DES MOINES, Iowa –  For the second year in a row, Drake football defensive lineman Finn Claypool has been named as a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award presented each season to the best defensive player in the Football Championship Series (FCS). 

Claypool is one of 35 finalists compiled by Stats Perform. The Des Moines native has racked up 42 tackles (25 solo), 16.5 TFL (76 yards), nine sacks (50 yards), fivae forced fumble, and nine quarterback hurries from the defensive end position. Claypool is tied for 14th in the FCS in sacks and 12th in tackles for loss. His average sacks per game (0.9) sits at eighth in the FCS and tackles for loss per game (1.7) is fourth in the country. 
 
Claypool is one of two Pioneer Football League player listed among the finalists alongside Dayton linebacker Gideon Lampron.

The Bulldogs (8-2, 7-1) qualified for the FCS playoffs for the second time in school history after back-to-back outright Pioneer Football League titls. Drake will travel to Tarleton State to face the Texans in the first round at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30.