WACO, Texas | Stats Perform has announced a 30-player preseason watch list for the 2025 Walter Payton Award, presented annually to the national offensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football with a pair of Jackson State student-athletes named to the list.
JaCobian Morgan continues to add to his preseason award by earning a spot on the Preseason Watch List. The two-time Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Morgan finished last season with 2,051 yards through the air on 150-of-234 passing, finishing the season 10-1 as a starter, including 10 consecutive wins. He also threw 19 touchdown passes with just eight interceptions, finishing with a 64.1 completion percentage. He also rushed for 225 yards and four touchdowns. Morgan completed the season ranked nationally in several categories including passing efficiency (13th/157.9), points responsible for (16th/164), passing yards per completion (17th/13.72), passing touchdowns (24th/21), completion percentage (31st/0.637), points responsible for per game (35th/11.7), passing yards (43rd/2,236), passing yards per game (69th/159.7), completions per game (80th/11.64), and rushing touchdowns (98th/6).
Meanwhile, he was joined on the list by Travis Terrell Jr., a highly-decorated player last season including being named the Freshman of the Year by the SWAC and Phil Steele. He was ranked among the best in the nation in returns, leading the nation in kick returns for touchdowns with two. He also ranked in the top five nationally in three other categories, including third in punt returns (16.7), fourth in combined kick returns (851), fifth in kickoff returns (30.6), and 36th in all-purpose yards (108.08). The sophomore also ran the ball 459 yards on 75 carries with four touchdowns, and also caught 15 passes for 95 yards on the offensive side of the ball. Terrell was named First Team All-SWAC this season and earned four selections on the Phil Steele all-conference team, while also earning a pair of Preseason All-American teams.
The award, in its 39th season and 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; Montana State’s Tommy Mellott was last season’s winner. All 13 FCS conferences are represented on the watch list, which includes nine past finalists. This season’s recipient will be announced at the Stats Perform National Awards Banquet on Jan. 3, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. 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.
Jackson State is one of just three schools with two players named to the Preseason List including Illinois State, South Dakota, and Stephen F. Austin.