Will Levis on the Davey O'Brien Award Preseason Watch List

Another day, another watch list for Will Levis. Kentucky’s quarterback is one of 35 on the preseason watch list for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, given annually to the nation’s top college signal-caller. It is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. Only players who have started at least one Division I game were considered.

Yesterday, Levis and running back Chris Rodriguez were named to the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award for college football’s most outstanding player. In his first season at Kentucky after transferring from Penn State, Levis threw for 2,826 yards and 24 touchdowns, while rushing for nine more. He completed 66.0% of his passes to finish with an overall passer rating of 148.3. He was named to the Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2021, the Davey O’Brien Award Great 8 List after accounting for Kentucky’s first five touchdowns in the 42-21 win over LSU.

2022 Davey O’Brien Award Watch List

Of the 35 quarterbacks on the preseason watch list, seven are from the SEC. #ItJustMeansMore

• Brennan Armstrong, Virginia, Sr., 6-2, 212, Shelby, Ohio
• Stetson Bennett, Georgia, Sr., 5-11, 190, Blackshear, Ga.
• Gerry Bohanon, USF, Sr., 6-3, 221, Earle, Ark.
• Logan Bonner, Utah State, Sr., 6-1, 230, Rowlett, Texas
• Chase Brice, App State, Sr., 6-3, 235, Grayson, Ga.
• Sean Clifford, Penn State, Sr., 6-2, 212, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Malik Cunningham, Louisville, Sr., 6-1, 190, Montgomery, Ala.
• Brett Gabbert, Miami (OH), Jr., 6-0, 209, St. Louis, Mo.
• Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma, Jr., 5-11, 204, Mililani, Hawaii
• Jake Haener, Fresno State, Sr., 6-1, 210, Danville, Calif.
• Jaren Hall, BYU, Jr., 6-1, 205, Spanish Fork, Utah
• Frank Harris, UTSA, Sr., 6-0, 200, Schertz, Texas
• Sam Hartman, Wake Forest, Jr., 6-1, 208, Charlotte, N.C.
• Hendon Hooker, Tennessee, Sr., 6-4, 218, Greensboro, N.C.
• KJ Jefferson, Arkansas, Jr., 6-3, 242, Sardis, Miss.
• Devin Leary, NC State, Jr., 6-1, 215, Sicklerville, N.J.
• Will Levis, Kentucky, Sr., 6-3, 232, Madison, Conn.
• Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina, Jr., 6-3, 210, Indian Trail, N.C.
• Tanner McKee, Stanford, Jr., 6-6, 226, Corona, Calif.
• Tanner Mordecai, SMU, Sr., 6-3, 218, Waco, Texas
• Bo Nix, Oregon, Jr., 6-3, 214, Pinson, Ala.
• Aidan O’Connell, Purdue, Sr., 6-3, 210, Long Grove, Ill.
• Spencer Rattler, South Carolina, Jr., 6-1, 210, Phoenix, Ariz.
• Chris Reynolds, Charlotte, Sr., 5-11, 210, Mocksville, N.C.
• Cameron Rising, Utah, Jr., 6-2, 220, Ventura, Calif.,
• Will Rogers, Mississippi State, Jr., 6-2, 210, Brandon, Miss.
• Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State, Sr., 6-1, 210, Denton, Texas
• C.J. Stroud, Ohio State, Jr., 6-3, 215, Inland Empire, Calif.
• Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland, Jr., 5-11, 200, Ewa Beach, Hawaii
• Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA, Sr., 6-1, 205, Las Vegas, Nev.
• Payton Thorne, Michigan State, Jr., 6-2, 210, Naperville, Ill.
• Clayton Tune, Houston, Sr., 6-3, 215, Carrollton, Texas
• Tyler Van Dyke, Miami, So., 6-4, 224, Glastonbury, Conn.
• Caleb Williams, USC, So., 6-1, 215, Washington, D.C.
• Bryce Young, Alabama, Jr., 6-0, 194, Pasadena, Calif.

Davey O’Brien Award Schedule

The Davey O’Brien Midseason Watch List will be released on Oct. 18 and will contain all active quarterbacks from the Preseason Watch List, all players honored as a weekly Great 8 recipient through the season’s first seven weeks and any additional quarterbacks approved by the selection subcommittee. From there, it will be narrowed down to the 35-player Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2022 on Oct. 25, with fan voting playing a role.

Sixteen semifinalists selected from the QB Class will be named on Nov. 8. The Foundation will announce the three finalists two weeks later (Nov. 21). The 2022 Davey O’Brien Award winner will be unveiled live on ESPN on Dec. 8 during The Home Depot College Football Awards. The winner will be honored at the 46th Annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner on Feb. 20, 2023, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.