BALTIMORE — BYU quarterback Kedon Slovis was named Wednesday to the watch list for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. The list includes 48 of the top quarterbacks in the nation heading into the 2023 season.
Slovis, from Scottdale, Arizona, transferred to BYU in the offseason after spending three years at USC and the 2022 season at Pitt. The senior signal caller has started 37 of the 38 games he has played over four years from 2019-22. His career passing yards of 9,973 ranks No. 13 among active quarterbacks in the FBS.
In July, Slovis was named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award, presented annually to the outstanding player in college football. He was also named to the watch list for the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl, held annually in Mobile, Alabama, following the conclusion of the college football season.
As a sophomore, Slovis was named first-team All-Pac 12 by the Associate Press and Phil Steele in 2020 after leading the nation in completions per game (29.5) and finishing sixth in passing yards per game (320.2), 13th in total offense (310.7) and 18th in completion percentage (.670). The previous year in 2019, Slovis was the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and was named Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America and Pro Football Focus. He was also a semifinalist for the FWAA National Freshman of the Year.
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award annually recognizes the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class. Candidates are chosen based on player performance on-and-off the field headed into the 2023 college football season.
The 2023 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, Maryland on Dec. 7.
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List, 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.
The Award’s namesake, Johnny Unitas, was an 18-year veteran of the NFL, who played his collegiate career at Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards and 290 touchdowns.
2023 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Watch List
Brennan Armstrong, NC State
Carter Bradley, South Alabama
Hudson Card, Purdue
Chevan Cordeiro, San Jose State
Jayden Daniels, LSU
Jalon Daniels, Kansas
Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Quinn Ewers, Texas
Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma
Mitch Griffis, Wake Forest
Frank Harris, UTSA
Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
Seth Henigan, Memphis
Will Howard, Kansas State
KJ Jefferson, Arkansas
Phil Jurkovec, Pittsburgh
Devin Leary, Kentucky
Riley Leonard, Duke
Drake Maye, North Carolina
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
Cade McNamara, Iowa
Graham Mertz, Florida
Joe Milton III, Tennessee
Tanner Mordecai, Wisconsin
Bo Nix, Oregon
Michael Penix Jr., Washington
Michael Pratt, Tulane
Drew Pyne, Arizona State
Spencer Rattler, South Carolina
Austin Reed, Western Kentucky
Cam Rising, Utah
Will Rogers, Mississippi State
Kurtis Rourke, Ohio
Blake Shapen, Baylor
Garrett Shrader, Syracuse
Kedon Slovis, BYU
Donovan Smith, Houston
Cole Snyder, Buffalo
Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland
Casey Thompson, Florida Atlantic
Payton Thorne, Auburn
Jordan Travis, Florida State
DJ Uiagalelei, Oregon State
Tyler Van Dyke, Miami
Cam Ward, Washington State
Grant Wells, Virginia Tech
Caleb Williams, USC