Walter Payton Award
From Varsity Pride
The Walter Payton Award is a college football award given each year to the nation's most outstanding Division I FCS offensive player as determined by a panel of media and sports information directors. From 1987-1994, the award was given to the most outstanding Division I FCS player, without regard to position, but the institution of the Buck Buchanan Award in 1995 allowed the Payton to be devoted to offensive players.
| 1987 | Kenny Gamble | Colgate | running back |
| 1988 | Dave Meggett | Towson | running back |
| 1989 | John Friesz | Idaho | quarterback |
| 1990 | Walter Dean | Grambling State | running back |
| 1991 | Jamie Martin | Weber State | quarterback |
| 1992 | Michael Payton | Marshall | quarterback |
| 1993 | Doug Nussmeier | Idaho | quarterback |
| 1994 | Steve McNair | Alcorn State | quarterback |
| 1995 | Dave Dickenson | Montana | quarterback |
| 1996 | Archie Amerson | Northern Arizona | running back |
| 1997 | Brian Finneran | Villanova | wide receiver |
| 1998 | Jerry Azumah | New Hampshire | running back |
| 1999 | Adrian Peterson | Georgia Southern | running back |
| 2000 | Louis Ivory | Furman | running back |
| 2001 | Brian Westbrook | Villanova | running back |
| 2002 | Tony Romo | Eastern Illinois | quarterback |
| 2003 | Jamaal Branch | Colgate | running back |
| 2004 | Lang Campbell | William & Mary | quarterback |
| 2005 | Erik Meyer | Eastern Washington | quarterback |
| 2006 | Ricky Santos | New Hampshire | quarterback |
| 2007 | Jayson Foster | Georgia Southern | quarterback |
| 2008 | Armanti Edwards | Appalachian State | quarterback |
| 2009 | Armanti Edwards (2) | Appalachian State | quarterback |
| 2010 | Jeremy Moses | Stephen F. Austin | quarterback |
| 2011 | Bo Levi Mitchell | Eastern Washington | quarterback |
| 2012 | Taylor Heinecke | Old Dominion | quarterback |
| 2013 | Jimmy Garoppolo | Eastern Illinois | quarterback |
| 2014 | John Robertson | Villanova | quarterback |
