FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State wide receiver and return specialist Christian Watson has been named to the 2021 Walter Payton Award watch list announced Wednesday, Aug. 4. The award is presented annually by Stats Perform to the top offensive player in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.
Watson, a senior from Tampa, Fla., was a first team All-America kickoff returner in the 2020-21 season and was named to the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team as a receiver.
Watson led the Bison with 896 all-purpose yards and made a team-high 19 receptions for 442 yards and one touchdown in 10 games last year. He averaged 33.8 yards per kickoff return including a 100-yard TD at Northern Iowa and a 94-yard TD at Sam Houston.
There are 35 players on the preseason watch list. More players can join the list during the regular season, and a national media panel will select the winner following it.
First awarded in 1987, the Payton has watched past winners such as Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp and former NDSU quarterback Trey Lance move on to the NFL.
2021 Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List
Quarterbacks
Eric Barriere, Eastern Washington (2019 and 2020-21 finalist)
Juwan Carter, Norfolk State
Jack Cook, Dayton
Zerrick Cooper, Jacksonville State (2019 finalist)
Tim DeMorat, Fordham (2020-21 finalist)
Draylen Ellis, Austin Peay
Aqeel Glass, Alabama A&M (2020-21 finalist)
Felix Harper, Alcorn State (2019 finalist)
Cole Kelley, Southeastern Louisiana (2020-21 recipient)
E.J. Perry, Brown
Eric Schmid, Sam Houston
Breylin Smith, Central Arkansas
Daniel Smith, Villanova (2019 finalist)
Cameron Ward, UIW
Liam Welch, Samford (2020-21 finalist)
Running Backs
Percy Agyei-Obese, James Madison (2020-21 finalist)
Julius Chestnut, Sacred Heart (2019 and 2020-21 finalist)
Josh Davis, Weber State
Elijah Dotson, Sacramento State
Juwon Farri, Monmouth (2020-21 finalist)
Geno Hess, Southeast Missouri
Quay Holmes, ETSU (2020-21 finalist)
Dejoun Lee, Delaware (2020-21 finalist)
Jah-Maine Martin, North Carolina A&T (2019 finalist)
Karl Mofor, Albany
Pierre Strong Jr., South Dakota State (2020-21 finalist)
Otis Weah, North Dakota (2020-21 finalist)
Devin Wynn, Furman
Wide Receivers
Samuel Akem, Montana
Avante Cox, Southern Illinois
Dai’Jean Dixon, Nicholls
Jequez Ezzard, Sam Houston
Jakob Herres, VMI (2020-21 finalist)
Tyler Hudson, Central Arkansas (2020-21 finalist)
Christian Watson, North Dakota State
