Mark Gronowski headlines 2024 Walter Payton Award preseason watch list

South Dakota State quarterback and reigning Walter Payton Award winner Mark Gronowski was named to a 35-player preseason watch list for the 2024 Walter Payton Award on Tuesday morning.

The award, which is also known as the Heisman of the FCS, is in its 38th season and is named after legendary running back Walter Payton, who played at Jackson State before beginning his Hall of Fame NFL career with the Chicago Bears.

Gronowski has a chance to become only the third player to repeat as the FCS national offensive player of the year. Only quarterbacks Armanti Edwards from Appalachian State and Jeremiah Briscoe of Sam Houston State have won the award more than once.

All 13 FCS conferences are represented on the watch list, which is below.

Quarterbacks

Chase Artopoeus, Chattanooga, Sr., 6-2, 208 (Southern Conference)

Luke Bailey, Drake, R-Sr., 6-2, 190 (Pioneer Football League)

Zach Calzada, UIW, Grad, 6-4, 200 (Southland Conference)

Myles Crawley, Grambling State, R-Sr., 6-3, 185 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)

Paxton DeLaurent, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-5, 229 (Big South-OVC Football Association)

Cole Gonzales, Western Carolina, Jr., 6-0, 195 (Southern Conference) – 2023 Finalist

Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 225 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) – 2023 Recipient

Pierce Holley, Eastern Illinois, Grad, 6-2, 215 (Big South-OVC Football Association)

Tommy Mellott, Montana State, Sr., 6-0, 209 (Big Sky Conference) – 2022 Finalist

Cam Miller, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 213 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) – 2023 Finalist

CJ Montes, Fordham, Jr., 6-2, 205 (Patriot League) – 2023 Finalist

Darius Perrantes, Duquesne, Sr., 6-0, 220 (Northeast Conference) – 2023 Finalist

Connor Watkins, Villanova, Grad, 6-3, 225 (CAA Football)

Jake Willcox, Brown, Fifth Year, 6-2, 195 (Ivy League) – 2023 Finalist

Running Backs

Mari Adams, Davidson, Jr., 5-10, 210 (Pioneer Football League)

Kayvon Britten, Tarleton State, Sr., 5-7, 195 (United Athletic Conference)

Jamar Curtis, Lafayette, Jr., 5-8, 164 (Patriot League) – 2023 Finalist

Tyvon Edmonds Jr., Robert Morris, Sr., 5-8, 180 (Northeast Conference)

Jordan Fuller, Holy Cross, Sr., 6-0, 231 (Patriot League)

Jarett Hunter, Howard, Grad, 5-10, 205 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)

Mason King, Illinois State, Sr., 6-2, 215 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)

Lan Larison, UC Davis, Sr., 6-0, 195 (Big Sky Conference) – 2023 Finalist

ShunDerrick Powell, Central Arkansas, Sr., 5-9, 180 (United Athletic Conference) – 2022 Finalist

Jaylon Spears, Nicholls, Jr., 5-10, 200 (Southland Conference)

Marcus Yarns, Delaware, Grad, 5-11, 183 (CAA Football)

Bronson Yoder, William & Mary, Sr., 5-11, 210 (CAA Football)

Wide Receivers

Junior Bergen, Montana, Sr., 5-11, 180 (Big Sky Conference)

Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington, Sr., 5-11, 200 (Big Sky Conference)

Nick DeGennaro, Richmond, R-Sr., 6-1, 190 (CAA Football)

Jared Richardson, Penn, Jr., 6-2, 215 (Ivy League)

Donovan Wadley, Merrimack, Jr., 5-9, 180 (FCS Independent)

Javin Whatley, Chattanooga, Jr., 5-10, 170 (Southern Conference)

Offensive Linemen

Zack Gieg, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-1, 290 (Big South-OVC Football Association)

Charles Grant, William & Mary, Sr., 6-4, 280 (CAA Football)

Marcus Wehr, Montana State, Sr., 6-4, 292 (Big Sky Conference)

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Mark Gronowski headlines 2024 Walter Payton Award preseason watch list