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UNC Football: Drake Maye named to Davey O’Brien Award Watch List

By Nick Delahanty

Sep 10, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) drops back to pass against the Georgia State Panthers in the first half at Center Parc Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) drops back to pass against the Georgia State Panthers in the first half at Center Parc Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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The UNC football star is among 35 quarterbacks to earn a spot on the preseason watch list for one of college football’s most prestigious awards.

After finishing the 2022 season as a semi-finalist for the annual Davey O’Brien Award, UNC football star Drake Maye finds himself on the preseason watch list as a player to watch for the 2023 campaign.

The Davey O’Brien Award is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback. It serves as the oldest and most prestigious quarterback award in the nation.

Maye and Caleb Williams of USC, who was a finalist for the award last season, headline the group of 35 players selected to this year’s watch list. Along with Maye, 15 of the 20 semi-finalists from a season ago earned a spot on this year’s preseason list.

Here are the players who made the cut, a group that was selected based on past performance and expectations heading into the new season.

Jayden Daniels (LSU)
Frank Harris (UTSA)
Sam Hartman (Notre Dame)
Drake Maye (North Carolina)
Grayson McCall (Coastal Carolina)
J.J. McCarthy (Michigan)
Tanner Mordecai (Wisconsin)
Bo Nix (Oregon)
Michael Penix Jr. (Washington)
Austin Reed (Western Kentucky)
Cameron Rising (Utah)
Will Rogers (Mississippi State)
Kurtis Rourke (Ohio)
Jordan Travis (Florida State)
Carter Bradley (South Alabama)
Chevan Cordeiro (San Jose State)
Jalon Daniels (Kansas)
Quinn Ewers (Texas)
Dequan Finn (Toledo)
Dillon Gabriel (Oklahoma)
Taylen Green (Boise State)
Seth Henigan (Memphis)
Will Howard (Kansas State)
KJ Jefferson (Arkansas)
Cade Klubnik (Clemson)
Devin Leary (Kentucky)
Riley Leonard (Duke)
Joe Milton III (Tennessee)
John Rhys Plumlee (UCF)
Michael Pratt (Tulane)
Garrett Shrader (Syracuse)
Jeff Sims (Nebraska)
Taulia Tagovailoa (Maryland)
E.J. Warner (Temple)

It’s no secret that Maye is one of college football’s best players, as he’s expected to once again put up big numbers for a UNC football team that has high expectations for the 2023 season.

To read more about the Davey O’Brien Award preseason watch list, check out their official press release.

Next. UNC Football 2023 Positional Preview: Quarterback. dark

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