Five added to Walter Payton Award Watch List

By AP
Published

(STATS) - Five players were nominated Tuesday to the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award Watch List for national offensive player of the year.

The Payton Award, presented since 1987, has watched past winners such as Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, John Friesz, Brian Finneran, Jimmy Garoppolo and Cooper Kupp move on to the NFL.

The new nominees on the watch list:

Chandler Burks, Kennesaw State, QB, R-Jr., 5-10, 187, Douglasville, Georgia

Statistics: 169 carries, 755 yards, 11 TDs; 46 of 100 (46 percent), 825 yards, 5 TDs, 2 INTs (9 games)

Chad Kanoff, Princeton, QB, Sr., 6-4, 225, Pacific Palisades, California

Statistics: 224 of 301 (74.4 percent), 2,606 yards, 22 TDs, 7 INTs, 166.61 passing efficiency (8 games)

Jake Maier, UC Davis, QB, R-So., 6-0, 200, La Habra, California

Statistics: 240 of 339 (70.8 percent), 3,033 yards, 22 TDs, 8 INTs (9 games)

Daniel Smith, Campbell, QB, R-Fr., 6-0, 200, Leesburg, Virginia

Statistics: 120 carries, 1,191 yards, 11 TDs; 126 of 233 (54.1 percent), 1,742 yards, 18 TDs, 6 INTs (9 games)

Tommy Stuart, Duquesne, QB, Grad., 6-0, 205, Baltimore

Statistics: 157 of 230 (68.3 percent), 1,914 yards, 23 TDs, 6 INTs, 165.9 passing efficiency; 63 carries, 250 yards, 4 TDs (9 games)

Previously nominated to the watch list were quarterbacks Jeremiah Briscoe of Sam Houston State, Taryn Christion of South Dakota State, Case Cookus of Northern Arizona, Gage Gubrud of Eastern Washington, Hayden Hildebrand of Central Arkansas, Devlin Hodges of Samford, DeVante Kincade of Grambling State, Kyle Lauletta of Richmond, Anthony Lawrence of San Diego, Tyrell Maxwell of Gardner-Webb, Lamar Raynard of North Carolina A&T, Bryan Schor of James Madison and Chris Streveler of North Dakota; running backs Chase Edmonds of Fordham, Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks of Albany, John Lovett of Princeton, Josh Mack of Maine, Detrez Newsome of Western Carolina, Joe Protheroe of Cal Poly and Roc Thomas of Jacksonville State; wide receivers Emmanuel Butler of Northern Arizona, Keelan Doss of UC Davis, Kamron Lewis of Saint Francis, Troy Pelletier of Lehigh, Justin Watson of Penn and Jake Wieneke of South Dakota State; tight end Dallas Goedert of South Dakota State; and offensive tackle Brandon Parker of North Carolina A&T.

A national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will vote on 25 finalists following the regular season.

Also this season, STATS will present 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 Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.