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The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee Narrows Watch List to Top 25
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation alongside presenting partner, A. O. Smith, has pared-down the original 2021 Watch List to the nation’s Top 25 quarterbacks. The quarterbacks that remain in the hunt for this season’s coveted Golden Arm Award represent 10 conferences across the country.
The Golden Arm Award annually recognizes the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class. The semifinalists, finalists, and award recipient are selected by the distinguished Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, and former players. Candidates are chosen based on player performance on-and-off the field.
2021 Golden Arm Award Watch List Presented by A. O. Smith
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
The namesake of the Golden Arm Award has a storied history. Johnny Unitas was an 18-year veteran of the NFL, who played his collegiate career at the University of Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards, 290 touchdowns and throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.
The 2021 award winner will be presented the Golden Arm Award trophy by The Johnny Unitas Educational Foundation President, John Unitas, Jr., at the Golden Arm Award banquet and celebration at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore, MD on Friday, December 10, 2021.
Giving life to the commitment to give back, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and presenting sponsor A. O. Smith continue to promote football on all levels by providing financial aid to deserving young scholar athletes. A. O. Smith is committed to creating innovative solutions that set new standards for their industry.
Sharing a tradition of innovation with Johnny Unitas, who invented football’s two-minute drill, A. O. Smith has been an innovator in its industry for more than a century. A. O. Smith offers its customers an additional advantage in that the company designs, builds, distributes, and supports the world’s broadest and deepest line of residential and commercial water heaters, as well as commercial boilers. This single-source concept simplifies ordering, installation and service and is backed by 80 years of research and innovation.
