North Dakota State University wide receiver and return specialist Christian Watson was named to the 2021 Walter Payton Award watch list on August 4. The Walter Payton Award is given out annually by Stats Perform to the top offensive player in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.
In the 2020-21 season Watson was named a first teamAll-American kickoff returner along with being named to the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team as a wide receiver.
He also led the Bison with 896 all-purpose yards along with a team-high 19 receptions for 442 yards and one touchdown in 10 games. Watson was electrifying as a kick returner averaging 33.8 yards per kickoff return including a 100-yard touchdown at Northern Iowa and a 94-yard touchdown at Sam Houston State.
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