Rising Star in the FCS
Jaeden Jones, a junior defensive back for the Monmouth University Hawks, has been selected for the 2026 Buck Buchanan Award watch list, a preseason honor that celebrates the finest defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision.
The Buck Buchanan Award, presented annually since 1995, recognizes the most impactful defender in FCS football. Jones’s inclusion marks the second consecutive year a Hawk has appeared on the preseason list, underscoring the program’s rising profile.
During the 2025 campaign, Jones anchored a defense that produced a 9‑3 overall record and a 6‑2 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association, guiding Monmouth to a national top‑25 ranking. He logged a career‑high 118 tackles, including 74 solo stops, five tackles for loss, one sack, an interception and a forced fumble.
His contributions earned him a suite of accolades: Stats Perform FCS Preseason Second Team All‑America, Associated Press FCS All‑America Honorable Mention, AFCA Coaches’ Second Team honors, and multiple All‑CAA selections across defensive and specialist roles.
Beyond individual statistics, Jones’s leadership helped the Hawks secure seven double‑digit tackle games and maintain a potent pass‑breakup threat with four breakups. The team’s resurgence reflects a broader upward trajectory for Monmouth football, a narrative that will continue to unfold as the 2026 award recipient is announced at the FCS national awards banquet in January.