Ranking the top FCS preseason award contenders

The top offensive and defensive players in the FCS each season receive the Walter Payton and Buck Buchanan Awards, respectively. The awards are given out by STATS Perform, which recently announced its preseason watch lists for the and honors. After looking at those watch lists, I've ranked the top 10 contenders for both awards.

For this ranking of award contenders, athletes must have been listed on one of the preseason watch lists. Here are my top 10 contenders for the Walter Payton Award and Buck Buchanan Award entering the preseason.

Top 10 Walter Payton Award preseason contenders

1. Mark Gronowski | South Dakota State

He's the reigning Payton Award winner on the preseason No. 1 team in the country by almost all accounts.

2. Tommy Mellott | Montana State

Sean Chambers is gone — on the field, he's now a coach — and the Montana State offense is all Tommy Mellott's. Mellott is the best dual-threat quarterback in the country, and if he stays healthy — that's a big if — he's primed to put up Walter Payton Award numbers.

3. Junior Bergen | Montana

No skill position player has more momentum for a Payton Award run this fall than Junior Bergen. After an electrifying postseason, he can carry that energy into 2024. Bergen touches the ball via receptions, handoffs on jet sweeps and in the return games. With all of those ways to score and make big plays, no non-quarterback has a better shot to win the Payton than Bergen.

4. Cole Gonzales | Western Carolina

Cole Gonzales threw 28 touchdowns last year, the second-most in the FCS. With running back Desmond Reid gone via the transfer portal, Gonzales' numbers could explode this fall. If those numbers translate to SoCon title contention, Gonzales could earn Walter Payton votes.

WALTER PAYTON AWARD: Complete history of the FCS offensive honor

5. Cam Miller | North Dakota State

Cam Miller will benefit from the team's success at North Dakota State, and his rushing numbers will also be impressive. However, in today's era of college football, every quarterback seems to have a handful of rushing touchdowns. That's why Miller's 16 passing touchdowns won't cut it if he wants to push for the Payton. Yet, If Miller can find the end zone more through the air this fall, he could contend for the Heisman of the FCS.

6. Connor Watkins | Villanova

If Villanova is as good as everyone thinks it can be this fall, then Connor Watkins will be a big reason. Watkins is a dual-threat quarterback who attacks the defense with his arm and legs. If he takes the next step this fall, he'll be a Walter Payton candidate throughout the season.

7. JaMar Curtis | Lafayette

A running back hasn't won the Payton since 2003. JaMar Curtis might have the best shot at ending the drought this fall. Curtis is THE GUY in Lafayette's offense — and the Leopards play a very favorable schedule that could allow for big games. If Curtis leads Lafayette back to the playoffs with two or fewer losses and leads the nation in rushing in the process, he could be a top-three finalist for what has become a quarterback award.

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8. C.J. Montes | Fordham

C.J. Montes threw for 3000 yards last year, making him the leading returning passer in the FCS. In Fordham's offense, we know Montes will put up big numbers, but he'll need to lead his team to wins to contend for the award.

9. Lan Larison | UC Davis

Lan Larison is the heartbeat of UC Davis' offense, and that's with an above-average quarterback in the backfield with him, Miles Hastings. Hastings' improvements as a passer should open up the run game for Larison. If Larison can surpass the 1,100-yard mark again this fall and UC Davis makes a run at the Big Sky title, he'll have a compelling Walter Payton Award case.

10. Paxton DeLaurent | Southeast Missouri State

Paxton DeLaurent might be the most slept-on quarterback entering this fall. Yes, Geno Hess is gone. But DeLaurent has still thrown for more than 4,200 yards and 29 touchdowns in his two seasons for the Redhawks. With the offense finally becoming the DeLaurent show, he could have a big year this fall.

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Top 10 Buck Buchanan Award preseason contenders

1. David Walker | Central Arkansas

David Walker finished as the third-place finisher for the Buck Buchanan Award in 2022 and a finalist in 2023. He should be the favorite for the award entering the season.

2. Josiah Silver | New Hampshire

The last four Buck Buchanan Award winners have been edge rushers and have led the nation in either sacks or tackles for loss. Josiah Silver is an excellent candidate to do so. He has 26 career sacks and 47.5 tackles for loss. He'll face less constant double teams thanks to Dylan Ruiz coming off the other edge, so a new career-high for Silver could be in store.

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3. Amir Abdullah | Illinois State

Amir Abdullah is coming off a 9.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss season. Those are better numbers than 2022 Illinois State Buchanan Award winner Zeke Vandenburgh put up the year before he won the award (four sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss) in the same defense.

4. Finn Claypool | Drake

Tennessee State, Illinois State, Florida A&M and Southern all have won Buck Buchanan Awards in the last four years. Are any of those schools FCS powerhouses? No. Were any of those schools legitimate FCS title contenders? No. Were those schools still in postseason contention entering the final month of the season? Yes. Does Drake fit into that category in 2024? Yes.

That's why Finn Claypool could be the next edge rusher from a non-powerhouse FCS school to win the Buchanan. He'll play against plenty of non-scholarship offensive lines this fall in the Pioneer Football League, giving him a chance to rack up stats. Drake also was predicted to win the PFL this fall. That could be the perfect mix for Claypool to take home some hardware.

BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD: Complete history of the FCS defensive honor

5. Cole Wisniewski | North Dakota State

The top non-edge-rushing candidate to win the Buchanan should be Cole Wisniewski. He had EIGHT interceptions last year and 92 tackles. If Wisniewski replicates or even improves upon those numbers, he should certainly be a Buchanan candidate.

6. James Conway | Fordham

James Conway has made no fewer than 127 tackles in his first three seasons. He's only 163 tackles away from the career record. If Conway breaks the record, that could be enough to have him finish in the top three for this award.

7. Ckelby Givens | Southern

Givens finished last year with 21 tackles for loss and seven sacks, with a lot of his production coming from the interior. Against questionable SWAC offensive lines — there weren't enough quality offensive linemen in the conference to fill out two preseason teams — he should put up big numbers yet again. However, it'll be hard for his numbers to stack up to those off the edge.

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8. Caleb Curtain | Elon

Caleb Curtain had four interceptions — one for a touchdown — 80 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks last season. If he continues to stuff the stat sheet and Elon is a playoff contender, he could be in the Buchanan discussion by season's end.

9. Micah Davey | McNeese

Micah Davey made 153 tackles. That's are eye-popping numbers. However, tackles alone won't win Davey the Buchanan. He'll need to create more game-changing plays behind the line of scrimmage or force more turnovers to become the first stand-up linebacker to win the award since 2019.

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10. Rex Connors | UC Davis

Rex Connors' numbers fell in 2023 after playing in only seven games. He still had 59 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, an interception and seven pass breakups. When he played nine games as a freshman in 2022, he had 88 tackles, five interceptions and 10 pass breakups. If Connors is fully healthy this season, he should be one of the best safeties in the FCS.