The Maxwell Award is the first out of the gate with its pre-season watch list. The award is given to the, “Best player in college football,” as determined by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and college football head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club. The ACC has 20 players on the Maxwell watchlist announced Monday afternoon.
The ACC “What”
Fourteen of the 17 ACC schools are represented by at least one player. Not surprisingly, as the conference spent its media time last week touting itself as the conference of quarterbacks, there are 10 ACC signal callers on the watch list. It is the most quarterbacks of any conference on the list.
The complete national list has 40 quarterbacks. That is half of the total list. One-fourth of the quarterback list sits with the ACC.
Conference newcomers Cal, Stanford, and SMU are also represented on the list with one selection apiece.
The ACC “Who”
The ACC athletes on the list are as follows:
Thomas Castellanos, Boston College, Junior, quarterback
Jaydn Ott, Cal, Junior, running back
Cade Klubnik, Clemson, Junior, quarterback
Phil Mafah, Clemson, Senior, running back
Jordan Moore, Duke, Senior, wide receiver
DJ Uiagalelei, Florida State, Senior, quarterback
Haynes King, Georgia Tech, Junior, quarterback
Jamal Haynes, Georgia Tech, Junior, running back
Tyler Shough, Louisville, Senior, quarterback
Damien Martinez, Miami, Junior, running back
Xavier Restrepo, Miami, Senior, wide receiver
Cam Ward, Miami, Senior, quarterback
Grayson McCall, NC State, Senior, quarterback
Omarion Hampton, North Carolina, Junior, running back
Preston Stone, SMU, Junior, quarterback
Elic Ayomanor, Stanford, Sophomore, wide receiver
Kyle McCord, Syracuse, Senior, quarterback
LeQuint Allen, Syracuse, Junior, running back
Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech, Junior, quarterback
Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech, Senior, running back
The “When”
There are 80 players on the complete watch list. Miami has more than any other school with three selections. That could also be seen as an example of the pressure that head coach Mario Cristobal will face this year to win more, with the talent on the roster.
There will be a couple of “cut downs” on the list before the winner is announced in December. Semi-finalists will be announced on November 12th. The three finalists will be announced on November 26th. The winner of the award will be announced on December 12th.
The complete watchlist is here.
Next
On Tuesday we will get the watch lists for the Outland Trophy and the Nagurski Trophy. The Outland is for the best interior lineman. It can be offense or defense, but edge rushers are not part of the equation. Tuesday will see the release of the watch list for the Nagurski Trophy for the best defensive player in the country. Both awards are determined by the Football Writers Association of America.
