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Which Penn State players made the Maxwell Award watch list?

Greg Pickelby: Greg Pickel07/28/25GregPickel
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Penn State quarterback Drew Allar speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Three Penn State players are on the list of preseason candidates for the Maxwell Award. Watch list season, which is an annual summer staple on the road to a new season, kicked off Monday when the Maxwell Football Club put out its list of 80 names it would consider for its postseason College Player of the Year honor. Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar, running back Nick Singleton, and running back Kaytron Allen made the cut. All three elected to return for the 2025 season instead of starting their time in the NFL, of course, and each believes that they, and their teammates, have what it takes to win it all this fall.

“For us, the goal is to be in the Big Ten title [game] and obviously win it,” Allar said at Big Ten Media Days last week. “Obviously, we came close to it last year and didn’t accomplish it. For us, it’s always about reflecting internally about what we can do well and what we can do better at.

“Going into fall camp, it’s all about us finding what we’re good at and maybe what our weaknesses are. And then attacking those things to make them strengths. If we can be the most well-rounded team in the country and also the most diverse team in the country in terms of personnel we can throw out on the field and the different types of plays we have out on the field…that’s what we want to accomplish in four weeks of camp.”

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At the same event, Franklin went out of his way to point out twice that Singleton and Allen are both within striking distance of breaking Evan Royster’s career rushing yards mark. Each needs roughly 1,100 yards in 2025 to do it.

 “I thought one of those guys would decide to declare for the NFL and the other one would come back,” Franklin said. “They both decided to come back. We’ve got two great running backs. You know as well as anybody, Penn State, from a historical standpoint, at the running back position, has been a ton of really good players.

“It’s amazing to me that both Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen have a chance to be the all time leading rushers in Penn State history, 1 and 2, and they’ve been sharing carries their entire career.”

Which Lions have made a watch list so far?

Here’s the list. On Tuesday, candidates for the Outland and Nagurski Trophies will be announced.

Drew Allar – Maxwell Award

Kaytron Allen – Maxwell Award

A.J. Harris – Lott IMPACT Trophy

Nicholas Singleton – Maxwell Award

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