Griz football standout Junior Bergen has added to his pile of preseason accolades with a place on the 2024 Walter Payton Award Watch List as a wide receiver, Stats Perform announced on Tuesday. The Billings native was one of just four players from the Big Sky Conference to earn a place on the 35-man list.
Now in its 38th season, the Walter Payton Award is presented annually to the national offensive player of the year in Division-I FCS college football and is known affectionately as the Heisman of the FCS.
Bergen has been one of the subdivision’s most decorated players in the leadup to the 2024 season, and for good reason.
He was named a preseason All-American by Stats Perform on Monday for his work as a punt returner, was named to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1,000 preseason watch list and was a first-team preseason All-America pick as an all-purpose player by FCS Central/Sports Illustrated.
That’s on top of receiving preseason All-Big Sky honors at three different positions: receiver, punt returner, and all-purpose player.
Known for his explosiveness, Bergen enters his senior season within reach of a UM career record for all-purpose yards with 3,230 to his name. As a wide receiver he’s totaled 1,235 career yards on 97 career catches.
In 2023 Bergen led Montana in catches with 58 – a top 20 all-time season total for a Grizzly and the fourth-most in the Big Sky. He was one of three Grizzly wideouts to total 600-plus yards receiving with 791 on the year and five touchdown catches and three 100-plus days, including a career-high 118 yards at Idaho.
In the return game, he set a new school record and tied a Big Sky record with the fifth punt return touchdown of his career against NDSU in the FCS semifinal.
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.
Other finalists for the Walter Payton Award from Montana include Chase Reynolds (2009 & 2010), Lex Hilliard (2005), John Edwards (2002), Yohance Humphrey (2001), Brian Ah Yat (1996, ’97, & ’98), and Dave Dickenson, who won the award in 1995.
Also this season, 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), Urban Edge Network HBCU+ Player of the Year and FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be presented at the Stats Perform national awards banquet on Jan. 5 in Frisco, Texas.
The 2024 Walter Payton Award preseason watch list
Quarterbacks
Chase Artopoeus, Chattanooga, Sr., 6-2, 208 (Southern Conference)
Luke Bailey, Drake, R-Sr., 6-2, 190 (Pioneer Football League)
Zach Calzada, UIW, Grad, 6-4, 200 (Southland Conference)
Myles Crawley, Grambling State, R-Sr., 6-3, 185 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Paxton DeLaurent, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-5, 229 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Cole Gonzales, Western Carolina, Jr., 6-0, 195 (Southern Conference) – 2023 Finalist
Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 225 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) – 2023 Recipient
Pierce Holley, Eastern Illinois, Gr., 6-2, 215 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Tommy Mellott, Montana State, Sr., 6-0, 209 (Big Sky Conference) – 2022 Finalist
Cam Miller, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 213 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) – 2023 Finalist
CJ Montes, Fordham, Jr., 6-2, 205 (Patriot League) – 2023 Finalist
Darius Perrantes, Duquesne, Sr., 6-0, 220 (Northeast Conference) – 2023 Finalist
Connor Watkins, Villanova, Grad, 6-3, 225 (CAA Football)
Jake Willcox, Brown, Fifth Year, 6-2, 195 (Ivy League) – 2023 Finalist
Running Backs
Mari Adams, Davidson, Jr., 5-10, 210 (Pioneer Football League)
Kayvon Britten, Tarleton State, Sr., 5-7, 195 (United Athletic Conference)
Jamar Curtis, Lafayette, Jr., 5-8, 164 (Patriot League) – 2023 Finalist
Tyvon Edmonds Jr., Robert Morris, Sr., 5-8, 180 (Northeast Conference)
Jordan Fuller, Holy Cross, Sr., 6-0, 231 (Patriot League)
Jarett Hunter, Howard, R-Sr., 5-10, 205 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Mason King, Illinois State, Sr., 6-2, 215 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Lan Larison, UC Davis, Sr., 6-0, 195 (Big Sky Conference) – 2023 Finalist
ShunDerrick Powell, Central Arkansas, Sr., 5-9, 180 (United Athletic Conference) – 2022 Finalist
Jaylon Spears, Nicholls, Jr., 5-10, 200 (Southland Conference)
Marcus Yarns, Delaware, Grad, 5-11, 183 (CAA Football)
Bronson Yoder, William & Mary, Sr., 5-11, 210 (CAA Football)
Wide Receivers
Junior Bergen, Montana, Sr., 5-11, 180 (Big Sky Conference)
Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington, Sr., 5-11, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
Nick DeGennaro, Richmond, R-Sr., 6-1, 190 (CAA Football)
Jared Richardson, Penn, Jr., 6-2, 215 (Ivy League)
Donovan Wadley, Merrimack, Jr., 5-9, 180 (FCS Independent)
Javin Whatley, Chattanooga, Jr., 5-10, 170 (Southern Conference)
Offensive Linemen
Zack Gieg, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-1, 290 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Charles Grant, William & Mary, Sr., 6-4, 280 (CAA Football)
Marcus Wehr, Montana State, Sr., 6-4, 292 (Big Sky Conference)