percy Family Hall of Fame member and former All-American linebacker Boomer Grigsby was a three-time finalist for the award from 2002-04, finishing as runner-up in 2003 to current Minnesota Vikings star Jared Allen. Defensive end Brent Hawkins and linebacker Cameron Siskowic were both finalists in 2005, finishing second and 13th respectively, and Siskowic finished fifth in the voting the following year in 2006. Linebacker Kye Stewart made the list in 2007, and Underwood was a two-time finalist for the award in 2012-13, finishing sixth in the 2012 Buchanan Award voting.

The Wichita, Kansas, native previously garnered STATS FCS Preseason All-America second-team honors and was also selected to the Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason team. Harris was a 2016 All-MVFC First-Team selection for the Redbirds and started 11 of 12 games for the Redbirds at cornerback. He ranked No. 1 in the MVFC in passes defended with 15 (13 PBU, 2 INT), while averaging 1.36 passes defended per game to also top the list. He also tallied 5.5 tackles-for-loss and finished his junior season with 59 total tackles. 

The 2017 STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award Watch List will have updates during the season. The Missouri Valley Football Conference had the most nominees out of the group of 21 with five, while the Ohio Valley Conference and Southland Conference had three each. A national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will vote on 25 finalists following the regular season. 

STATS will hold its national awards banquet the night of Jan. 5 in Frisco, Texas, on the eve of the FCS national championship game.

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