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Coach Up Teddye Buchanan and He Could Become a Contributor for the Commanders

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NCAA Football: Stanford at California
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Hogs Haven takes a look at 2025 NFL Draft prospects that could contribute to the Commanders

Teddye Buchanan, LB
School: University of California-Berkeley | Conference: Atlantic Athletic Conference (ACC)
College Experience: Senior | Draft Age: ?
Height / Weight: 6’2”/ 233 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 3rd-5th round

Player Comparison: Jordan Hicks

College Statistics

University of California-Davis


University of California-Berkeley

Defense & Fumbles Table
Tackles Def Interceptions Fumbles
Season Team Conf Class Pos G Solo Ast Comb TFL Sk Int Yds IntTD PD FR Yds FRTD FF Awards
2024* California ACC SR LB 13 45 69 114 12 5.0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 2
Career 13 45 69 114 12 5.0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 2
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 3/19/2025.

Player Overview

A three-star recruit from St. Ignatius High School (CA), Teddye (pronounced Teddy) Buchanan spent four years at University of California-Davis before transferring to University of California-Berkeley for his final season. Teddye hit the ground running in his sophomore season in 2021 and became the team’s best linebacker. He was awarded all conference honors in his last two seasons, including Second Team All-Big Sky in 2023. He transferred to University of California-Berkeley where he made his biggest impression, racking up career highs in total tackles, TFL (tackles for loss), sacks, and forced fumbles. His final season performance earned Buchanan First Team All-ACC honors and a Shrine Bowl invite.

Teddye Buchanan profile as a twitchy, high-motor, back end linebacker. He excels moving laterally and closing in on the quarterback as the play extends. He excels in zone and man coverage though can be outmatched by bigger and more skilled players. His twitchiness can get the best of him as he tends to overrun plays. While Buchanan is eager to assist in run defense, he needs to improve avoiding and shedding climbing blockers, especially bigger offensive linemen. Overall, Teddye has the foundational tools of a rangy linebacker with a wide range of where he would be selected in the middle rounds of the draft.

Awards & Recognition

  • Big Sky All-Academic Team (2022, 2023)
  • Second Team All-Big Sky Conference (2023)
  • First Team All-ACC (2024)
  • East-West Shrine Bowl Participant (2024)

Metrics


Source: nfl.com

Per PFF (Pro Football Focus)

Source: pff.com

Strengths

  • Fluid athlete with some impressive athletic traits.
  • Light feet help with quick lateral movements. Great motor.
  • Covers space quickly in man and zone coverage.
  • Good hands and ball skills (18 pass defended, 8 interceptions).
  • Great at assisting with gang tackles.
  • Has good juice as a blitzer and can quickly close in on quarterbacks.

Weaknesses

  • Tends to get caught up in blocks by big linemen and slow to shed them.
  • Can get caught over-running plays.
  • Only one season at the FBS-level.
  • Can get outmatched by more dynamic backs and receivers.
  • Needs better eye discipline.

Let’s See His Work

Interviews

How Will He Fit On The Team

In one season, Washington turned the most neglected position on the defense, linebacker, into a position of strength adding Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner, who was re-signed this offseason. All this in addition to drafting Jordan Magee last year with hopes for him to contribute more this season. To continue the developmental pipeline and build upon the foundation, Washington could add Teddye Buchanan as an immediate special teams contributor and future depth piece in the linebacker rotation. Buchanan fits the athletic profile the coaching staff and front office looks for, and his best strength is in coverage and assisted tackling. With developmental coaching on cleaning up wasted movement and being more aggressive against the run, Buchanan can be another linebacker prospect for the Commanders’ future.