Gillman, Jones on Payton watchlist

Stats Perform released its 30-player preseason watchlist for the 2025 Walter Payton Award, and three Big Sky Conference players are on it. 

Montana State running back Adam Jones, Montana running back Eli Gillman and Sacramento State running back Jamar Curtis are the Big Sky selections.  

Curtis, a senior who transferred in from Lafayette, is a two-time finalist for the Payton Award, given to the Football Championship Subdivision’s top offensive player. He rushed for 1,139 yards and scored 19 touchdowns in 2024, when he was the Patriot League’s Offensive Player of the Year. 

Gillman, a junior, won the Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in FCS in 2023; last season he rushed for 1,104 yards and 15 touchdowns. Jones, a sophomore, set MSU freshman records for rushing yards (1,172) and rushing touchdowns (14) last fall and was the Big Sky’s Freshman of the Year.  

The list is dotted with familiar names to Big Sky Conference football fans. Stephen F. Austin quarterback Sam Vidlak, who started a handful of games for the 2023 Grizzlies, is back after being a finalist in 2024; Charles Pierre, Jr., who scored a TD in South Dakota’s semifinal loss at Montana State in December, is selected; Bryce Lance, whose big catches helped North Dakota State beat MSU in the FCS title game, is among seven receivers on the list. 

The award is its 39th season and is 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 and Cooper Kupp; Montana State’s Tommy Mellott was last season’s winner. This year’s winner will be announced at the Stats Performan National Awards Presentation on Jan. 3 in Nashville. 

Quarterbacks

Aidan Bouman, South Dakota, R-Sr., 6-5, 225 

Jaden Craig, Harvard, Sr., 6-2, 215 (2024 Finalist) 

Quincy Crittendon, Samford, Sr., 5-11, 200  

Taron Dickens, Western Carolina, R-So., 5-11, 180  

Victor Gabalis, Tarleton State, Sr., 6-3, 210  

Ethan Greenwood, LIU, R-Jr., 6-0, 193  

JaCobian Morgan, Jackson State, Grad, 6-4, 227  

Derek Robertson, Monmouth, R-Sr., 6-2, 200 (2024 Finalist) 

Ralph Rucker IV, Bucknell, Fifth Year, 6-0, 210 (2024 Finalist) 

Sam Vidlak, Stephen F. Austin, Sr., 6-1, 207 (2024 Finalist) 

Running Backs

Mari Adams, Davidson, Sr., 5-11, 210 (2024 Finalist) 

David Avit, Villanova, So., 6-0, 220  

Jamar Curtis, Sacramento State, Sr., 5-8, 169 (2023 and 2024 Finalist) 

Roland Dempster, Stony Brook, R-Sr., 6-0, 225 (2024 Finalist) 

Eli Gillman, Montana, R-Jr., 6-0, 208  

Steve Hall, Lindenwood, So., 5-9, 195  

Elijah Howard, Central Connecticut State, Sr., 5-11, 176 (2024 Finalist) 

Adam Jones, Montana State, R-So., 6-1, 200 

Kevon King, Norfolk State, Sr., 5-11, 200 

Julius Loughridge, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-0, 215 

Charles Pierre Jr., South Dakota, R-Jr., 5-10, 205 

Travis Terrell, Jackson State, So., 5-8, 165 

Wenkers Wright, Illinois State, Sr., 6-1, 205  

Wide Receivers

Marquis Buchanan, Rhode Island, R-So., 6-4, 175  

Kylon Harris, Stephen F. Austin, Sr., 5-11, 160 

Bryce Lance, North Dakota State, R-Sr., 6-3, 209  

Samuel Musungu, Cornell, Jr., 6-1, 192  

Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate, Sr., 5-10, 190  

Daniel Sobkowicz, Illinois State, Sr., 6-3, 205  

Jalen Walthall, UIW, R-Sr., 6-2, 180 (2024 Finalist)