NORMAL, Ill. – A pair of Illinois State standouts have earned spots among the best offensive players in the country, as seniors Daniel Sobkowicz and Wenkers Wright have been named to the Stats Perform 30-player preseason watch list for the 2025 Walter Payton Award, which is presented annually to the national offensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.
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 legendary Hall of Fame career. Past recipients include Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp and Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott, who was last season's winner.Â
Sobkowicz is no stranger to preseason accolades, as he was previously named a 2025 Second-Team preseason All-America selection by Stats Perform. The Arlington Heights, Illinois, native was an All-MVFC Second-Team selection at wide receiver last season and ranked second in the MVFC with 1,108 receiving yards on 80 receptions (13.9 yards per catch) with nine touchdown catches. He became Illinois State's first 1,000 plus yard receiver since Anthony Warrum in 2016 and his 1,108 yards are the fifth most in a single season by a Redbird wideout. He heads into his final season ranked sixth in career receiving yards (2,418), tied for fourth in career receiving touchdowns (22) and fourth in career receptions (179).
Wright joined Sobkowicz on the Stats Perform preseason All-America list, also earning second-team honors. The Floyds Knobs, Indiana, native ran his way All-MVFC Honorable Mention team honors in 2024, as he ranked fifth in the MVFC with 1,123 rushing yards on 218 attempts (5.2 yards per carry) with 11 rushing touchdowns, which ranked eighth in the Valley. He became the Redbirds' first 1,000-yard rusher since James Robinson in 2019 and recorded six 100-plus rushing yard performances, with a season-high 153 yards on the ground in a win at North Alabama. With his performance in the second round of the FCS playoffs at UC Davis, Wright moved over the 2,000-yard rushing mark in his career at Illinois State.
The Redbird duo is among six players from the MVFC to be named to the watch list. All 13 FCS conferences are represented on the Walter Payton Award 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.
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