NC State star QB Devin Leary added to another award watch list
Towards the end of an offseason full of accolades for NC State quarterback Devin Leary, he received a spot on yet another major award watch list. The Davey O’Brien award, given out to the nation’s top quarterback each season, released its 2022 watch list Tuesday morning.
Leary, along with 34 other quarterbacks were recognized by the organization.
“Compiled by a subset of the Davey O’Brien National Selection Committee, this year’s list was selected based on career player performance and expectations heading into the 2022 college football season,” NC State’s statement read. “All nominees are required to have previously started at least one game at an NCAA Division I institution.”
The NC State signal caller is one of five ACC quarterbacks to receive a spot on the list. Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman and Virigina’s Brennan Armstrong were semifinalists for the award last year and return this year as well. The list represents all 10 FBS conferences, and the SEC leader all leagues at seven appearances.
“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 award website’s statement read. “The 46th Annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner honoring the winner will be held Monday, Feb. 20, 2023, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.”
Leary and the rest of the quarterbacks who made the list are evaluated throughout the season, and the watch list is narrowed down several times throughout the season. ESPN will announce the winner Dec. 8.
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Alabama’s Bryce Young won the award in 2021, and he is back on the watch list this year along with fellow finalist CJ Stroud from Ohio State. A total of 12 out of the 16 semifinalists from last season return this year, according to the award’s website.
A big year ahead for Devin Leary
The NC State signal caller exploded onto the scene as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks last year, tossing 35 touchdowns to go along with just five interceptions. According to a Monday press release from NC State Athletics, he is the only quarterback in ACC history to accomplish that feat.
“He also set a new school single season record with 35 passing touchdowns – he broke the previous mark of 34 held by Philip Rivers (2003),” NC State’s Monday press release said. “Leary ranked third in the ACC in passing efficiency with a 157.1 mark – the second-best mark for a season in school history, and his 3,433 passing yards in 2021 ranks sixth in the Wolfpack single-season record book.”
Leary’s heroics helped the Wolfpack win nine games last year and are a significant reason why many tout NC State as a team to watch nationally this year. Both Athlon and Phil Steele awarded Leary preseason all-ACC second-team honors as well, joining a double-digit list of NC State athletes on both lists. Leary also made the Maxwell Award watch list Monday, meant to recognize the best college football player in the country.
