• Complete Walter Payton Award Watch List
Gardner-Webb senior running back
Carson Gresock is one of 30 players nationally named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List by Stats Perform. The award is given to the top offensive player in the FCS.
Gresock earned first-team all-league honors last season after leading the association with 14 rushing touchdowns, including a season-high four against Lindenwood. Overall Gresock carried the ball 120 times for 798 yards (6.7 ypc).
The Payton award is now in its 40th season. The award, 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 and Cooper Kupp. Romo (2002) and Garoppolo (2013) are the only previous OVC players to win the award.
More players can join the watch list before a national media panel selects the winner after the regular season from a group of finalists. Stats Perform also presents 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), HBCU National Player of the Year and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
2026 Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List
Quarterbacks
*Keali’I Ah Yat, Montana, R-Jr., 6-1, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
*Andrew Body, Alabama State, R-Sr., 6-0, 205 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
*Beau Brungard, Youngstown State, Sr., 6-0, 215 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
*Devin Farrell, Rhode Island, R-Sr., 6-0, 195 (CAA Football)
*Collin Hurst, West Georgia, Jr., 5-10, 190 (United Athletic Conference)
*Justin Lamson, Montana State, Sr., 6-2, 210 (Big Sky Conference)
Chase Mason, South Dakota State, Gr., 6-4, 240 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
*Chris Parson, Austin Peay, R-Jr., 5-11, 224 (United Athletic Conference)
Ty Pennington, Northern Arizona, Sr., 6-2, 210 (Big Sky Conference)
Dante Reno, Yale, Jr., 6-2, 205 (Ivy League)
*DJ Williams, Southern Illinois, Sr., 6-3, 218 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Running Backs
Dason Brooks, Idaho State, R-Sr., 5-11, 228 (Big Sky Conference)
Ness Davis, Duquesne, R-Jr., 5-11, 200 (NEC Football)
Victor Dawson, Illinois State, Sr., 5-11, 220 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
MJ Flowers, Tennessee Tech, R-Sr., 6-1, 220 (Southern Conference)
Eli Gillman, Montana, R-Sr., 6-0, 213 (Big Sky Conference)
Carson Gresock, Gardner-Webb, R-Sr., 5-11, 215 (OVC Football)
Tylan Hines, Tarleton State, Sr., 5-7, 180 (United Athletic Conference)
Adam Jones, Montana State, Jr., 6-1, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
Ja’briel Mace, Villanova, Jr., 5-9, 175 (Patriot League)
Charles Pierre Jr., South Dakota, R-Sr., 5-10, 210 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
*Luke Yoder, Lehigh, Sr., 5-11, 205 (Patriot League)
Wide Receivers
*Marquis Buchanan, Rhode Island, R-Sr., 6-4, 190 (CAA Football)
Taco Dowler, Montana State, Sr., 5-9, 190 (Big Sky Conference)
Samuel Gbatu Jr., UC Davis, Sr., 5-10, 185 (Big Sky Conference)
Gavin Lochow, Dayton, Sr., 6-0, 185 (Pioneer Football League)
Sam Milligan, Bucknell, Sr., 6-3, 220 (Patriot League)
Bugs Mortimer, Stephen F. Austin, R-Sr., 5-10, 177 (Southland Conference)
Chance Peterson, North Carolina Central, R-Jr., 5-8, 155 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Brayden Smith, Mercer, Jr., 5-10, 185 (Southern Conference)
* - past finalist