PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- A standout season by Elon junior wide receiver Aaron Mellette has landed the Sanford, N.C., native a spot on the updated watch list of the Walter Payton Award which is presented annually to the top player at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level.  The Payton Award is celebrating its 25th anniversary this season.

Mellette, who earned All-America accolades after a sophomore season in which he caught 86 passes for 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns, has caught a touchdown in all but one of Elon's eight games this season.  He currently ranks second in the FCS with 82 receptions and 1,097 receiving yards.  Mellette also rates 19th nationally in all-purpose yards, averaging 143.75 yards per contest.

Mellette is one of just two wide receivers on the 20-member watch list, joining Idaho State's Rodrick Rumble.  Wofford fullback Eric Breitenstein is the only other Southern Conference player on the list.

Elon has had at least one player finish in the top 20 of the Payton Award voting in each of the past four seasons.

A national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will vote on the Payton Award after the regular season.  The voters also will choose winners of the inaugural Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman of the year), the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS defensive player of the year) and the 25th Eddie Robinson Award (FCS coach of the year) to be presented at the FCS national awards banquet Friday night, Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas.  The Sports Network also presents and Fathead.com sponsors those two awards.

Walter Payton Award Watch List
Shakir Bell - RB, Indiana State
Eric Breitenstein - FB, Wofford
Casey Brockman - QB, Murray State
Jordan Brown - RB, Bryant
Mike Brown - QB, Liberty
Jamaine Cook - RB, Youngstown State
Kevin Decker - QB, New Hampshire
Nate Eachus - RB, Colgate
Jonathan Grimes - RB, William & Mary
Chris Lum - QB, Lehigh
Mike Mayhew - RB, North Carolina A&T
Denarius McGhee - QB, Montana State
D.J. McNorton - RB, North Dakota State
Aaron Mellette - WR, Elon
Bo Levi Mitchell - QB, Eastern Washington
Andrew Pierce - RB, Delaware
Tirrell Rennie - QB, Northern Iowa
Rodrick Rumble - WR, Idaho State
Brad Sorensen - QB, Southern Utah
Casey Therriault - QB, Jackson State