Story by
The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
Bucknell's Milligan named preseason All-American, on Payton watch list
- Story byThe Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
- Bucknell's Milligan named preseason All-American, on Payton watch list
The Daily Item
Bucknell senior receiver Sam Milligan has been tabbed as a preseason All-American, and also added to the Walter Payton Award watch list heading into the 2026 season.
Tuesday, Milligan was one of 30 players named to the preseason watch list for the Payton Award, presented annually to the national offensive player of the year in FCS football. That came a day after he was named to the Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-American team.
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As a junior, Milligan led the Patriot League with 10 touchdown catches, and he ranked 13th in the FCS with 975 receiving yards, the third-best total in program history . The senior out of Strath Haven was a second-team All-Patriot performer at receiver and a first-team special teams selection last season.
He was a second-team preseason All-America selection by Stats Perform.
Milligan spent time as a wide receiver, quarterback, running back and defensive back last season. His four touchdown grabs against VMI were a program record. He rushed the ball 18 times for 63 yards and one touchdown. He also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, went 2-for-2 in passing, and recorded seven solo tackles throughout the season.
Defending national champion Montana State led the preseason All-American team with eight honorees. All 13 FCS conferences, 53 schools and 101 players were represented on the three preseason teams.
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Defending Patriot League champion Lehigh placed three players on the three teams, Richmond had two honorees, and Bucknell, Holy Cross and Villanova each had one. Lehigh senior running back Luke Yoder, the reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, and Villanova junior running back/return specialist Ja'briel Mace were first-team picks. Mace and Yoder were also named to the Payton watch list on Tuesday.
Along with Milligan, Lehigh fifth-year offensive lineman Aidan Palmer, Richmond defensive lineman Camden Byrd and linebacker Carter Glassmyer earned spots on the All-American preseason second team. Holy Cross fifth-year offensive lineman Cam Nolan and Lehigh fifth-year defensive back Nick Peltekian were selected to the third team.
Bucknell opens the season Aug. 29 at Richmond.
