Cade Klubnik named to another Maxwell Award watch list (2024)

The Davey O’Brien Foundation announced today that quarterback Cade Klubnik has been named as one of 36 players on the watch list for the Davey O’Brien Award, presented annually to the nation’s best quarterback.

Klubnik was also on the Maxwell Award watch list (nation's top player).

Compiled by a subset of the Davey O’Brien National Selection Committee, this year’s list was selected based on previous Division I career player performance as well as expectations heading into the 2024 college football season.

The preseason list features 22 seniors, 12 juniors and two sophom*ores. The list includes eight members from both the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big 12 Conference. Other leagues with multiple honorees include the Southeastern Conference (6), Big Ten (4), American (3), Conference USA (2) and Sun Belt (2).

Eleven of the players were semifinalists for the award in 2023: Carson Beck (Georgia), Brady Cook (Missouri), Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss), Quinn Ewers (Texas), Dillon Gabriel (Oregon), Jordan McCloud (Texas State), Kyle McCord (Syracuse), Jalen Milroe (Alabama), Kaidon Salter (Liberty), Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) and DJ Uiagalelei (Florida State).

The official Davey O’Brien Midseason Watch List will be released on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 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 committee.

The Midseason Watch List will be cut down to the 35-player Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2024 on Tuesday, Oct. 29. For the fourth 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 Oct. 29 following the QB Class announcement.

The list of semifinalists selected from the QB Class will be named on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The Foundation will announce the three finalists two weeks later (Tuesday, Nov. 26). The 2024 Davey O’Brien Award winner will be unveiled live on ESPN on Thursday, Dec. 12, during The Home Depot College Football Awards.

The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the na3on’s best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The 48th Annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner honoring the winner will be held Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

2024 Davey O’Brien Award Preseason Watch List

Joey Aguilar, Appalachian State, Sr., 6-3, 220, Antioch, Calif.

Drew Allar, Penn State, Jr., 6-5, 238, Medina, Ohio

Rocco Becht, Iowa State, So., 6-1, 205, Wesley Chapel, Fla.

Carson Beck, Georgia, Sr., 6-4, 220, Jacksonville, Fla.

Byrum Brown, South Florida, Jr., 6-3, 209, Raleigh, N.C.

Brady Cook, Missouri, Sr., 6-2, 215, St. Louis, Mo.

Jalon Daniels, Kansas, Jr., 6-0, 220, Lawndale, Calif.

Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss, Sr., 6-2, 225, Kaysville, Utah

Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech, Jr., 6-2, 234, Pearland, Texas

Quinn Ewers, Texas, Jr., 6-2, 210, Southlake, Texas

Noah Fifita, Arizona, So., 5-10, 188, Huntington Beach, Calif.

TJ Finley, Western Kentucky, Jr., 6-7, 238, Ponchatoula, La.

Dequan Finn, Baylor, Sr., 6-2, 206, Detroit, Mich.

Brett Gabbert, Miami (OH), Sr., 6-0, 210, St. Louis, Mo.

Dillon Gabriel, Oregon, Sr., 5-11, 204, Mililani, Hawai’i

GarreN Greene, West Virginia, Sr., 5-11, 201, Tallahassee, Fla.

Seth Henigan, Memphis, Sr., 6-3, 215, Denton, Texas

Will Howard, Ohio State, Sr., 6-4, 237, Downingtown, Pa.

KJ Jefferson, UCF, Sr., 6-3, 247, Sardis, Miss.

Mikey Keene, Fresno State, Jr., 5-11, 200, Chandler, Ariz.

Haynes King, Georgia Tech, Jr., 6-3, 215, Longview, Texas

Cade Klubnik, Clemson, Jr., 6-2, 205, Austin, Texas

Riley Leonard, Notre Dame, Sr., 6-4, 216, Fairhope, Ala.

Grayson McCall, NC State, Sr., 6-3, 220, Indian Trail, N.C.

Jordan McCloud, Texas State, Sr., 6-0, 200, Tampa, Fla.

Kyle McCord, Syracuse, Sr., 6-3, 220, Mt. Laurel, N.J.

Graham Mertz, Florida, Sr., 6-2, 216, Overland Park, Kan.

Jalen Milroe, Alabama, Jr., 6-2, 220, Katy, Texas

Cameron Rising, Utah, Sr., 6-2, 220, Ventura, Calif.

Will Rogers, Washington, Sr., 6-2, 216, Brandon, Miss.

Kaidon Salter, Liberty, Jr., 6-1, 200, Cedar Hill, Texas

Shedeur Sanders, Colorado, Sr., 6-2, 215, Dallas, Texas

Preston Stone, SMU, Jr., 6-1, 214, Dallas, Texas

DJ Uiagalelei, Florida State, Sr., 6-4, 252, Inland Empire, Calif.

Cameron Ward, Miami, Sr., 6-3, 223, West Columbia, Texas

Jacob Zeno, UAB, Sr., 6-4, 210, San Antonio, Texas