Two Jackrabbits, Two Coyotes Land on Payton, Buchanan Lists

Both USD and SDSU have high hopes once again for the 2025 season.

Both programs return several marquee players despite coaching changes this past offseason, and a few of those players have been recognized on some notable preseason watch lists.

On Tuesday, the Walter Payton Offensive Player of the Year Award watch lists were put out, and a total of three Jacks and Yotes made the cut.

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And on Wednesday, the Buck Buchanan Defensive Player of the Year Award watch list debuted, and one Jackrabbit earned a nod.

Here are the details:

The 2025 Walter Payton Award preseason watch list:

Quarterbacks
Aidan Bouman, South Dakota, R-Sr., 6-5, 225 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Jaden Craig, Harvard, Sr., 6-2, 215 (Ivy League) – 2024 Finalist
Quincy Crittendon, Samford, Sr., 5-11, 200 (Southern Conference)
Taron Dickens, Western Carolina, R-So., 5-11, 180 (Southern Conference)
Victor Gabalis, Tarleton State, Sr., 6-3, 210 (United Athletic Conference)
Ethan Greenwood, LIU, R-Jr., 6-0, 193 (Northeast Conference)
JaCobian Morgan, Jackson State, Grad, 6-4, 227 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Derek Robertson, Monmouth, R-Sr., 6-2, 200 (CAA Football) – 2024 Finalist
Ralph Rucker IV, Bucknell, Fifth Year, 6-0, 210 (Patriot League) – 2024 Finalist
Sam Vidlak, Stephen F. Austin, Sr., 6-1, 207 (Southland Conference) – 2024 Finalist

Running Backs
Mari Adams, Davidson, Sr., 5-11, 210 (Pioneer Football League) – 2024 Finalist
David Avit, Villanova, So., 6-0, 220 (CAA Football)
Jamar Curtis, Sacramento State, Sr., 5-8, 169 (Big Sky Conference) – 2023 and 2024 Finalist
Roland Dempster, Stony Brook, R-Sr., 6-0, 225 (CAA Football) – 2024 Finalist
Eli Gillman, Montana, R-Jr., 6-0, 208 (Big Sky Conference)
Steve Hall, Lindenwood, So., 5-9, 195 (OVC-Big South Football Association)
Elijah Howard, Central Connecticut State, Sr., 5-11, 176 (Northeast Conference) – 2024 Finalist
Adam Jones, Montana State, R-So., 6-1, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
Kevon King, Norfolk State, Sr., 5-11, 200 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Julius Loughridge, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-0, 215 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Charles Pierre Jr., South Dakota, R-Jr., 5-10, 205 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Travis Terrell Jr., Jackson State, So., 5-8, 165 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Wenkers Wright, Illinois State, Sr., 6-1, 205 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)

Wide Receivers
Marquis Buchanan, Rhode Island, R-So., 6-4, 175 (CAA Football)
Kylon Harris, Stephen F. Austin, Sr., 5-11, 160 (Southland Conference)
Bryce Lance, North Dakota State, R-Sr., 6-3, 209 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Samuel Musungu, Cornell, Jr., 6-1, 192 (Ivy League)
Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate, Sr., 5-10, 190 (Patriot League)
Daniel Sobkowicz, Illinois State, Sr., 6-3, 205 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Jalen Walthall, UIW, R-Sr., 6-2, 180 (Southland Conference) – 2024 Finalist

The Walter Payton Award was first presented in 1987. More players can join the watch list before a national media panel selects the winner after the regular season from a group of finalists.

READ MORE: NDSU is Predicted to Win the MVFC, SDSU 2nd, South Dakota 3rd

The 2025 Buck Buchanan Award preseason watch list:

Defensive Linemen
Jake Anderson, Illinois State, R-Jr., 6-5, 290 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Toby Anene, North Dakota State, Jr., 6-4, 260 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Paul Brott, Montana State, Sr., 6-3, 290 (Big Sky Conference)
Lando Brown, Southern Utah, R-Sr., 5-11, 215 (United Athletic Conference)
Kobe Clayborne, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-0, 275 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Jack Dunkley, Duquesne, Jr., 6-4, 250 (Northeast Conference)
Ckelby Givens, Southern, Sr., 6-2, 230 (Southwestern Athletic Conference) – 2024 Finalist
Rasheed Lovelace, Nicholls, R-Jr., 6-3, 310 (Southland Conference)
Matt Spatny, Lehigh, Sr., 6-2, 245 (Patriot League)
Andrew Zock, Mercer, So., 6-2, 250 (Southern Conference)

Linebackers
Sean Allison, Drake, Sr., 6-1, 230 (Pioneer Football League)
James Conway, Fordham, Grad, 6-2, 235 (Patriot League)
Shane Hartzell, Villanova, Sr., 6-0, 230 (CAA Football)
Erick Hunter, Morgan State, Sr., 6-4, 210 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) – 2023 Finalist
Logan Kopp, North Dakota State, R-Sr., 6-1, 221 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) – 2023 Finalist
Tye Niekamp, Illinois State, Jr., 6-3, 240 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
A.J. Pena, Rhode Island, Sr., 6-2, 243 (CAA Football) – 2024 Finalist
Will Shaffer, Abilene Christian, Grad, 6-0, 224 (United Athletic Conference) – 2024 Finalist
Declan Williams, UIW, Sr., 6-2, 245 (Southland Conference)
Peyton Wing, Montana, Jr., 6-0, 230 (Big Sky Conference)

Defensive Backs
Ty Bartrum, Harvard, Sr., 6-1, 195 (Ivy League)
Rex Connors, UC Davis, Sr., 6-1, 210 (Big Sky Conference)
C.J. Coombes, Wofford, So., 6-0, 208 (Southern Conference)
Tim Coutras, Tennessee Tech, Grad, 6-0, 198 (OVC-Big South Football Association)
Jalen Jones, William & Mary, Sr., 6-0, 190 (CAA Football) – 2024 Finalist
Abu Kamara, Yale, Jr., 6-1, 208 (Ivy League) – 2024 Finalist
JaMichael McGoy Jr., UT Martin, R-Sr., 5-10, 170 (OVC-Big South Football Association)
Tyler Morton, UIW, R-Sr., 5-10, 170 (Southland Conference)
Nahil Perkins, Samford, Grad, 6-0, 178 (Southern Conference)
Malcolm Reed, North Carolina Central, Sr., 6-3, 180 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)

The Buck Buchanan Award was first presented in 1995. More players can join the watch list before a national media panel selects the winner after the regular season from a group of finalists.

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Both the Jackrabbits and Coyotes open the season in less than a month, as both will be in action on Saturday, August 30th. The Jacks will be at home that day in their opener against Sacramento State, while the Coyotes have a tough road test in Ames against the Iowa State Cyclones.

For the latest on both programs, visit their official site links below.

Sources: Valley-Football.org, GoJacks, and GoYotes