VILLANOVA, Pa.—Junior running back and kick returner Ja'briel Mace is among 30 offensive players nationwide, including three from the Patriot League, who were named to the Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List on Tuesday morning. The watch list was announced by Stats Perform for the annual award which is presented to the national offensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football. This is the third straight year that Villanova has had a player named to the initial watch list for the Walter Payton Award.
 
Mace was named a Stats Perform first team preseason All-American on Monday morning after having a season for the ages in 2025 in which he ranked second in the FCS in kickoff returns in addition to leading Villanova in rushing. He finished the 2025 campaign ranked fifth nationally with 1,882 all-purpose yards.
 
Mace heads into his fourth year on the Wildcats roster after earning a bevy of national recognition for his 2025 efforts. His postseason accolades last year included first team Stats Perform FCS All-America honors as well as second team AFCA FCS All-America recognition. Mace also garnered All-America plaudits from the Associated Press, Walter Camp and FCS Football Central. He was named the CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Year and was a member of the league's First Team Offense.
 
Last season Mace became the second player in Villanova history to average more than 30 yards on kickoff returns over a full season. He had 23 returns for 735 yards and an average of 31.96 yards per return, with both his total return yards and his average return ranking him second among all FCS players. Mace also was the first player in the country last season to return two kickoffs for touchdowns, a feat he accomplished twice in a three-game span with a 100-yard return against William & Mary on September 27 followed two weeks later by a 97-yard return for a score at Elon.
 
An explosive runner in any role on the field, Mace was the Wildcats leading rusher in a deep corps of running backs last season. He ran for 946 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 7.39 yards per carry, including three games with over 100 yards and three with two or more rushing touchdowns. Mace had a historic performance against Towson on November 8 last season when he broke Brian Westbrook's single game record for rushing yards. Mace had 291 yards and scored all four Villanova touchdowns in a 28-10 victory. He followed that performance two weeks later with 165 yards and two scores in the regular season finale against Sacred Heart, then had 151 rushing yards and a touchdown in an FCS playoff quarterfinal win at Tarleton State.
 
The Walter Payton Award is in its 40^th season and is affectionately known as the Heisman of the FCS. It is named for legendary running back Walter Payton, who starred at Jackson Sate as part of his Hall of Fame career. Villanova has three previous Walter Payton Award winners: wide receiver Brian Finneran (1997); running back Brian Westbrook (2001); and quarterback John Robertson (2014). The only FCS programs with three or more winners of the Walter Payton Award are the Wildcats and Eastern Washington.
 
All 13 FCS conferences are represented on the preseason watch list, which includes 10 past finalists. More players can join the watch list before a national media panel selects the winner from a group of finalists after the regular season. The Walter Payton Award was first presented in 1987. 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.
 
A new era of Villanova Football arrives this season as the Wildcats play their first year as an associate member of the Patriot League. The season opener at home against William & Mary on August 28 will mark the Patriot League debut for both teams.