American team defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott of Tennessee (55) spars with American team offensive lineman Jackson Slater of Sacramento State (67) during Senior Bowl practice Jan. 28, 2025, for the American team at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. Slater was drafted Saturday by the Tennesee Titans in the fifth round of the NFL draft.
Vasha Hunt
Imagn Images
FCS-level football is the real deal, coaches and players will tell you, including those from Sacramento State and UC Davis, two of the better FCS programs since 2018.
On Saturday afternoon, Cal linebacker and former UCD star stopper Teddye Buchanan was selected by the Baltimore Ravens with the 27th pick in the fourth round, 129th overall.
In the fifth round, Sacramento State All-American offensive lineman Jackson Slater was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the 31st pick, 167th overall. Slater joins another local product in edge rusher Femi Oladejo, whom the Titans took 52nd overall in Friday’s second round.
The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Slater was a four-year standout with the Hornets, playing all five offensive-line positions and then impressing in the Senior Bowl, the NFL combine and on his pro day workout.
Buchanan led all FCS linebackers with the most interceptions (eight) over the 2021-23 seasons while leading the UCD defense. He was a graduate transfer to Cal, where he led the Bears in tackles (114) and tackles for loss (12) in 2024.
UC Davis Aggies linebacker Teddye Buchanan (15) breaks up a pass intended for Eastern Washington Eagles wide receiver Freddie Roberson (11) during the second quarter of the college football game Saturday, April 3, 2021, at UC Davis Health Stadium. Buchanan, who went on to play at Cal, was drafted Saturday by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the NFL draft. Xavier Mascareñas Sacramento Bee file
Joe Davidson has covered sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1989: preps, colleges, Kings and features. He was in early 2024 named the National Sports Media Association Sports Writer of the Year for California and he was in the fall of 2024 inducted into the California High School Football Hall of Fame. He is a 14-time award winner from the California Prep Sports Writer Association. In 2021, he was honored with the CIF Distinguished Service award. He is a member of the California Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Davidson participated in football and track in Oregon.
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