CHICAGO – Five Southern Conference players are among the 35 nationwide that have been named to the preseason watch list for the Walter Payton Award, announced by Stats Perform and presented by FedEx Ground and given annually to the national offensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.
 
Samford quarterback Michael Hiers, Furman running back Dominic Roberto, Chattanooga running back Ailym Ford and Mercer wide receivers Devron Harper and Ty James are on the initial watch list for the prestigious award this season.
 
Hiers, Harper and Ford were all finalists for the Payton Award last season, with Hiers finishing fourth in the voting, Harper 14th and Ford 27th. Hiers was the SoCon’s Offensive Player of the Year last season and is the preseason pick for the award again this year.
 
Southern Conference players have won the Payton Award seven times, with App State’s Armanti Edwards winning twice, in 2008 and 2009. Samford’s Devlin Hodges was the last SoCon player to win the award, claiming the top offensive honor in the FCS in 2018.
 
More players can join the watch list during the regular season before a national media panel selects the winner from a group of finalists. First awarded in 1987, the Payton has had past recipients such as Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp and Trey Lance move on to the NFL.
 
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) and FedEx Ground Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be presented at the national awards banquet on the eve of the FCS championship game in Frisco, Texas. 
 
The 2023 preseason watch list:

Quarterbacks
Bret Bushka, Butler, R-Sr., 5-10, 205 (Pioneer Football League)
Zach Calzada, UIW, Gr., 6-4, 217 (Southland Conference)
Theo Day, Northern Iowa, R-Sr., 6-5, 231 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Cole Doyle, Saint Francis, R-Jr., 5-10, 170 (Northeast Conference) - 2022 Finalist
Zevi Eckhaus, Bryant, Jr., 6-1, 205 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State, Jr., 6-3, 220 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Nolan Grooms, Yale, Sr., 6-2, 188 (Ivy League)
Miles Hastings, UC Davis, Jr., 6-1, 189 (Big Sky Conference)
Michael Hiers, Samford, Sr., 6-1, 211 (Southern Conference) - 2022 Finalist
Gevani McCoy, Idaho, R-So., 6-2, 185 (Big Sky Conference)
Parker McKinney, Eastern Kentucky, R-Sr., 6-3, 208 (United Athletic Conference) - 2022 Finalist
Tommy Mellott, Montana State, Jr., 6-0, 209 (Big Sky Conference) - 2022 Finalist
Justin Miller, Southern Utah, R-Sr., 6-3, 210 (United Athletic Conference)
Reese Poffenbarger, UAlbany, R-So., 6-0, 210 (CAA Football)
Davius Richard, North Carolina Central, Sr., 6-3, 215 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) - 2022 Finalist
Tommy Schuster, North Dakota, Sr., 6-0, 195 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Matthew Sluka, Holy Cross, Sr., 6-3, 215 (Patriot League) - 2022 Finalist

Running Backs
Isaiah Davis, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 220 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Ailym Ford, Chattanooga, R-Sr., 5-9, 213 (Southern Conference) - 2022 Finalist
Narii Gaither, Gardner-Webb, Sr., 5-10, 181 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Malik Grant, Sacred Heart, Gr., 5-9, 200 (Northeast Conference) - 2021 Finalist
Geno Hess, Southeast Missouri, R-Sr., 5-8, 222 (Big South-OVC Football Association) - 2021 and 2022 Finalist
Jarveon Howard, Alcorn State, Sr., 5-10, 200 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Dylan Laube, New Hampshire, Sr., 5-10, 204 (CAA Football)
ShunDerrick Powell, Central Arkansas, Jr., 5-7, 168 (United Athletic Conference) - 2022 Finalist
Dominic Roberto, Furman, R-Sr., 5-11, 231 (Southern Conference)
Jaden Shirden, Monmouth, Jr., 5-9, 185 (CAA Football) - 2022 Finalist
TaMerik Williams, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 227 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Bronson Yoder, William & Mary, Sr., 5-11, 205 (CAA Football)

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Jalen Coker, Holy Cross, Sr., 6-3, 207 (Patriot League)       
Devron Harper, Mercer, Sr., 5-9, 168 (Southern Conference) - 2022 Finalist
Hayden Hatten, Idaho, R-Jr., 6-2, 205 (Big Sky Conference)
Ty James, Mercer, R-Sr., 6-2, 200 (Southern Conference)
Jaxon Janke, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 210 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Marshel Martin, Sacramento State, Sr., 6-2, 210 (Big Sky Conference)