ORANGEBURG, S.C. — South Carolina State defensive lineman Patrick Godbolt is one of 35 players selected to the preseason Buck Buchanan Award Watch List. The award honors the national defensive player of the year in college football's Football Championship Subdivision.
Last season, Godbolt led the conference with 13.5 tackles for loss, along with 49 tackles,(33 solo) and 4.5 sacks. Godbolt was recently named to the Preseason All-MEAC First Team.
Godbolt is a Blythewood product who is taking advantage of the COVID year to play a fifth year in Orangeburg.
The defensive player of the year award's namesake, Junious “Buck” Buchanan, was an AFL and NFL legend with the Dallas Texans and Kansas City Chiefs. His resume included eight straight AFL All-Star and NFL Pro Bowl trips, two AFL Championships, and a win in Super Bowl IV. The 1963 first-overall pick starred at FCS program Grambling State from 1959-1962. He went on to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio and the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia.