Braylon Braxton Named to Davey O’Brien Preseason Watch List
8/7/2025 11:00:00 AM | Football
FORT WORTH, Texas (Aug. 7, 2025) — The Davey O'Brien Foundation unveiled the 2025 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Preseason Watch List today, a group that includes three dozen of the nation's top returning college quarterbacks along with Southern Miss quarterback Braylon Braxton (Frisco, Texas).
This marks the fourth preseason national watch list for Braxton, who has also earned a spot on the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Wuerffel Trophy and the Maxwell Award.
Braxton, who transferred from Marshall this past offseason was named the Sun Belt Conference's preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The 2024 Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year played in 11 games and started in eight for the Thundering Herd, helping lead them to the 2024 SBC championship. His play in the SBC title game earned him Most Valuable Player honors.
He went 8-0 as a starter, throwing for 1,624 yards on 124-of-206 throws with 19 touchdowns and only two interceptions as he averaged 147.6 yards per game passing. Braxton also ranked second on the team in rushing with 610 yards on 134 carries with four touchdown runs and averaged 55.5 rushing yards per contest. He ranked top 40 nationally following the league championship at No. 16 in passing efficiency (154.9), No. 25 in yards per completion (13.1) and No. 39 in passing touchdowns.
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 2025 college football season.
The official Davey O'Brien Midseason Watch List will be released on Tuesday, Oct. 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, Oct. 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 Oct. 28 following the QB Class announcement.
The list of semifinalists selected from the QB Class will be named on Wednesday, Nov. 12. The Foundation will announce the three finalists two weeks later (Tuesday, Nov. 25). The 2025 Davey O'Brien Award winner will be unveiled live on ESPN on Thursday, Dec. 11, during The Home Depot College Football Awards.
The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback 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, Feb. 16, 2026, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas. For more information, visit www.daveyobrienaward.com.
2025 Davey O'Brien Award Preseason Watch List
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, So., 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.
This marks the fourth preseason national watch list for Braxton, who has also earned a spot on the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Wuerffel Trophy and the Maxwell Award.
Braxton, who transferred from Marshall this past offseason was named the Sun Belt Conference's preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The 2024 Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year played in 11 games and started in eight for the Thundering Herd, helping lead them to the 2024 SBC championship. His play in the SBC title game earned him Most Valuable Player honors.
He went 8-0 as a starter, throwing for 1,624 yards on 124-of-206 throws with 19 touchdowns and only two interceptions as he averaged 147.6 yards per game passing. Braxton also ranked second on the team in rushing with 610 yards on 134 carries with four touchdown runs and averaged 55.5 rushing yards per contest. He ranked top 40 nationally following the league championship at No. 16 in passing efficiency (154.9), No. 25 in yards per completion (13.1) and No. 39 in passing touchdowns.
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 2025 college football season.
The official Davey O'Brien Midseason Watch List will be released on Tuesday, Oct. 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, Oct. 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 Oct. 28 following the QB Class announcement.
The list of semifinalists selected from the QB Class will be named on Wednesday, Nov. 12. The Foundation will announce the three finalists two weeks later (Tuesday, Nov. 25). The 2025 Davey O'Brien Award winner will be unveiled live on ESPN on Thursday, Dec. 11, during The Home Depot College Football Awards.
The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback 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, Feb. 16, 2026, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas. For more information, visit www.daveyobrienaward.com.
2025 Davey O'Brien Award Preseason Watch List
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, So., 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.
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