Reigning Walter Payton Award winner Mark Gronowski of South Dakota State will search to turn out to be the third participant to repeat because the FCS nationwide offensive participant of the 12 months. However a preseason watch record signifies there’s a deep, gifted discipline of candidates within the 2024 season.
Stats Carry out has introduced a 35-player preseason watch record for the 2024 Walter Payton Award, introduced yearly to the nationwide offensive participant of the 12 months in Division I FCS faculty soccer.
The award, in its thirty eighth season and affectionately generally known as the Heisman of the FCS, is called for legendary operating again Walter Payton, who starred at Jackson State as a part of his Corridor of Fame profession. Previous recipients embrace Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp and Trey Lance.
All 13 FCS conferences are represented on the watch record, which incorporates 2023 Payton recipient Mark Gronowski of nationwide champion South Dakota State as one among 10 previous finalists. Solely quarterbacks Armanti Edwards from Appalachian State (2008 and ’09) and Jeremiah Briscoe of Sam Houston State (2016 and ’17) have gained the award greater than as soon as.
2024 Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch Listing
Quarterbacks
Chase Artopoeus, Chattanooga, Sr., 6-2, 208 (Southern Convention)
Luke Bailey, Drake, R-Sr., 6-2, 190 (Pioneer Soccer League)
Zach Calzada, UIW, Grad, 6-4, 200 (Southland Convention)
Myles Crawley, Grambling State, R-Sr., 6-3, 185 (Southwestern Athletic Convention)
Paxton DeLaurent, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-5, 229 (Massive South-OVC Soccer Affiliation)
Cole Gonzales, Western Carolina, Jr., 6-0, 195 (Southern Convention) – 2023 Finalist
Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 225 (Missouri Valley Soccer Convention) – 2023 Recipient
Pierce Holley, Japanese Illinois, Grad, 6-2, 215 (Massive South-OVC Soccer Affiliation)
Tommy Mellott, Montana State, Sr., 6-0, 209 (Massive Sky Convention) – 2022 Finalist
Cam Miller, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 213 (Missouri Valley Soccer Convention) – 2023 Finalist
CJ Montes, Fordham, Jr., 6-2, 205 (Patriot League) – 2023 Finalist
Darius Perrantes, Duquesne, Sr., 6-0, 220 (Northeast Convention) – 2023 Finalist
Connor Watkins, Villanova, Grad, 6-3, 225 (CAA Soccer)
Jake Willcox, Brown, Fifth Yr, 6-2, 195 (Ivy League) – 2023 Finalist
Working Backs
Mari Adams, Davidson, Jr., 5-10, 210 (Pioneer Soccer League)
Kayvon Britten, Tarleton State, Sr., 5-7, 195 (United Athletic Convention)
Jamar Curtis, Lafayette, Jr., 5-8, 164 (Patriot League) – 2023 Finalist
Tyvon Edmonds Jr., Robert Morris, Sr., 5-8, 180 (Northeast Convention)
Jordan Fuller, Holy Cross, Sr., 6-0, 231 (Patriot League)
Jarett Hunter, Howard, Grad, 5-10, 205 (Mid-Japanese Athletic Convention)
Mason King, Illinois State, Sr., 6-2, 215 (Missouri Valley Soccer Convention)
Lan Larison, UC Davis, Sr., 6-0, 195 (Massive Sky Convention) – 2023 Finalist
ShunDerrick Powell, Central Arkansas, Sr., 5-9, 180 (United Athletic Convention) – 2022 Finalist
Jaylon Spears, Nicholls, Jr., 5-10, 200 (Southland Convention)
Marcus Yarns, Delaware, Grad, 5-11, 183 (CAA Soccer)
Bronson Yoder, William & Mary, Sr., 5-11, 210 (CAA Soccer)
Vast Receivers
Junior Bergen, Montana, Sr., 5-11, 180 (Massive Sky Convention)
Efton Chism III, Japanese Washington, Sr., 5-11, 200 (Massive Sky Convention)
Nick DeGennaro, Richmond, R-Sr., 6-1, 190 (CAA Soccer)
Jared Richardson, Penn, Jr., 6-2, 215 (Ivy League)
Donovan Wadley, Merrimack, Jr., 5-9, 180 (FCS Impartial)
Javin Whatley, Chattanooga, Jr., 5-10, 170 (Southern Convention)
Offensive Linemen
Zack Gieg, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-1, 290 (Massive South-OVC Soccer Affiliation)
Charles Grant, William & Mary, Sr., 6-4, 280 (CAA Soccer)
Marcus Wehr, Montana State, Sr., 6-4, 292 (Massive Sky Convention)
The Walter Payton Award was first introduced in 1987. Extra gamers can be a part of the watch record earlier than a nationwide media panel selects the winner after the common season from a gaggle of finalists.
Additionally this season, the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Participant of the Yr), Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman Participant of the Yr), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Yr), City Edge Community HBCU+ Participant of the Yr and FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Yr might be introduced on the Stats Carry out nationwide awards banquet on Jan. 5 in Frisco, Texas.
Comply with all of our FCS soccer protection, together with on X, Fb and Instagram.
