​Bucknell senior receiver Sam Milligan has been tabbed as a preseason All-American and added to the watch list as the top offensive player in FCS heading into the 2026 season.Tuesday, Milligan was one of 30 players named to the preseason watch list for the Walter 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.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAs a junior, Milligan led the Patriot League with 10 touchdown catches and was 13th among FCS teams 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’s four touchdown grabs against VMI were a program record. He spent time as a wide receiver, quarterback, running back and defensive back. He rushed the ball 18 times for 63 yards and one rushing 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 leads the preseason All-American team with eight honorees. All 13 FCS conferences, 53 schools and 101 players are represented on the three preseason teams.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDefending 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 Football 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, second-team preseason picks were Lehigh fifth-year offensive lineman Aidan Palmer, Richmond defensive lineman Camden Byrd and linebacker Carter Glassmyer earned spots on the second team. Holy Cross fifth-year offensive lineman Cam Nolan and Lehigh fifth-year defensive back Nick Peltekian were selected to the preseason All-America third team.Bucknell opens the season Aug. 29 at Richmond.