University of Richmond redshirt sophomore linebacker Tristan Wheeler (Bethlehem, Pa.) and redshirt senior defensive lineman Kobie Turner (Clifton, Va.) have been named to the Stats Perform Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List.

The Spiders are the only team in CAA Football with multiple members on the preseason Watch List and just one of three teams in the country with two honorees, joining defending national champion Sam Houston State and Jacksonville State.

The Buck Buchanan Award is given to the top defensive player in NCAA FCS Football each season. The preseason Watch List includes 35 players and more players can join the watch list during the regular season. A national media panel will select the winner following the season.

Wheeler finished 14th in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award during the spring and was named preseason All-America earlier this week. He earned All-America honors last year after leading the Spiders and the entire CAA averaging 9.5 tackles per game. He ranked 21st in the country in tackles per game, finishing the Spiders' four-game season with a team-high 38 tackles.

Wheeler recorded 25 tackles in his last two games, posting a career-high 14 tackles in the Spiders' win over Elon (March 27) before closing out the season with an 11-tackle performance against No. 1 James Madison. He was a finalist in 2019 for the Jerry Rice Award, given to the top freshman in all of NCAA FCS Football. In his first two years, he has recorded 142 tackles in 16 games, averaging 8.9 tackles per game in his young career.

Turner, who also earned preseason All-America and All-CAA honors already this offseason, makes his first appearance on the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List. He was the CAA Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the spring, becoming just the fifth Spider in program history to earn CAA Defensive Player of the Year accolades and the first since 2010 when Eric McBride was Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Turner was the first interior defensive lineman in the CAA to earn the award since 2011 (Ronnie Cameron, ODU).

Turner finished the Spiders' four-game season with 19 total tackles, including 10 solo tackles. He was tied for the team lead with 6.0 tackles for loss and was second on the team with 3.5 sacks. His 1.50 tackles for loss per game ranked third in the CAA while his 0.88 sacks per game ranked fourth. He closed out the year with nine tackles, including 2.0 for loss against No. 1 James Madison.

The Spiders kickoff the 2021 fall season with two-straight home games at Robins Stadium, beginning September 4 hosting Howard. Game time is set for 2 p.m.

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