ACC has nation’s best 15 chosen for 2016 Maxwell Award Watch List

The Atlantic Coast Conference had 15 players selected for the Maxwell Award preseason watch list – the most of any conference nationally – the Maxwell Club announced Tuesday.

The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate football player.

In all, 90 players were named to the Maxwell Award preseason watch list. Clemson led all ACC teams with three selections in QB Deshaun Watson, RB Wayne Gallman and WR Mike Williams. Watson was one of two 2015 Maxwell Award finalists named to this year’s preseason watch list.

Miami, with QB Brad Kaaya and RB Joe Yearby, and Virginia Tech, with WR Isaiah Ford and RB Travon McMillian, each had two nominees.

Eleven of the 14 ACC schools had at least one player chosen for the Maxwell Award preseason watch list, and 12 ACC schools had at least one player chosen for either the Maxwell or the Chuck Bednarik Defensive Player of the Year preseason watch list, which was also announced Tuesday. A total of 30 ACC players were chosen for both watch lists, with Clemson leading all ACC schools with six selections.

The last player from a current ACC school to win the Maxwell Award was Miami QB Ken Dorsey in 2001. The last ACC player to capture the Maxwell Award was Florida State QB Charlie Ward in 1993.

The ACC Members of the 2016 preseason Maxwell Award preseason watch list are:

 

Name                                  School                Pos.    Ht.    Wt.       Cl.        Hometown

James Conner                     Pitt                      RB      6-2    240        Jr.-R     Erie, Pa.

Dalvin Cook                        Florida State       RB      5-11  206        Jr.        Miami, Fla.

Matt Dayes                         NC State             RB      5-9    203        Sr.        Weston, Fla.

Isaiah Ford                          Virginia Tech      WR     6-2    190        Jr.        Jacksonville, Fla.

Wayne Gallman                  Clemson             RB      6-1    215        Jr.-R     Loganville, Ga.

Elijah Hood                         North Carolina   RB      6-0    229        Jr.        Charlotte, N.C.

Lamar Jackson                    Louisville            QB      6-3    196        So.       Boynton Beach, Fla.

Brad Kaaya                         Miami                QB      6-4    210        Jr.        Los Angeles, Calif.

Travon McMillian               Virginia Tech      RB      6-0    200        S0.-R    Woodbridge, Va.

Taquan Mizzell                   Virginia              RB      5-10  200        Sr.        Virginia Beach, Va.

Thomas Sirk                        Duke                   QB      6-4    220        Sr.-R    Glen St. Mary, Fla.

Justin Thomas                     Georgia Tech     QB      5-11  185        Sr.-R    Prattville, Ala.

Deshaun Watson                Clemson             QB      6-2    210        Jr.        Gainesville, Ga.

Mike Williams                    Clemson             WR     6-4    220        Jr.-R     Vance, S.C.

Joe Yearby                          Miami                RB      5-9    202        Jr.        Miami, Fla.