Byrd Listed as Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List Honoree

Byrd, who was named a Stats Perform FCS Second Team Preseason All-American on Monday, enters the 2026 season having appeared in 38 profession video games for the Spiders.

A 2025 Second Team All-Patriot League choice, Byrd began all 12 video games final season and recorded 34 tackles, together with 11.5 tackles for loss for 83 yards. He completed second on the group with 8.5 sacks for 66 yards, averaging 0.71 sacks per recreation to rank fourth within the Patriot League and twenty fourth nationally. Byrd additionally ranked second within the Patriot League and fifteenth nationally with three pressured fumbles whereas including six quarterback hurries and one go breakup.

A cornerstone of Richmond’s protection, Byrd helped the Spiders lead the Patriot League and rank fourth nationally in passing protection, permitting simply 155.3 yards per recreation. Richmond additionally completed second within the convention in scoring protection (22.7 factors per recreation), sixth nationally and second within the Patriot League in whole protection (290.3 yards per recreation), third within the Patriot League in tackles for loss (6.1 per recreation), and third within the convention with 11 interceptions.

Byrd is the newest Spider to obtain Buck Buchanan Award recognition since Jeremiah Grant, who completed among the many prime three in voting for the award following the 2024 season and earned an invite to the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Banquet in Frisco, Texas.