Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award top-25 list announced

The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given annually to the nation’s top upperclassman quarterback, announced its top-25 list on Thursday.

The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award recognizes more than just the most outstanding upperclassman quarterback; the candidates are judged on accomplishments on the field as well as on their character, scholastic achievement and leadership qualities, according to its website.

Unitas, who in college received the nickname “The Golden Arm,” played college football at Louisville and was a star in the NFL playing for the then-Baltimore Colts.

The previous three winners of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award include current NFL quarterbacks in Mac Jones (2020), Joe Burrow (2019) and Gardner Minshew (2018). Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, Eli Manning, Matt Leinart and Matt Ryan also won the award in past years.

Unitas Award candidates

Brennan Armstrong, Virginia

Connor Bazelak, Missouri

Anthony Brown, Oregon

Sean Clifford, Penn State

Jack Coan, Notre Dame

Matt Corral, Ole Miss

Malik Cunningham, Louisville

Jayden Daniels, Arizona State

JT Daniels, Georgia

Dillon Gabriel, UCF

Sam Hartman, Wake Forest

Sam Howell, North Carolina

Emory Jones, Florida

D’Eriq King, Miami

Devin Leary, NC State

Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina

Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh

Jack Plummer, Purdue

Brock Purdy, Iowa State

Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma

Chris Reynolds, Charlotte

Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati

Carson Strong, Nevada

Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland

Malik Willis, Liberty

Heisman frontrunners well-represented on list

Multiple Heisman Trophy favorites are currently on the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm list, including current Heisman favorite Matt Corral and preseason Heisman favorite Spencer Rattler.

Before the season began, Rattler was an overwhelming favorite to win the Heisman Trophy by most oddsmakers, as he was listed at roughly +500 — at the time, Ole Miss’ Corral was +2500. Four weeks into the season, however, the tides have turned in drastic fashion, with Rattler falling far from the frontrunner conversation, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young reaching closer to the No. 1 spot and Corral being priced as the favorite, with some oddsmakers listing him as low as +200. Young is an underclassman, so he’s not eligible for the Unitas Award; both Rattler and Corral, however, are on the top-25 list.

Ole Miss has only played three games, but there’s plenty of reason to label Corral, a Unitas finalist, as the Heisman favorite. Ole Miss is currently 3-0, and Corral has thrown for 997 yards — holding a completion percentage as high as 68.8 — and has thrown for nine passing touchdowns with no interceptions. Furthermore, Corral has gotten it done on the ground, as he currently ranks as Ole Miss’ third-leading rusher, going for 158 rushing yards on 33 attempts, along with five rushing touchdowns.