- Copyright 2025 © CollegeFootballPoll.com
- About CFP / Contact
- Legal Statements
The Davey O’Brien Foundation has released its preseason watch list of three dozen candidates for the Davey O’Brien Award. The list was selected based on previous Division I career player performance, as well as expectations heading into the 2025 college football season.
The award is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The 49th Annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner honoring the winner will be held Monday, February 16, 2026, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas. For more information, visit www.daveyobrienaward.com.
Last year's winner was Cam Ward who finished his collegiate career with the Miami Hurricanes after spending two seasons at Washington State, and two at the FCS level with Incarnate Word. Ward was the first player taken in the 2025 NFL Draft when he was selected by the Tennessee Titans.
There are 16 seniors, 14 juniors and 6 sophomores on this year's preseason list.
Among the returnees to the list are these semifinalists for the award in 2024.
Blake Horvath of Navy, Kevin Jennings of SMU, Cade Klubnik of Clemson, John Mateer of Oklahoma and Diego Pavia of Vanderbilt.
Drew Allar, Penn State. Behind Allar, Penn State (-43.5) is a huge opening day favorite at home vs. Nevada on August 30. Allar is one of the top returning quarterbacks in the Big Ten after throwing for 3,327 yards with 24 touchdowns and just 8 interceptions as his Nittany Lions advanced to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.
Kevin Jennings, SMU. Jennings led Southern Methodist to the playoff but his Mustangs were defeated by Penn State in the first round. He threw for 3,245 yards with 23 scores and 11 picks.
John Mateer, Oklahoma. Mateer moves to Oklahoma from Washington State where Austin Swain at FanDuel.com ponders if Mateer is a sleeping giant for the Heisman after throwing for 3,139 yards with 29 touchdowns and 7 interceptions for the Cougars in 2024.
Cade Klubnik, Clemson. Klubnik threw for 3,639 yards with 36 TD's and only 6 INT's in 2024.
Those are just a few of the players and the incredible performances they have already had in this game.
To say the least, it's a talent-loaded field.
As far as conferences are concerned, the Big 12 leads all the others with 8 quarterbacks on the list. The SEC and ACC follow closely with 7 apiece.
The official Davey O’Brien mid-season watch list will be released on Tuesday, October 21, and will contain active quarterbacks from the Preseason Watch List, players honored as weekly Great 8 recipients through the season’s first eight weeks and any additional quarterbacks approved by the selection subcommittee.
The 35-player Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2025 will be announced on Tuesday, October 28. For the fifth straight year, fan voting on social media (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) will earn players bonus selection committee votes during the semifinalist, finalist and winner voting rounds. First-round fan voting will begin October 28 following the QB Class announcement.
The list of semifinalists selected from the QB Class will be named on Wednesday, November 12. The Foundation will announce the three finalists two weeks later (Tuesday, November 25). The 2025 Davey O’Brien Award winner will be unveiled during the live Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN on Thursday, December 11.
Drew Allar, Penn State, Sr., 6-5, 235, Medina, Ohio
Luke Altmyer, Illinois, Sr., 6-2, 205, Starkville, Miss.
Alonza Barnett III, JMU, Jr., 6-0, 217, Whitsett, N.C.
Rocco Becht, Iowa State, Jr., 6-1, 210, Wesley Chapel, Fla.
Carson Beck, Miami, Sr., 6-4, 220, Jacksonville, Fla.
Braylon Braxton, Southern Miss, Sr., 6-2, 230, Frisco, Texas
Devon Dampier, Utah, Jr., 5-11, 204, Phoenix, Ariz.
Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, Colorado State, Jr., 6-2, 200, Aledo, Texas
Tucker Gleason, Toledo, Sr., 6-3, 245, Tampa, Fla.
Taylen Green, Arkansas, Sr., 6-6, 235, Lewisville, Texas
Josh Hoover, TCU, Jr., 6-2, 200, Heath, Texas
Blake Horvath, Navy, Sr., 6-2, 195, Hilliard, Ohio
Nico Iamaleava, UCLA, So., 6-6, 215, Long Beach, Calif.
Keyone Jenkins, FIU, Jr., 6-0, 190, Opa-Locka, Fla.
Kevin Jennings, SMU, Jr., 6-0, 192, Oak Cliff, Texas
Avery Johnson, Kansas State, Jr., 6-2, 192, Wichita, Kan.
Haynes King, Georgia Tech, Sr., 6-3, 215, Longview, Texas
Cade Klubnik, Clemson, Sr., 6-2, 205, Austin, Texas
DJ Lagway, Florida, So., 6-3, 247, Willis, Texas
Sam Leavitt, Arizona State, So., 6-2, 205, West Linn, Ore.
Maddux Madsen, Boise State, Jr., 5-10, 207, Lehi, Utah
Arch Manning, Texas, So., 6-4, 219, New Orleans, La.
John Mateer, Oklahoma, Jr., 6-1, 224, Little Elm, Texas
Owen McCown, UTSA, Jr., 6-1, 190, Rusk, Texas
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana, Jr., 6-5, 225, Miami, Fla.
Darian Mensah, Duke, So., 6-3, 205, San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Chandler Morris, Virginia, Sr., 6-0, 192, Highland Park, Texas
Behren Morton, Texas Tech, Sr., 6-2, 210, Eastland, Texas
Miller Moss, Louisville, Sr., 6-2, 210, Los Angeles, Calif.
Maalik Murphy, Oregon State, Jr., 6-5, 234, Inglewood, Calif.
Parker Navarro, Ohio, Sr., 6-0, 205, Tempe, Ariz.
Garrett Nussmeier, LSU, Sr., 6-1, 205, Lake Charles, La.
Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt, Sr., 6-0, 207, Albuquerque, N.M.
Sawyer Robertson, Baylor, Sr., 6-4, 220, Lubbock, Texas
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina, So., 6-3, 240, Florence, S.C.
Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati, Jr., 6-3, 235, Denton, Texas
About the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA)
The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. The NCFAA’s 25 awards have honored more than 950 recipients since 1935. Visit NCFAA.org for more information.
The award was originally established in 1977 as the Davey O'Brien Memorial Trophy with a focus on the top college football player in the southwest at any position. In 1981, it was renamed the Davey O'Brien Award and changed its focus to recognizing the top quarterback in the nation.
2024 - Cam Ward, Miami
2023 - Jayden Daniels, LSU
2022 - Max Duggan, TCU
2021 - Bryce Young, Alabama
2020 - Mac Jones, Alabama
2019 - Joe Burrow, LSU
2018 - Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
2017 - Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
2016 - Deshaun Watson, Clemson
2015 - Deshaun Watson, Clemson
2014 - Marcus Mariota, Oregon
2013 - Jameis Winston, Florida State
2012 - Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M
2011 - Robert Griffin III, Baylor
2010 - Cameron Newton, Auburn
2009 - Colt McCoy, Texas
2008 - Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
2007 - Tim Tebow, Florida
2006 - Troy Smith, Ohio State
2005 - Vince Young, Texas
2004 - Jason White, Oklahoma
2003 - Jason White, Oklahoma
2002 - Brad Banks, Iowa
2001 - Eric Crouch, Nebraska
2000 - Chris Weinke, Florida State
1999 - Joe Hamilton, Georgia Tech
1998 - Michael Bishop, Kansas State
1997 - Peyton Manning, Tennessee
1996 - Danny Wuerffel, Florida
1995 - Danny Wuerffel, Florida
1994 - Kerry Collins, Penn State
1993 - Charlie Ward, Florida State
1992 - Gino Torretta, Miami (FL)
1991 - Ty Detmer, BYU
1990 - Ty Detmer, BYU
1989 - Andre Ware, Houston
1988 - Troy Aikman, UCLA
1987 - Don McPherson, Syracuse
1986 - Vinny Testaverde, Miami (FL)
1985 - Chuck Long, Iowa
1984 - Doug Flutie, Boston College
1983 - Steve Young, BYU
1982 - Todd Blackledge, Penn State
1981 - Jim McMahon, BYU
1980 - Mike Singletary, Baylor, LB
1979 - Mike Singletary, Baylor, LB
1978 - Billy Sims, Oklahoma, RB
1977 - Earl Campbell, Texas, RB