2026 Maxwell Award full Preseason Watchlist revealed

The 2026 Preseason Watchlist for the Maxwell Award has been released. It’s one of the more prestigious awards in all of college football, given to the best all-around player in all of the sport.

Sometimes, it follows in-line with the Heisman Trophy, like last season with Fernando Mendoza. Other years, it serves as an honor for a player who didn’t receive the most amount of votes on that fateful night in New York City in December, like Ashton Jeanty in 2024, and Michael Penix Jr. in 2023.

Regardless, the list of Maxwell Award winners features some of the best college football players to ever lace up their cleats. Check out their watchlist below, and see which names you need to know for the upcoming season.

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• QB Liam Szarka, Air Force (Junior)
• RB Jordan Gant, Akron (Senior)
• WR Ryan Coleman-Williams, Alabama (Junior)
• QB Noah Fifita, Arizona (Senior)
• QB Cale Hellums, Army (Senior)
• QB Byrum Brown, Auburn (Senior)
• RB Jeremiah Cobb, Auburn (Senior)
• QB DJ Lagway, Baylor (Junior)
• QB Maddux Madsen, Boise State (Senior)
• RB Dylan Riley, Boise State (Junior)
• QB Bear Bachmeier, BYU (Sophomore)
• RB LJ Martin, BYU (Senior)
• QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Cal (Sophomore)
• QB Julian Lewis, Colorado (R-Freshman)
• QB Nick Minicucci, Delaware (Senior)
• RB Nate Sheppard, Duke (Sophomore)
• RB Jadan Baugh, Florida (Junior)
• QB Caden Veltkamp, Florida Atlantic (Senior)
• WR Duce Robinson, Florida State (Senior)
• QB Gunner Stockton, Georgia (Senior)
• RB Nate Frazier, Georgia (Junior)
• RB Justice Haynes, Georgia Tech (Senior)
• QB Micah Alejado, Hawaii (Sophomore)
• QB Conner Weigman, Houston (Senior)
• QB Josh Hoover, Indiana (Senior)
• QB Caden Creel, Jacksonville State (Junior)
• QB Avery Johnson, Kansas State (Senior)
• RB Joe Jackson, Kansas State (Junior)
• RB Isaac Brown, Louisville (Junior)
• QB Sam Leavitt, LSU (Junior)
• QB Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall (Senior)
• QB Darian Mensah, Miami (Junior)
• WR Malachi Toney, Miami (Sophomore)
• RB Mark Fletcher, Miami (Senior)
• RB Jordan Marshall, Michigan (Junior)
• QB Bryce Underwood, Michigan (Sophomore)
• RB Camryn Edwards, Michigan State (Senior)
• RB Darius Taylor, Minnesota (Senior)
• RB Ahmad Hardy, Missouri (Junior)
• QB Braxton Woodson, Navy (Senior)
• QB CJ Bailey, NC State (Junior)
• QB Anthony Colandrea, Nebraska (Senior)
• RB DJ Scott, North Dakota State (Junior)
• RB Caleb Komolafe, Northwestern (Junior)
• QB CJ Carr, Notre Dame (Sophomore)
• RB Bo Jackson, Ohio State (Sophomore)
• WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (Junior)
• QB Julian Sayin, Ohio State (Sophomore)
• QB John Mateer, Oklahoma (Senior)
• RB Caleb Hawkins, Oklahoma State (Sophomore)
• QB Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State (Sophomore)
• RB Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss (Junior)
• QB Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss (Senior)
• QB Dante Moore, Oregon (Senior)
• QB Rocco Becht, Penn State (Senior)
• QB Mason Heintschel, Pittsburgh (Sophomore)
• RB Antwan Raymond, Rutgers (Junior)
• RB Lucky Sutton, San Diego State (Senior)
• QB Kevin Jennings, SMU (Senior)
• QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (Junior)
• RB DeSean Bishop, Tennessee (Junior)
• QB Arch Manning, Texas (Sophomore)
• WR Cam Coleman, Texas (Junior)
• QB Marcel Reed, Texas A&M (Junior)
• WR Mario Craver, Texas A&M (Junior)
• QB Brad Jackson, Texas State (Sophomore)
• RB Cameron Dickey, Texas Tech (Junior)
• QB Alonza Barnett, UCF (Senior)
• QB Nico Iamaleava, UCLA (Junior)
• QB Jackson Arnold, UNLV (Senior)
• RB Jai’Den Thomas, UNLV (Senior)
• QB Jayden Maiava, USC (Senior)
• RB Waymond Jordan, USC (Senior)
• QB Devon Dampier, Utah (Senior)
• RB Wayshawn Parker, Utah (Junior)
• QB Owen McCown, UTSA (Senior)
• QB Demond Williams, Washington (Junior)
• RB Cam Cook, West Virginia (Senior)
• QB Broc Lowry, Western Michigan (Junior)
• RB Jalen Buckley, Western Michigan (Senior)
• RB Samuel Harris, Wyoming (Sophomore)