Mercer defensive end Andrew Zock won the 2025 Buck Buchanan Award as the best defensive player in FCS football, beating out fellow top-three finalists James Conway (Fordham) and Joshua Stoneking (Furman). Zock is the first Mercer player to win the award in its 29-year history. Zock received the Buchanan Award two days before the 2025-26 FCS Championship game.
. gets a sack on the 3rd Down to force a Samford punt! 😤
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball)
BUCHANAN AWARD: Complete history of the top FCS defensive honor
In 12 regular season games, the Bear defensive end made 46 tackles (24 solo), 20.0 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and 23 quarterback hurries.
ANDREW ZOCK!!!!! closes this game out with a sack on 4th down! 😤
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball)
Victory formation for the offense.
Q4 | 1:54
Mercer 22, Wofford 21
Zock is the 15th defensive end to win the Buchanan Award — the most of any position — since the award debuted in 1995. Edge-rushers have won the Buchanan Award in each of the last six seasons — every season in the 2020 decade.
As the 2025 Buck Buchanan Award winner, Zock joins an elite fraternity of FCS greats like Dexter Coakley (Appalachian State, 1995-96), Rashean Mathis (Bethune-Cookman, 2002), Jared Allen (Idaho State, 2003) and more.
MORE AWARDS: Walter Payton Award history | Jerry Rice Award history
Top moments
See some more of Zock's top moments from 2025 below.
ANDREW ZOCK!!!!! closes this game out with a sack on 4th down! 😤
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball)
Victory formation for the offense.
Q4 | 1:54
Mercer 22, Wofford 21
Jordan Swain and get to the QB for the sack! 💪
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball)
The Bears get the football back!! jumps on the fumbled snap and Mercer is back in business!
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball)
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