LAKE CHARLES – Three months after placing fourth in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award as the FCS top defensive player, McNeese defensive end Isaiah Chambers has been tabbed as one of 35 players to the initial watch list for the upcoming fall season, Stats Perform released on Thursday.
 
A preseason All-American by the organization, Chambers earned consensus All-American honors following the spring season by being named first team All-American by five different organizations – Associated Press, AFCA, Stats Perform, Hero Sports and Phil Steele. He was also named national defensive player of the year by Phil Steele and was tabbed the Southland Conference and Louisiana Defensive Player of the Year.
 
Chambers is one of nine defensive linemen named to the preseason which includes Southern DL Jordan Lewis, this past season's Buchanan winner. McNeese will visit Southern on September 18.
 
The Houston native is one of two Southland Conference players on the list (Southeastern Louisiana DB Ferlando Jordan).
 
In the spring, Chambers led the conference and ranked No. 2 in the FCS with 7.5 sacks and 14 tackles for a loss.
 
His fourth-place finish in the voting for the Buchanan Award matches the third-highest finish for the national honor by a Cowboy player. In 2002, Hadley Prince finished second; in 2003, Roderick Royal finished fourth and in 2007, Bryan Smith placed third.
 
Players could be added to the watch list during the regular season while a national media panel will select the winner following the year.
 
2021 Buck Buchanan Award Watch List
Defensive Linemen
Jared Brinkman, Northern Iowa (2020-21 finalist)
Isaiah Chambers, McNeese (2020-21 finalist)
DJ Coleman, Jacksonville State
Mike Greene, James Madison (2020-21 finalist)
Malik Hamm, Lafayette
Jahari Kay, Sam Houston (2020-21 finalist)
Jordan Lewis, Southern (2020-21 recipient)
Shaundre Mims, Charleston Southern
Kobie Turner, Richmond
 
Linebackers
Troy Andersen, Montana State
Logan Backhaus, South Dakota State
Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham (2020-21 finalist)
Willie Eubanks III, The Citadel (2019 finalist)
Tre Jones, Central Connecticut State
James Kaczor, North Dakota State
La'akea Kaho'ohanohano-Davis, Southern Utah (2020-21 finalist)
Titus Leo, Wagner (2020-21 finalist)
Jace Lewis, Montana
Forrest Rhyne, Villanova
Stone Snyder, VMI (2020-21 finalist)
Jeremiah Tyler, Princeton
Tre Walker, Idaho (2020-21 finalist)
Tristan Wheeler, Richmond (2020-21 finalist)
 
Defensive Backs
Anthony Adams, Portland State (2019 finalist)
Markquese Bell, Florida A&M
Qua Brown, Southern Illinois
Anthony Budd, Monmouth
Decobie Durant, South Carolina State
Brandon Easterling, Dayton (2019 finalist)
Chris Edmonds, Samford (2020-21 finalist)
Marcis Floyd, Murray State
Nicario Harper, Jacksonville State (2020-21 finalist)
Kordell Jackson, Austin Peay (2019 and 2020-21 finalist)
Ferlando Jordan, Southeastern Louisiana
Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston