NEWS

Mari Adams outrunning a San Diego defender last season.

DAVIDSON, N.C. – Davidson running back Mari Adams has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2024 Walter Payton Award, which is presented annually to the national offensive player of the year in Division I FCS football.

The award, in its 38th season and affectionately known as the Heisman of the FCS, is named for legendary running back Walter Payton, who starred at Jackson State as part of his Hall of Fame career. Past recipients include Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp and Trey Lance.

As a sophomore, Adams led the Pioneer Football League and finished fifth nationally in rushing touchdowns with 15, while ranking among conference leaders in rushing yards (1,019 / 3rd), yards per rush (6.21 / 4th) and yards per game (92.6 / 3rd).

Adams, a native of nearby Shelby, N.C., ran for over 100 yards in a game five times, including 150 twice highlighted by a career-best 171 yards and three scores at Butler.

Davidson, which went 7-4 in 2023, finished with the nation’s top rushing attack for the fourth consecutive season.

All 13 FCS conferences are represented on the watch list, which includes 2023 Payton recipient Mark Gronowski of national champion South Dakota State as one of its 10 past finalists. Only quarterbacks Armanti Edwards from Appalachian State (2008 and ’09) and Jeremiah Briscoe of Sam Houston State (2016 and ’17) have won the award more than once.

The 2024 Walter Payton Award preseason watch list:

Quarterbacks
Chase Artopoeus, Chattanooga, Sr., 6-2, 208 (Southern Conference)
Luke Bailey, Drake, R-Sr., 6-2, 190 (Pioneer Football League)
Zach Calzada, UIW, Grad, 6-4, 200 (Southland Conference)
Myles Crawley, Grambling State, R-Sr., 6-3, 185 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Paxton DeLaurent, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-5, 229 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Cole Gonzales, Western Carolina, Jr., 6-0, 195 (Southern Conference) – 2023 Finalist
Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 225 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) – 2023 Recipient
Pierce Holley, Eastern Illinois, Gr., 6-2, 215 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Tommy Mellott, Montana State, Sr., 6-0, 209 (Big Sky Conference) – 2022 Finalist
Cam Miller, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 213 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) – 2023 Finalist
CJ Montes, Fordham, Jr., 6-2, 205 (Patriot League) – 2023 Finalist
Darius Perrantes, Duquesne, Sr., 6-0, 220 (Northeast Conference) – 2023 Finalist
Connor Watkins, Villanova, Grad, 6-3, 225 (CAA Football)
Jake Willcox, Brown, Fifth Year, 6-2, 195 (Ivy League) – 2023 Finalist

Running Backs
Mari Adams, Davidson, Jr., 5-10, 210 (Pioneer Football League)
Kayvon Britten, Tarleton State, Sr., 5-7, 195 (United Athletic Conference)
Jamar Curtis, Lafayette, Jr., 5-8, 164 (Patriot League) – 2023 Finalist
Tyvon Edmonds Jr., Robert Morris, Sr., 5-8, 180 (Northeast Conference)
Jordan Fuller, Holy Cross, Sr., 6-0, 231 (Patriot League)
Jarett Hunter, Howard, R-Sr., 5-10, 205 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Mason King, Illinois State, Sr., 6-2, 215 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Lan Larison, UC Davis, Sr., 6-0, 195 (Big Sky Conference) – 2023 Finalist
ShunDerrick Powell, Central Arkansas, Sr., 5-9, 180 (United Athletic Conference) – 2022 Finalist
Jaylon Spears, Nicholls, Jr., 5-10, 200 (Southland Conference)
Marcus Yarns, Delaware, Grad, 5-11, 183 (CAA Football)
Bronson Yoder, William & Mary, Sr., 5-11, 210 (CAA Football)

Wide Receivers
Junior Bergen, Montana, Sr., 5-11, 180 (Big Sky Conference)
Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington, Sr., 5-11, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
Nick DeGennaro, Richmond, R-Sr., 6-1, 190 (CAA Football)
Jared Richardson, Penn, Jr., 6-2, 215 (Ivy League)
Donovan Wadley, Merrimack, Jr., 5-9, 180 (FCS Independent)
Javin Whatley, Chattanooga, Jr., 5-10, 170 (Southern Conference)

Offensive Linemen
Zack Gieg, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-1, 290 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Charles Grant, William & Mary, Sr., 6-4, 280 (CAA Football)
Marcus Wehr, Montana State, Sr., 6-4, 292 (Big Sky Conference)
The Walter Payton Award was first presented in 1987. More players can join the watch list before a national media panel selects the winner after the regular season from a group of finalists.

Also this season, the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS defensive player of the year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman player of the year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS coach of the year), Urban Edge Network HBCU+ Player of the Year and FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be presented at the Stats Perform national awards banquet on Jan. 5 in Frisco, Texas.