University of Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager and Mililani product Dillon Gabriel of Oregon are among 80 football players named to the watch list for the 88th Maxwell Award, which is presented annually to the outstanding player in college football.
The list is headed by five who were Maxwell semifinalists last year in Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, Georgia QB Carson Beck, Liberty QB Kaidon Salter, Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III and Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II.
Miami (WR Xavier Restrepo, RB Damien Martinez and QB Cam Ward) and Ohio State (QB Will Howard, RB Quinshon Judkins and WR Emeka Egbuka) lead the way with three candidates apiece. Oregon has two in Gabriel and wide receiver Tez Johnson.
Schager, who led the Mountain West in passing yards (3,542), touchdown passes (26), points responsible for (168), and ranked No. 2 in total offense (277.3 ypg), was one of six MW players named to the watch list. The others were Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Colorado State wide receiver Tory Horton, San Diego State running back Marquez Cooper, UNLV wide receiver Ricky White and Utah State wide receiver Jalen Royals.
The Dallas native is the fourth UH quarterback all-time to be named to the watch list and first since Cole McDonald in 2019. Previously Bryant Moniz (2011) and Colt Brennan (2007) also made the watch list.
The Maxwell Award has been presented to College Football’s player of the year since 1937 and is named after Robert “Tiny” Maxwell, who was a standout at Swarthmore College and a renowned sportswriter and football official.
The semifinalists will be announced Nov. 12, the three finalists unveiled Nov. 26 and the winner of the 88th Maxwell Award will be revealed on Dec. 12 as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show. The formal presentations will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on March 14, 2025, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Last year’s award went to Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.
2024 Maxwell Award Watch List
Alabama—Jalen Milroe, QB
Appalachian State—Joey Aguilar, QB
Arizona—Tetairoa McMillan, WR; Noah Fifita, QB
Auburn—Jarquez Hunter, RB
Baylor—Dequan Finn, QB
Boise State—Ashton Jeanty, RB
Boston College—Thomas Castellanos, QB
Bowling Green—Terion Stewart, RB
Cal—Jaydn Ott, RB
Cincinnati—Corey Kiner, RB
Clemson—Cade Klubnik, QB; Phil Mafah, RB
Colorado—Shedeur Sanders, QB
Colorado State—Tory Horton, WR
Duke—Jordan Moore, WR
Florida—Graham Mertz, QB
Florida State—DJ Uiagalelei, QB
Georgia—Carson Beck, QB; Trevor Etienne, RB
Georgia Tech—Haynes King, QB; Jamal Haynes, RB
Hawaii—Brayden Schager, QB
Kansas —Devin Neal, RB; Jalon Daniels, QB
Kansas State—DJ Giddens, RB; Avery Johnson, QB
Liberty—Kaidon Salter, QB; Quinton Cooley, RB
Louisville—Tyler Shough, QB
LSU—Garrett Nussmeier, QB; Kyren Lacey, WR
Memphis—Seth Henigan, QB
Miami—Xavier Restrepo, WR; Damien Martinez; RB, Cam Ward, QB
Michigan—Donovan Edwards, RB
Minnesota—Darius Taylor, RB
Missouri—Brady Cook, QB; Luther Burden III, WR
NC State—Grayson McCall, QB
North Carolina—Omarion Hampton, RB
Northern Illinois—Antario Brown, RB
Notre Dame—Riley Leonard, QB
Ohio State—Will Howard, QB; Quinshon Judkins, RB; Emeka Egbuka, WR
Oklahoma—Jackson Arnold, QB
Oklahoma State—Ollie Gordon II, RB
Ole Miss-Jaxson Dart, QB
Oregon—Tez Johnson, WR, Dillon Gabriel, QB
Penn State—Drew Allar, QB; Nicholas Singleton, RB
Rutgers—Kyle Monangai, RB
San Diego State—Marquez Cooper, RB
SMU—Preston Stone, QB
South Carolina—Raheim Sanders, RB
South Florida—Byrum Brown, QB
Stanford—Elic Ayomanor, WR
Syracuse—Kyle McCord, QB; LeQuint Allen, RB
Tennessee—Nico Iamaleava, QB
Texas—Quinn Ewers, QB
Texas A&M—Connor Weigman, QB
Texas State—Jordan McCloud, QB; Ismail Mahdi, RB
Texas Tech—Tahj Brooks, RB
Tulane—Makhi Hughes, RB
UCF—KJ Jefferson, QB; RJ Harvey, RB
UNLV—Rickey White, WR
Southern California—Miller Moss, QB
Utah—Cameron Rising, QB
Utah State—Jalen Royals, WR
Virginia Tech—Kyron Drones, QB; Bhayshul Tuten, RB
Washington—Will Rogers, QB
West Virginia—Garrett Greene, QB
Western Kentucky—TJ Finley, QB
