Bucknell University Athletics
Milligan Notches Second Preseason Honor in Two Days; Named to Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List
7/14/2026 9:10:00 AM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. — Bison wide receiver Sam Milligan has added another feather to his preseason cap as he has been named to the Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List, Stats Perform announced on Tuesday morning.
The senior marks one of 30 student-athletes to be named to the list and is one of three Patriot League players to make the cut. Running backs Luke Yoder (Lehigh) and Ja'briel Mace (Villanova) joined Milligan as the Patriot League reps.
The Walter Payton Award honors the national offensive player of the year in FCS college football. This year's preseason watch list reflects a deep, talented field of candidates heading toward the 2026 season. This season's Walter Payton Award is special as it represents the 40th anniversary of the honor.
Since his breakout 2025 season, Milligan has strung together a slew of postseason and preseason honors for Bucknell football. Most recently, the wide receiver was named to the 2026 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Second Team. That preseason honor followed his Patriot League postseason honor list where he earned Patriot League First Team Special Teams Non-Specialist for the second consecutive season and Patriot League Second Team Wide Receiver for his 2025 performance.
Milligan had a standout season that kicked off with him breaking Bucknell's single-game receiving touchdown record with four touchdowns against VMI on Saturday, Sept. 13. He then found a spot at sixth in the record book in the same game as he recorded 192 receiving yards in the contest. The then junior ended the season with 975 total receiving yards, which currently ranks third in the Bucknell football record book for single-season receiving yards as well as top-10 in the FCS. The wide receiver led the Patriot League in receiving touchdowns with 10, which also ranked top-10 in the FCS.
Milligan saw time on all aspects of the field including as a wide receiver, special teams non-specialist, quarterback, running back and defensive back. The receiver rushed the ball 18 times for 63 yards and one rushing touchdown. He also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, went 2-for-2 in passing and recorded seven solo tackles throughout the season.
The Walter Payton Award was first presented in 1987. More players can join the watch list throughout the season 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.
Below is the full 2026 Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List:
* - past finalist
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)
