PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The campaign for the 26th annual Walter Payton Award kicked off on July 11 with the announcement by The Sports Network of the 20-player Watch List for the Football Championship Subdivision's top individual honor.  Among those on the list is Elon senior wide receiver Aaron Mellette.

Mellette was a first-team All-Southern Conference selection by both the Southern Conference's coaches and media members and finished fifth in the voting for the Walter Payton Award in 2011.  The Sanford, N.C., native ended the regular season as the FCS leader in both receptions per game (10.27) and receiving yards per game (149.0).  His 1,639 receiving yards established a new Elon and SoCon record, surpassing the mark of 1,633 yards set by former Phoenix standout Terrell Hudgins in 2009.  Mellette had nine 100-yard receiving games and twice went over 200 yards receiving during his junior campaign.  He began the season with an 11-catch, 180-yard performance at Vanderbilt.  In a win at North Carolina Central, Mellette caught 16 passes for a career-high 237 yards.  In the season finale against Appalachian State, Mellette hauled in 14 balls for 236 yards.  He made a SoCon-best 113 catches and led the league with 12 touchdown receptions.  He was twice honored as the league's offensive player of the month.

In his three seasons in the maroon and gold Mellette has caught 207 passes for 2,856 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Mellette was named to seven All-America teams following his junior year.  He was a first-team choice to teams announced by The Associated Press, The Sports Network/Fathead.com, the Walter Camp Football Foundation, College Sporting News, Phil Steele and College Sports Madness.

After the season, the most outstanding player in the FCS will join a list of Payton Award greats such as Steve McNair, John Friesz, Brian Westbrook, Tony Romo, Brian Finneran, Armanti Edwards and 2011 winner Bo Levi Mitchell.

Including Mellette, 12 of the 20 players on the Watch List were finalists for the award in 2011.  The others are quarterbacks Casey Brockman of Murray State, DeNarius McGhee of Montana State and Brad Sorensen of Southern Utah; running backs Shakir Bell of Indiana State, Jordan Brown of Bryant, Jamaine Cook of Youngstown State, Timothy Flanders of Sam Houston State, Andrew Pierce of Delaware and Terrance West of Towson; fullback Eric Breitenstein of Wofford; and wide receiver Rodrick Rumble of Idaho State.

Joining the Watch List are quarterbacks Taylor Heinicke of Old Dominion, Kurt Hess of Youngstown State and Jeff Mathews of Cornell; running backs Zach Bauman of Northern Arizona, Matt Denham of Eastern Kentucky and Miguel Maysonet of Stony Brook; all-purpose player Richard Sincere of Sam Houston State; and wide receiver Ryan Spadola of Lehigh.

The Payton Award Watch List can undergo revision during the 2012 season.  Ballots will be sent to a panel of about 175 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries following the regular season on Nov. 19.  The top three vote-getters will be invited to The Sports Network FCS Awards Presentation.

The Sports Network also presents the Buck Buchanan, Jerry Rice and Eddie Robinson awards.  The Buchanan Award honors the FCS defensive player of the year, the Rice Award goes to the FCS freshman of the year and the Robinson Award honors the FCS coach of the year.  Those three winners will join the top three Payton finalists at the national awards banquet.